INTRODUCTION
The pressing need to re-engineer computer application education has been established in the past decade [1–2]. Yet, computer application education today is still largely using outdated approaches for teaching technical concepts and problem solving. Because limitations of traditional lectures as a primary pedagogical tool in teaching science have been widely recognized over the years, satirically in some cases, this class format prevails as the most common approach to computer application education. The courses should help students integrate basic concepts into conceptual frameworks, link prior learning to new knowledge, and develop reasoning and their own style that allow the application of concepts to situations that are not explicitly memorized. However, these goals are rarely realized for the majority of students in the traditional lecture model [3–6]. Therefore, the challenge of every discipline education is a transition for them from being dispensers of facts to being architects of learning activities. Critically, this process is designing experiences that facilitate students developing into active learners rather than passive receptacles of information. While traditional teaching method continues to be a staple of collage education; however, the development of information technology has brought the change of teaching method. Such as Coursera and The Kahn Academy ; and developments in cognitive science combine to challenge traditional notions of teaching and learning. The “flipped classroom” instructional model was developed by Jonathan Bergmann and Aaron Sams in 2007 to provide instruction to secondary students who were missing class and therefore missing instruction.
The contents of the class are finished prior to class, the homework, discussion and summary are done in the scheduled class in the flipped class model. The model has transformed teaching practice by changing traditional roles and increasing interaction between the instructor and students during class [7]. J Gerstein constructs the ring of the flipped classroom model to divide the class into four stages: Experiential Engagement, concept Exploration, Meaning Making and Demonstration and Application [8]. A flipped classroom is different from an online class because it includes face-to-face class time with the instructor; and it is more than simply requiring students to read the text before coming to class. In a flipped classroom, the material disseminated outside of class is designed by the instructor to supplement and reinforce concepts from the textbook. By moving traditional lecture material outside of class time, the flipped classroom frees that time for learner-centered activities [9].
Although there are compelling reasons to implement a flipped classroom, there are also some potential problems. First, implementing a flipped classroom can initially be time-consuming. An instructor cannot simply video tape a 50-min lecture. Zappe [9] found an optimum video length to be around 20 min, which requires the instructor to reorganize course material into short segments and to spend time editing recordings. The instructor must also develop and include activities and/or a pretest to ensure that students are prepared for class [10–11]. Second, online learning may frustrate some students. Strayer [12] found some students were uncomfortable at having to take responsibility for their own learning. The instructor can allay this discomfort by providing clear expectations for what students should know. Third, there is some discrepancy in the literature about the appropriateness of a flipped classroom for different course levels. Bland [13] was cautious about using a flipped classroom in more advanced courses, while others suggest that a flipped classroom may be more applicable in advanced courses [12,14].