Impact of Assigned Seating in a Flipped Course on Student Performance

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For the past three years, the undergraduate Thermodynamics I course at North Carolina State University has been taught in the flipped format. In a flipped course, the concepts delivered in a traditional lecture are instead provided through online content which allows face-to-face class time to be used on applying the concepts to problem solving. The author has previously used the answers to final exam questions from students during multiple semesters to assess the effectiveness of flipping the course. The current study analyzes the effect of working in teams on individual student success. Students are assigned to a team and to a row of seating in the classroom. Student performance is determined by results of individual tests during the semester. Analysis shows that the students with the highest grades are mostly immune to the effects of assigned teammates but there are mixed results for other students.

Author(s):

Nancy Moore    
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
North Carolina State University
United States