Hybrid Flipped Learning Series Article 4: Designing After-Class Transfer of Learning

Design Strategies 4.1-4.2

Overview

Think about how kids learn to ride a bicycle. In the beginning, they need someone to steady the bike, guide their balance, and give encouragement. Once they learn how to pedal and gain confidence, that support can gradually be reduced until they are riding on their own.

This same principle applies to the hybrid flipped learning design. After-class learning is where students demonstrate their ability to apply what they’ve learned with reduced or removed instructional support and transfer their knowledge and skills to new, different contexts. It is also the wrapping-up phase of the knowledge integration process. Your role as the instructor is to gradually fade the amount of guidance you provide, while still being available when students seek help.

Below, we will explore two strategies to help you design effective after-class learning experiences.

4.1 Provide Learning Review and New Problem Solving Opportunities

After class, students need time and space to reflect on what they learned and connect the dots between online and in-class activities. Encourage students to revisit key concepts, connect them with prior knowledge, and reflect on their problem-solving strategies. Even a quick recap of what they have learned helps students reorganize their mental models and prepare them to apply their knowledge independently.

More importantly, students should be challenged to solve problems in new contexts different from those used in class. These problems should mirror the kinds of challenges they might face in the real world and require them to draw upon what they’ve already learned.

Unlike in-class activities where you provide more guidance, after-class problems should be designed with reduced or faded scaffolding. This allows students to strengthen their independence, build metacognitive awareness, and transfer their learning to new situations (Merrill, 2013). At the same time, make sure that instructional support is still accessible when needed. 

Examples

BCH 451 Principles of Biochemistry

• Students review the new concepts after class by reading assigned textbook chapters and use the Content Learning Assistant to practice and self-assess the new and previously learned knowledge and skills.
• They also attend recitation sessions (e.g., Week 3 Recitation) with TAs to further practice the knowledge and skills by solving new problems similar to those in class or on the tests.

CSC 342 Applied Web-based Client-Server Computing

• Students review the newly learned skills by organizing their code from class activities to a Scratch Pad folder that can be referenced for projects.
• They work on mini projects (e.g. Mini Project 1) and a semester-long team project after class, both requiring them to apply the knowledge and skills learned recently or over time to develop new applications.

BAE 200 Computer Methods in Biological Engineering

They then work on a graded homework problem independently to demonstrate their knowledge and skill competencies (e.g., Module 3 homework problem, Module 6 homework problem).

After class, students first work on new problems comparable to the in-class problem during lab with peer interaction and TA support (e.g. Module 3 lab problem, Module 6 lab problem).

4.2 Facilitate Extended Peer Sharing and Critiquing with Ongoing Support Channels

Due to limited in-class time, after-class learning is also an opportunity for students to share their work with peers and critique each other’s approaches. When students explain their reasoning, review others’ work, and defend their own ideas, they deepen their understanding and further integrate their knowledge.

You can facilitate this by:

• Setting up online discussion forums for students to post and comment on each other’s solutions.
• Encouraging them to share short videos, screencasts, or written reflections of how they solved a new problem.
• Providing clear criteria or rubrics for peer review so feedback stays focused and constructive.

This kind of peer interaction not only strengthens learning but also builds a sense of community and relatedness that keep students stay engaged.

Finally, similar to the dialogue-based learning support during the online learning stage, students should know they can reach out through office hours, online Q&A forums, peer study groups, or AI tools customized for the course, if they encounter difficulties, even though your direct support is reduced. Ongoing support  channels give students confidence to attempt problems on their own, knowing that they can get help easily when they need it.

Examples

CSC 281 Foundations of Interactive Game Design (peer sharing and critiquing)

• As part of a semester-long game design project, after student teams finish their game design, they share a comprehensive game design document in a discussion forum for peers to review and provide feedback. Teams are expected to review and respond to the feedback they receive and make revisions to their game design before submitting the final version.

CSC 342 Applied Web-based Client-Server Computing (ongoing support channel)

• Using an un-grading teaching method, students can request feedback from the instructor or TAs about their work-in-progress or how to make improvements for their mini project deliverables anytime outside of class (see feedback request form). They are expected to incorporate the feedback into future mini projects or late submissions of the same mini project.

In summary, designing after-class learning is about helping students take the final step toward independence. Just like learning to ride a bicycle, they begin with support but ultimately need to practice balancing and steering on their own.

By providing opportunities for review, assigning new problems with reduced support, encouraging peer sharing, and keeping support channels open, you will create a learning environment where students can confidently apply and integrate their knowledge.

The gradual fade of scaffolding and gradual increase of autonomy not only strengthens mastery of course objectives but also equips students with the skills to continue learning and problem-solving long after your course ends.

References

• Merrill, M. D. (2013). First principles of instruction: Identifying and designing effective, efficient and engaging instruction. San Francisco, CA: Pfeiffer.