Exploiting asynchronous delivery at the tertiary level: Transitioning from the traditional to the flipped model

Abstract

In recent years, educators, particularly those within the tertiary level landscape, have been subject to criticisms for their apparent inability to effectively educate students; in particular, their failure to explore the potential of technology. These criticisms have generated even more concern as the educational landscape is characterized by the inclusion of information communication technologies and their potential to facilitate digital learning. The asynchronous or Location Independent Learning (LIL) is a student-centred mode of delivery which posits the idea that students learn the same material at different times and locations. Compared to the traditional, synchronous mode of delivery, the level of convenience provided by the asynchronous modality provides opportunities for individualized pace and deeper reflection. The "flipped" or "inverted" classroom is proposed as one such way of reaching students, by speaking their digital language while at the same time creating opportunities for the development and harnessing of the critical thinking skills that could allow them to navigate the professional and social world thereafter. Using action research, this study reports on the transition from a partial to fully flipped video classroom format at a tertiary level institution in Trinidad and Tobago, as a potential means to incorporate: 1) an asynchronous component that could allow for more schedule flexibility and appeal to a millennial audience; and 2) a synchronous, interactive face-to-face component that focuses on problem solving, collaboration, crafting, and creating. The primary objectives of this study were to determine students' perception of the flipped classroom as well as to map the progression of learning in both iterations.