Outcomes from applying the inverted classroom to a first_year structures module

The Institution of Structural Engineers has recently invested considerable effort in the thorny problem of how to improve understanding of structural behaviour among undergraduate students. This paper, based on a winning entry to the Institution’s Excellence in Structural Engineering Education Award 2015, provides an account of action research in the application of inverted classroom principles to teaching first_year undergraduate civil engineering students, which was undertaken as a response to disappointing academic performance of the 2012/13 cohort. The process was based around a virtual learning environment. The effect upon engagement was better than expected, and demonstrated that it is possible to engineer enhanced performance by increasing student interaction with a virtual learning environment in conjunction with a structured learning schedule.