The Flipped Classroom is an approach to teaching and learning whereby 'traditional' lecturing takes place at home and hands-on activities take place in the classroom. The teacher records themselves delivering lectures which students view in their own time. As an alternative, teachers can direct students to watch brief presentations on You Tube by other experts. This gives students the opportunity to rewind, review, take detailed notes and reflect on the content. The Flipped Classroom is possible as a direct result of teacher and student access to technology. Experts of the Flipped Classroom approach recommend that students watch approximately three teacher-generated videos per week.
Proponents of the Flipped Classroom argue that this methodology allows for:
- The creation of flexible learning spaces in the classroom where differentiation can be employed;
- The implementation of flexible timelines and expectations;
- A student-centred approach where students are able to explore their subject in greater depth;
- Time for students to reflect and think about their learning and ask relevant, deeper questions;
- Student involvement in the construction of knowledge and higher-order thinking;
- The maximisation of class time where students are involved in active learning;
- Teachers to provide continual feedback to students and individual attention;
- Teachers to encourage inquiry.
Advocates of the Flipped Classroom argue that the flip leads to a “distinctive shift in priorities – from merely covering material to working towards mastery of it.” [Educause February 2012] For Dr R. Mumpel the Flipped Classroom brought about ‘profound’ change. He said: “It’s really changed the way I approach teaching, what I want to get out of teaching, and the enjoyment and reward.” Some initial research has found that the Flipped Classroom results in better knowledge retention, improved test scores and a reduction in absenteeism. Watch the greatest proponents of the Flipped Classroom, Jon Bergman and Aaron Sams talk about how classrooms can be flipped.
A sceptic by nature, I have been finding it difficult to see the difference between the traditional homework of reading a text with the view of creating time for interactive class activities and having students listen to me at home. The Flipped Classroom model also relies on highly motivated students who love homework! Nonetheless, I have pushed through and tried a number of ways to flip.
In the first instance, I set my Year 9 class the task of watching a You Tube video of the Circular Flow of Income. (While I personally enjoy economics, teaching this concept can become tiresome.) Most of the students in my class completed the homework! This gave us time to play – literally. In small groups, students were asked to create a quick video of the Circular Flow by using my daughter’s Little People set and miscellaneous toys from her ‘shop’. This included cars, trains, the Little People and a number of raw materials such as tomatoes and finished products such as canned tomato soup. The outcome was not only filled with humour, students showed an understanding of the concept I had not seen when I employed more traditional methods of teaching the Circular Flow model. Subsequent test scores proved that student understanding was significantly more sophisticated.
The second trial involved my Year 11 American History class. We had studied the 1929 Wall Street Crash and the causes of the Great Depression. Students then viewed oral history interviews from the Library of Congress, listened to music and speeches of the time. As students presented their findings on the impact of the Great Depression, I found their findings to have greater empathy, depth and included higher order thinking.
When used appropriately and for suitable subject matter, the flipped classroom works. It works when there is careful preparation and planning. However, all too often the Flipped Classroom is overused and students are subjected to endless videos of their teachers. (I avoid subjecting students to more of me!) Good teachers will always avoid over-formulaic and static strategies. They will employ a variety of strategies to engage their students with the purpose of encouraging critical thinking.
Used ‘sparingly’ these are some of the avenues I have used to flip my classroom:
- TED Talks with a simple summary sheet
- Webcasts from experts
- Interviews with politicians, academics, ordinary people with extraordinary experiences
- Short documentaries
- Lectures from iTunes
- Webinars
So, is the Flipped Classroom a flop? Yes and no!! When used with careful preparation and planning, with the promise of great classroom activities, the Flipped Classroom can work. However, over-use it, or use it incorrectly just because we have the technology at our finger-tips will lead to student dis-engagement.