The Flipped Classroom Volume 1: Background and Challenges

Jennifer L. Muzyka received her B.S. from University of Dallas and her PhD in organic chemistry from University of Texas, Austin. She began her college teaching career at Roanoke College. Later she moved to Centre College in Kentucky, where she is currently H.W. Stodghill Jr. and Adele H. Stodghill Professor of Chemistry. Muzyka leads workshops on Active Learning in Organic Chemistry and serves on the leadership board for OrganicERs, an online community for organicchemistry educators (organicers.org). She also serves on the ACS Division of Chemical Education's Committee on Computers for Chemical Education, currently as committee co-chair.


Christopher Luker received his B.S. in chemistry from Allegheny College and his M.A. in Education from The University of Akron. He currently teaches college-preparatory and Advanced Placement chemistry at Highland High School in Medina, Ohio. He has been involved in flipped classroom pedagogy since 2008 and has been involved in numerous local, regional, and national events on the flipped classroom. Luker is currently a doctoral student at Kent State University, where his research interests are
related to the metacognitive aspects of the flipped classroom experience.

The flipped classroom is a variation on a pedagogical method that has been around for generations. In the flipped classroom, students gain exposure to course content before class and the face-to-face time involves active learning. This pedagogical method is part of the larger effort to reform chemical education in ways that improve students' knowledge of chemistry.