title: Flipped classroom learning in a large introductory undergraduate engineering course

authors: Scott, Jonathan B.

subjects: Flipped classroom

abstract: CONTEXT
The flipped-classroom model is a recent educational development that is prominent in the literature on learning. The typical flipped class scenario involves students looking up information, reading printed materials or watching videos prior to gathering in a classroom to apply the knowledge through problem solving activities with guidance from the teacher. However, there is little research available about the effects of the flipped class on students’ learning in large introductory engineering courses with a strong lab component that must be conducted in multiple streams. This current research is based at one New Zealand university with engineering student enrolments of typically 150 students. In the past few years, prior to the introduction of the flipped class, the course lecturers have been refining the teaching of the course through a focus on threshold concepts (TCs) and the introduction of online tutorials.
PURPOSE
This paper aims to address the question: Does flipping a first year electronic engineering class and changing the traditional role of the lecturer to a “learning guide” offer better value for money in terms of the lecturer’s time, resources, and student satisfaction than the traditional face-to-face lecture model? 
APPROACH
We adopted a design-based research approach to develop and trial a flipped class approach to help students learn the TCs and related concepts in electronic engineering. We will report on the design of the flipped class involving lecturer developed online videos and student collaborative problem solving activities. Data collected from lecturer reflections, student focus group interviews and student evaluation of the course will be reported and discussed. 
RESULTS
Of the 64 students who responded to the midterm survey, over 80% found the videos helpful in learning key course ideas. About 70% of respondents indicated that the problem solving sessions helped them understand concepts covered in videos, 43% found them useful in allowing them to explain what they know so far in the course, and, about a quarter found them useful for applying their knowledge in real life and to practice team work skills. The course lecturers observed that as compared to previous years, students are more on- task in the labs, and that the problem solving activities worked well despite some students reporting that some of the exercises were a bit challenging. Regardless, the lecturers felt that the problem solving activities helped to complement the online video lectures.
CONCLUSIONS
The results suggest that flipping the class provides students with a more active student-centred learning context. Lecturers become learning facilitators or guide to address student queries when needed. Subsequently when lecturers and students get together in face-to-face class or lab sessions, these allow for more productive, group problem solving activities, and bolster the “esprit-de-corps” of the student cohort. It is our experience that without these changing roles and learning contexts, the flipped class loses more than it gains.

text: Flipped classroom learning in a large introductory undergraduate engineering course CONTEXT
The flipped-classroom model is a recent educational development that is prominent in the literature on learning. The typical flipped class scenario involves students looking up information, reading printed materials or watching videos prior to gathering in a classroom to apply the knowledge through problem solving activities with guidance from the teacher. However, there is little research available about the effects of the flipped class on students’ learning in large introductory engineering courses with a strong lab component that must be conducted in multiple streams. This current research is based at one New Zealand university with engineering student enrolments of typically 150 students. In the past few years, prior to the introduction of the flipped class, the course lecturers have been refining the teaching of the course through a focus on threshold concepts (TCs) and the introduction of online tutorials.
PURPOSE
This paper aims to address the question: Does flipping a first year electronic engineering class and changing the traditional role of the lecturer to a “learning guide” offer better value for money in terms of the lecturer’s time, resources, and student satisfaction than the traditional face-to-face lecture model? 
APPROACH
We adopted a design-based research approach to develop and trial a flipped class approach to help students learn the TCs and related concepts in electronic engineering. We will report on the design of the flipped class involving lecturer developed online videos and student collaborative problem solving activities. Data collected from lecturer reflections, student focus group interviews and student evaluation of the course will be reported and discussed. 
RESULTS
Of the 64 students who responded to the midterm survey, over 80% found the videos helpful in learning key course ideas. About 70% of respondents indicated that the problem solving sessions helped them understand concepts covered in videos, 43% found them useful in allowing them to explain what they know so far in the course, and, about a quarter found them useful for applying their knowledge in real life and to practice team work skills. The course lecturers observed that as compared to previous years, students are more on- task in the labs, and that the problem solving activities worked well despite some students reporting that some of the exercises were a bit challenging. Regardless, the lecturers felt that the problem solving activities helped to complement the online video lectures.
CONCLUSIONS
The results suggest that flipping the class provides students with a more active student-centred learning context. Lecturers become learning facilitators or guide to address student queries when needed. Subsequently when lecturers and students get together in face-to-face class or lab sessions, these allow for more productive, group problem solving activities, and bolster the “esprit-de-corps” of the student cohort. It is our experience that without these changing roles and learning contexts, the flipped class loses more than it gains.

