Mixed Analysis of the Flipped Classroom in the Concrete and Steel Structures Subject in the Context of COVID-19 Crisis Outbreak. A Pilot Study

Abstract

A sudden lockdown was declared on 14 March 2020 due to COVID-19 crisis, leading to an immediate change from face-to-face to online learning in all universities within Spanish jurisdiction. At La Salle School of Architecture, the Concrete and Steel Structures subject started online classes immediately after the lockdown law was published, using a methodology based on the flipped classroom approach and adapting the monitoring of the student to the virtual environment. This article presents a pilot study to analyze the adaptation of the model to the online format using a mixed approach in which qualitative and quantitative surveys were conducted at the end of the course with 48 participants. Responses from both surveys were organized according to six categories (teachers, assessment, methods, class development, students and documents) and 14 subcategories, as developed in an undergoing research project involving the subject since the academic year 2017/2018. Thus, the open responses of the students have been analyzed alongside with the quantitative data. The results demonstrate a proper adaptation of the model, as well as the negative perception of the students of the online format due to the loss of face-to-face benefits of the flipped classroom.