Abstract
The Flipped Classroom: A Means to Reduce Cheating? The flipped classroom is not a new concept in teaching nor is it hard to obtain accounts ofProfessors’ experiences with this pedagogy. This account of a junior level fluidmechanics course in a mechanical engineering department deviates from the traditionalby focusing on an outcome of the flipped classroom that may be equally beneficial tostudent learning as an active approach. This paper will explore the relationship betweenthe student and delivery of course material and its impact on cheating as well as overallstudent performance. In a time of rampant academic misconduct, does the flippedclassroom structure inhibit students’ ability to cheat? Also, does increasing activelearning within the format of the flipped class further increase the students’accountability for the course material? When flipping a classroom the in-class portion ofthe time invariably becomes active, however the original design of this instructionalmethod still includes a passive learning format through online video lectures for the ‘athome’ portion of learning. The in-class portion was comprised of, homework problems,in-class activities, demonstrations and projects. The online, ‘at home’ portion, which isvideo-based lectures under the original design of this instructional technique wasimplemented as learning modules. The learning modules were created to further moveaway from a passive form of learning so that the fundamental concepts needed to pursuethe in-class problems and activities could be arrived at through a more active approach.Test scores will be compared from the flipped classroom to those obtained under thetraditional lecture format. Student surveys on academic misconduct across differentdelivery methods were obtained and will be discussed. Survey outcomes of studentperceptions of the inverted delivery method will be summarized. Suggestions to facultyseeking to try this instructional method will be given to smooth the transition.