How does a flipped classroom impact classroom climate?

This research paper describes an investigation into the impacts of a flipped pedagogy on student-perceived classroom climate. We used the College and University Classroom Environment Inventory (CUCEI) to assess the classroom climate in both the flipped class and various control classes that were not flipped. This inventory includes seven psychosocial dimensions of classroom climate: personalization, involvement, student cohesiveness, satisfaction, task orientation, innovation, and individualization. Our specific research questions were: 1. Do students perceive a more positive classroom climate in a flipped classroom vs. a traditional lecture-based course when controlled for course content and instructor? 2. What psychosocial dimensions were most impacted by the flipped pedagogy? 3. What do these results indicate about student motivation in a flipped classroom? One group of students (Group "A") had just completed the flipped course. The second group (Group "B") consisted of students who had just completed the same course, but taught in a traditional format. This was to control for the effect of the course material on student's motivation and interest. The third group (Group "C") consisted of students who had just completed a different engineering course taught by the same instructor in a traditional format. This was to control for a different instructor. The groups were analyzed using a one-way ANOVA. The responses were analyzed based on each of the seven subscales within the CUCEI, as well as on an overall score combining all seven subscales. The results show that overall the flipped class results in a higher score in both overall classroom climate and for the individualization subscale. In addition we found higher averages for task orientation when controlled for instructor. When controlled for the course content, the flipped course is more innovative and students get to know each other more. The implications of these findings on flipped classrooms are important to those faculty wishing to flip their course.