year: 2016

title: Transient geographies: 50:50 sharemilking in the Waikato

authors: Adams-Hutcheson, Gail

subjects: assemblage

abstract: Spacings of mobile farming in New Zealand: Assemblages of cows, bodies, farms and the weather Weather changes moods – Nirvana, “In bloom” (1991) Cresswell (2011) broadens mobility studies to include non-human objects and structures, but rarely, non-human animals and the weather. I add here both livestock and the more literal atmospheric conditions of sun, wind and rain which are largely missing from mobilities studies. Weather is ubiquitous, yet hard to ignore – it impacts on both researcher and the researched. I visited farms and was: jumped-up-on by dogs, rode on 4-wheel bikes, got licked by calves [happy/sunny], felt hot, got covered in dust [tired/sweltering], stood still in the milking-shed [tension/cold], and was blasted by freezing winds and slopped through thick mud [depression/winter wet]. For Ash (2013a, 35) “the body is a kind of living or somatic memory, which is composed of various retentional apparatuses”, which become ignited by alignment of senses. In this paper I argue for attention to be paid to sharemilking and the materiality of atmospheres to draw attention to the ‘centrifugal’ forces of mobile rural dwelling. Sharemilking is a largely unique agrarian practice in New Zealand which is embedded in the notion of mobility. Sharemilkers typically own the livestock and machinery, but not the land and enter into contract with landowners on a share profit basis. Contracts are finished and new ones are taken up on a set day, the 1st June which is often termed colloquially as ‘Gypsy-day’. The contract nature of sharemilking stimulates a cascade of mobilities and enabling infrastructures (assemblages) as farmers move on a stuttering schedule of contract renewals. The frequent upheaval of hundreds of large animals and sheer amount of equipment moved, which is needed to run a sharemilking operation, does warrant further consideration.

text: Transient geographies: 50:50 sharemilking in the Waikato Spacings of mobile farming in New Zealand: Assemblages of cows, bodies, farms and the weather Weather changes moods – Nirvana, “In bloom” (1991) Cresswell (2011) broadens mobility studies to include non-human objects and structures, but rarely, non-human animals and the weather. I add here both livestock and the more literal atmospheric conditions of sun, wind and rain which are largely missing from mobilities studies. Weather is ubiquitous, yet hard to ignore – it impacts on both researcher and the researched. I visited farms and was: jumped-up-on by dogs, rode on 4-wheel bikes, got licked by calves [happy/sunny], felt hot, got covered in dust [tired/sweltering], stood still in the milking-shed [tension/cold], and was blasted by freezing winds and slopped through thick mud [depression/winter wet]. For Ash (2013a, 35) “the body is a kind of living or somatic memory, which is composed of various retentional apparatuses”, which become ignited by alignment of senses. In this paper I argue for attention to be paid to sharemilking and the materiality of atmospheres to draw attention to the ‘centrifugal’ forces of mobile rural dwelling. Sharemilking is a largely unique agrarian practice in New Zealand which is embedded in the notion of mobility. Sharemilkers typically own the livestock and machinery, but not the land and enter into contract with landowners on a share profit basis. Contracts are finished and new ones are taken up on a set day, the 1st June which is often termed colloquially as ‘Gypsy-day’. The contract nature of sharemilking stimulates a cascade of mobilities and enabling infrastructures (assemblages) as farmers move on a stuttering schedule of contract renewals. The frequent upheaval of hundreds of large animals and sheer amount of equipment moved, which is needed to run a sharemilking operation, does warrant further consideration.

