I'm in the middle of teaching first-semester Calculus where, for the first time, I'm trying to implement a flipped classroom. (Background: Small university in U.S.; Calc 1 for STEM majors, 50 minute classes, 4 times a week, have taught the course in traditional lecture format many times.) In the flipped context, I've struggled to understand the role/importance of homework.
Initially this semester, the format was: Due by class time, students were assigned video lectures on a topic/section. During class I would quickly summarize the main points and then they would work in groups, focusing on 2-3 problems in that topic meant to specifically prepare them for the quizzes. After class, they were assigned 8-12 (WebAssign) homework problems meant to give them more practice and/or round out their understanding of the concept. Even though attendance was good and students seemed to be logging in to watch the videos, the problem was that very few students were completing (even 25% of) the homework. My concern was that doing a homework set and having to watch videos for the next class was too much for them.
So more recently I've shifted to, after summarizing main points, opening up the homework set in class and working selected problems. Even though WebAssign has some randomization to it's problems, they seem able to adapt fine so that now most of them get at least those problems in the homework done (but for many that is all they get done). My concern now is that they are not getting enough non-teacher-led practice with the concepts and, as such, struggle to be able to work efficiently on the quizzes/exams.
My main question to those who successfully teach a flipped classroom: How do you balance the load of content delivery, in-class work, and homework to adequately prepare students to succeed on the assessments? Or more broadly, what should I do differently next semester?
As I mentioned above, I've taught first-semester Calculus multiple times in the past and so I know that not everyone is going to do all the homework. But admittedly this is the first time with this course since COVID, so perhaps there are larger issues at play with the student population. That's why I'm very curious to hear from those who taught flipped classrooms before and after COVID. To know if what I'm experiencing is the result of a newbie mistake in course design or of a larger issue that all flipped classrooms are struggling with recently.