Flipping the Classroom

A flipped classroom or flipped teaching is defined as a form of blended learning which encompasses any use of technology to leverage the learning in a classroom, so a teacher can spend more time interacting with students instead of lecturing. This is most commonly being done using teacher-created videos that students view outside of class time. It is also known as backwards classroom, reverse instruction, flipping the classroom, and reverse teaching. In my Educational Technology class we discussed our opinions on whether flipping a classroom is really beneficial. There were many pros and cons that were pointed out. This method could be seen as beneficial because the teacher is spending more time with the students in class one on one because the students would have already learned about the skills outside of class. However, others thought that having a teacher there to teach the skills initially like it is done traditionally in schools is the best way to go about teaching. I was hoping to get some insights on whether you think flipping a classroom could be a beneficial way to teach.

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Permalink Reply by Allison Chaney on March 1, 2015 at 7:58pm

I think having a flipped classroom is a good idea in some aspects. I think it would definitely give more one-on-one time between the teacher and each student. However, it would be difficult for the teacher to keep track of what each student is doing while they are at home. Some students might not have access to the internet all of the time, which would make it very difficult for them to complete their assignments. On the other hand, this form of teaching would give students a sense of responsibility because they would have to make sure that they complete the lesson before the next class session. All in all, I feel that this type of learning would be better for older students who could understand and work with technology better.

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Permalink Reply by Emily Lowery on March 2, 2015 at 10:58am

Hi! The flipped classroom is being debated highly right now. I think that to even begin this system within a classroom a few things have to be required. Every student must have a reliable way to reach the internet every night. If this fails, the student will be behind automatically. I think the flipped classroom is great for student interaction and engagement. If students can come in to class with a background knowledge about the topics being taught, many will do well with practical application and activities in the classroom. However, for the students that will not retain the information from a video or have the discipline to watch the at-home videos, the class time will be off task. When a teacher has to reteach a lesson in their classroom that they originally planned to be a video lecture, the kids miss out on the homework/activity time in class. I think this system could be used effectively if not used necessarily everyday. The teacher should choose which lessons need to be taught in class and for other lessons, used teaching videos for homework.

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Permalink Reply by Caitlin Jamison on March 17, 2015 at 5:02pm

I have also done a bit of research on flipped classrooms for my Masters program. I have even created a few flipped lessons. I found the whole process pretty simple. I set my phone up on a desk and once I was finished recording, I sent/saved the video to my Google Drive. Now, I can access it anytime or anywhere. I can see how some people may lean away from a flipped classroom model. However, there are many pros! I am not sure I would necessarily use the video to "teach" my lessons. Instead, I would let the video serve as either an introduction to a lesson or a form of reteaching. Students who are struggling with a topic could watch in school or at home (with the provided YouTube link). Additionally, my special education students could preview the lessons prior to class with their case managers. Although I do not see traditional teaching going out-the-window, I certainly expect to see many teachers using pieces of a flipped classroom model in schools!