year: 2016

title: Community Based Coastal Monitoring: Developing Tools For Sustainable Management

authors: Rickard, Darcel

subjects: Science

abstract: Burgeoning coastal development, recreational use, and the future affects of climate change are placing increasing strain on regulators to manage risk associated with coastal hazards.  Low-lying coastal communities in particular are vulnerable to a range of natural hazards including coastal erosion, storm surge inundation, tsunami and water safety that come with varying levels of risk to life and property. New Zealand's coastal hazard monitoring network is patchy and resources are limited. As a consequence there is considerable potential for coastal communities are going to need to take a more active role in monitoring their environment and building data bases and knowledge that can be used to better manage their coast. This paper describes simple methodologies based on the needs of various community groups and sound science principles that can be used to monitor beaches and the coastal environment. By employing these tools councils, technical experts and community groups will be able to make better-informed decisions for managing activities in the coastal environment. 
One of the keys to the successful uptake of a monitoring programme by a community group is its relevance to the group. The programme and the tools provided must fit the interests, needs, capability and resources of the group. This project develops tools for coastal monitoring and targets coastal community groups such as Coast Care, Coastal Hapu, Secondary Schools, and Surf Life Saving Clubs. The monitoring methodologies have been developed in consultation with Tainui ki Whaingaroa hapu, Raglan Area School, and the Waikato Beach Care and Coast Care Bay of Plenty.
Successful methodologies for measuring changes on the coast are also those that are matched to the type of beach, use appropriate equipment, collect structured data, provide data to which analysis can be applied, incorporate local knowledge of the environment, and feed results back to the community and other interested parties such as councils and science organisations. This project provides the target groups with simple monitoring methodologies, field forms/checklists, and appropriate survey and measurement equipment (which have undergone field trials) to carry out coastal monitoring.  A web-based facility has been developed to input, check and store data; and provide immediate feedback using graphs and images. It also provides background information on coastal processes relevant to monitoring programmes.  In this manner, a scientifically robust data set is collected and stored within a secure and future proofed archive, providing valuable information to coastal groups for years to come.
Although the primary objective of this research is to develop a means for coastal communities to monitor changes in their environment, there are additional benefits associated with engaging communities in the study of their environment. These benefits include increasing awareness of coastal hazards, capacity building, providing valuable educational resources, and improving the temporal and spatial data coverage of information for the New Zealand coastline.

text: Community Based Coastal Monitoring: Developing Tools For Sustainable Management Burgeoning coastal development, recreational use, and the future affects of climate change are placing increasing strain on regulators to manage risk associated with coastal hazards.  Low-lying coastal communities in particular are vulnerable to a range of natural hazards including coastal erosion, storm surge inundation, tsunami and water safety that come with varying levels of risk to life and property. New Zealand's coastal hazard monitoring network is patchy and resources are limited. As a consequence there is considerable potential for coastal communities are going to need to take a more active role in monitoring their environment and building data bases and knowledge that can be used to better manage their coast. This paper describes simple methodologies based on the needs of various community groups and sound science principles that can be used to monitor beaches and the coastal environment. By employing these tools councils, technical experts and community groups will be able to make better-informed decisions for managing activities in the coastal environment. 
One of the keys to the successful uptake of a monitoring programme by a community group is its relevance to the group. The programme and the tools provided must fit the interests, needs, capability and resources of the group. This project develops tools for coastal monitoring and targets coastal community groups such as Coast Care, Coastal Hapu, Secondary Schools, and Surf Life Saving Clubs. The monitoring methodologies have been developed in consultation with Tainui ki Whaingaroa hapu, Raglan Area School, and the Waikato Beach Care and Coast Care Bay of Plenty.
Successful methodologies for measuring changes on the coast are also those that are matched to the type of beach, use appropriate equipment, collect structured data, provide data to which analysis can be applied, incorporate local knowledge of the environment, and feed results back to the community and other interested parties such as councils and science organisations. This project provides the target groups with simple monitoring methodologies, field forms/checklists, and appropriate survey and measurement equipment (which have undergone field trials) to carry out coastal monitoring.  A web-based facility has been developed to input, check and store data; and provide immediate feedback using graphs and images. It also provides background information on coastal processes relevant to monitoring programmes.  In this manner, a scientifically robust data set is collected and stored within a secure and future proofed archive, providing valuable information to coastal groups for years to come.
Although the primary objective of this research is to develop a means for coastal communities to monitor changes in their environment, there are additional benefits associated with engaging communities in the study of their environment. These benefits include increasing awareness of coastal hazards, capacity building, providing valuable educational resources, and improving the temporal and spatial data coverage of information for the New Zealand coastline.

year: 2008