The idea that course content can be “delivered” is founded on behaviorist theories
of learning where knowledge is viewed as an objective entity that can be transferred from
one person to another (as learned skills or strategies of thinking). However, active
learning techniques have been used over the past few decades by educators who espouse
constructivist theories of learning which view knowledge as something that must be built
up by the learner through reflective abstraction. Thus, a classroom flip environment could
end up being a place where the outside class activity is driven by one learning theory, and
inside class pursuits are driven by a different (competing/conflicting) theory. It seems this
situation could pose a significant problem for professors and students alike. As a result, I
was interested in studying how the complexities inherent in the classroom flip method of
structuring a course influences the learning environment for students as they progress
through the course.