Abstract:

New problem-based learning methodologies provide efficient tools to improve the competencies of the students for solving practical situations in their future works. However, their correct implementation is essential to properly develop the student skills, since if they do not receive any kind of feedback between the different sessions, receiving only a final revision, it is difficult to improve their knowledge and participation in the lessons. In this context, flipped classroom model allows to periodically control the progress of the students. In this work, a flipped classroom methodology was implemented in the part of Problems of the subject “Crop Protection (AG1818)” in the “Degree in Agrifood and Rural Engineering” at Jaume I University of Castelló (Spain) during the courses 2021/2022 and 2022/2023. The implementation of this methodology requires the students to develop a pest control system for one crop and it was developed over 5 class sessions. Thus, in the first session the students were grouped in groups of 3-4 people and chose one of suggested crops, and a planning of their independent work was provided. In the following sessions, they presented their progress and difficulties encountered in carrying out the work in class, and they presented the complete final document in the last session. To know their satisfaction about their learning, an anonymous survey was answered by the students. The results exhibited a mean qualification of 7.9 over 10, and the 91% of the students passed this part of the subject. Additionally, the survey revealed that although this methodology requires more effort by both sides, professor and students, it increases their motivation and ensures their learning better than just submitting their final work. This leads to conclude that flipping classroom is a good methodology to facilitate the students learning and motivate them to get involved in the work.

Acknowledgements:
This work was economically supported by Jaume I University through grants and 18G002-737 and POSDOC/2020/18.

Keywords:

Flipped classroom, agricultural engineering, agronomy.