Examining Student Perceptions of Flipping an Agricultural Teaching Methods Course

Abstract

To meet the needs of the 21st century student, college instructors have been challenged to transform their classrooms from passive to active, “minds-on” learning environments. This qualitative study examined an active learning approach known as a flipped classroom and sought to explore student perceptions of flipping a teaching methods course required in an agricultural teacher education program. Students offered mixed perceptions about this flipped class. The emergent themes included: (a) positive aspects of online lecture, (b) technological issues, (c) positive aspects of classroom learning activities, (d) negative aspects of classroom learning activities, and (e) student beliefs regarding the flipped classroom approach. Based on the findings from this study, a flipped classroom approach seems to have promise as a model for delivering a teaching methods class. As a result, we suggest other instructors of similar courses attempt a flipped classroom approach to test the model in other contexts.