Flipping chaos: evaluating the (over)use of digital resources with a large 1st year undergraduate/freshman class

During the Fall 2022 semester, I enthusiastically embarked on a flipped classroom journey with a large class of 500 freshmen. I had carefully curated a set of online resources that I was incredibly proud of, and these provided the basis for the flipped classroom experience I planned to provide. I developed a series of in-class activities that incorporated different technologies designed to engage students and consolidate their knowledge and understanding. I was, however, a little too enthusiastic with my use of technology, and the flipped classroom approach was not the overwhelming success I had hoped it would be. I didn’t anticipate the problems that would occur because of the inappropriate physical space, nor did I predict the lack of engagement from some students. The importance of an appropriate educational space that takes into account the in-class activities is discussed. I reflect on my use of technology and make recommendations for future to avoid student confusion and digital fatigue.