Between 2015 and 2016, I received two Micro-Module Courseware Development Grants at CUHK to experiment the concept of flipped-teaching. My first trial took place in Term 1, 2015-16. I flipped and I flopped. Feedback from students informed me that they liked the videos and welcomed the flipped learning materials available on-line for pre-viewing and reviewing. Yet, they found participating in multiple graded on-line assignments time consuming. With their comments in mind, I modified the usage and assessment methods. I managed to continue flipping without flopping. To name a few, I changed flipped learning from compulsory to voluntary. I used different schemes to encourage student engagement in foundation and upper-elective courses. More importantly, I ensured online learning modules are brief and interesting. With all these ideas in mind, my new project funded by the Special Funding Scheme for Online Learning (TDLEG 2019-22) is to offer students nine theme-based animated video cases for classroom- and e-learning.
To sum up my 5-year experiences in designing and using flipped-teaching, I remain skeptical if flipped-teaching effectiveness may reflect on Course Teaching Evaluation. While teachers ask students to do online learning, teachers contribute equal or more efforts in re-designing teaching materials, classroom activities and assessment scheme. Online teaching remains a trial and error journey. Hopefully, there is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.