Digitally Enabled Teaching Blog Takeover: Flipped Learning in Software Re-engineering - Personal Reflection
by Donghwan Shin
Fostering active and self-regulated learning is essential to prepare students for the complexities of the fast-moving workplace. At the University of Sheffield, in collaboration with my colleague Dr Neil Walkinshaw, I have applied flipped learning to my module combining more traditional methods with online learning opportunities COM3523/6523: Software Reengineering, to empower students to take a more active role in their learning journey. In this blog post, I share how I implemented this approach, the results I observed, and some lessons learned along the way.
Why Flipped Learning?
Software reengineering involves understanding and restructuring software systems that change over time—tasks that require a blend of conceptual understanding and hands-on problem-solving. Traditional lectures often leave limited time for deeper engagement with such challenging topics. To address this, I introduced flipped learning.
The flipped classroom model allows students to engage with essential learning materials—slides, curated articles, video tutorials, and quizzes—before attending the lecture. By using digital tools thoughtfully, it frees up valuable in-class time for advanced discussions and interactive activities, enabling a focus on higher-order skills such as evaluation and creation.
Implementation and Activities
To support this approach, I carefully designed pre-class (self-study) materials to ensure accessibility and relevance. For example, all resources were uploaded to the Blackboard (digital learning platform) one week in advance, allowing students to engage at their own pace. At the end of self-study materials, students were given 2-3 non-trivial questions, which were further discussed during class time.
In-class activities were also carefully designed to foster active learning by integrating concise mini-lectures on advanced topics with in-depth group discussions. Each session began with a 10-15 minute self-study retrieval exercise, where students were given formative quizzes on Wooclap, a digital platform enabling real-time feedback and self-assessment. This was followed by a series of targeted mini-lectures, typically spanning 2-3 slides about challenging concepts, which set the stage for group discussions. These discussions allowed students to collaboratively explore and apply the lecture content, ultimately addressing the questions posed in the self-study materials. To further reinforce their learning, weekly lab sessions were conducted using GitHub Classroom. These labs provided students with hands-on problem-solving opportunities and automated feedback using GitHub Actions, ensuring a deeper understanding of key concepts.
Outcomes and Reflections
The impact of flipped learning was significant. Students arrived better prepared for lectures, enabling engagement with deeper concepts during lectures. Discussions were lively and productive, and formative assessments demonstrated improved comprehension of key concepts. Using digital resources and tools that complement intentionally designed in-class activities, students were better able to actively engage with those learning experiences. Notably, many students embraced the new learning approach, with very positive feedback such as:
I really liked the structure and teaching method of this module. That along with the kind and helpful staff was a big part of what made me want to stay in the module when I had the option to drop it. I wish all lecture-based modules operated this way – where you are required to learn the material in advance, have a little quiz at the end to know what points to focus on, and use the lecture as a chance to clarify and solidify the knowledge.
Of course, challenges emerged. Some students initially struggled with self-regulated learning, finding the volume of self-study materials overwhelming. To address this, I iteratively refined the balance between pre-class content and in-class activities based on student feedback every week. I also maintained weekly office hours (upon appointment using Google Calendar Appointment) and drop-in sessions (one-hour additional lab session where everyone can drop by) to provide additional support.
Lessons Learned and Future Plans
Implementing flipped learning reminded me of the importance of careful preparation and constructive alignment. While the physical layout of the lecture theatre was not ideal for group discussions, this did not significantly hinder the process. One key takeaway is that lectures can be just as active and engaging as hands-on lab sessions. Moving forward, I plan to incorporate more hands-on, challenging quizzes to encourage even more group discussions during class time.
Thanks to our excellent teaching admin team, we now have a workroom allocated for lectures—a space perfect for group discussions. My journey with flipped learning has only just begun, and I look forward to fine-tuning my teaching approach to create an even more engaging and inclusive environment for students.
If you are planning a digitally enabled teaching session or course, you can find further guidance here: