Larger classes in a growing program have prompted instructors to seek alternative classroom management techniques while maintaining student-instructor interaction. A revision of a Computer Aided Design (CAD) course was necessary due to annual software updates and an initiative to promote classroom discussion. Early offerings of the CAD course focused on learning how to use SolidWorks in a combined lecture and lab time. The instructor passed on his/her knowledge to the students by lecturing and demonstrating. The instructor could easily move around the classroom and help students as needed in classes with small enrollments. With small class sizes in a new, growing program, instructors did not assign a textbook, but used notes and handouts. A later offering of the course used a textbook, and the instructor used the same approach in the classroom. With growing enrollment requiring full computer labs, the pedagogical approach has shifted the instruction of the software out of the classroom in order to maximize individual student interaction. Without the need to revise notes and handouts for a newer edition of the software, the instructor assigned a series of short instructional video lessons to be watched before coming to class for the day's topic. During class the instructor did a short overview, led discussion, and then allowed students to work on the daily assignment or lab. Previously, a significant portion of the lab and class time was devoted to lecturing on software use. This change in instruction has allowed more time for in-class discussion, student collaboration, and in-class design exercises. The complexity of parts and models created over previous offerings shows that the change in presentation style has resulted in more rapid understanding of SolidWorks. The use of the external tutorials has also assisted the instructor with keeping class content up-to-date for each new version of the software. This paper summarizes the results of revising a traditionally taught course, with notes and handouts, to one that utilized a textbook, and finally into a hybrid flipped classroom model.
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