A flipped classroom is an approach to learning, a type of blended learning, wherein students are introduced to a concept at home and gain necessary knowledge before class and teachers guide them to actively and interactively clarify and apply that knowledge during class. This practice is different than the traditional learning approach wherein a student is introduced to a concept in school and is then assigned homework and projects to be completed at on their own.

The Flipped Classroom

The introduction to new concept and its content may be done through videos or textual printed matter which the student needs to go through at home, review course material, conduct brief research about the concept and the same will be discussed/debated in class, moderated by the instructor/teacher. A flipped classroom need not be a face-to-face approach solely for discussion purposes. Students can engage themselves in online discussions as well.

This approach to learning encourages students to be active participants in the class by asking questions and sharing their inputs, rather than being passive learners by being a sponge, which soaks in information as given by the instructor. In this manner, students are engaged in a topic and learn deeply. They develop their presentation skills if that is where discussion takes the class.

The role of a teacher in a flipped classroom changes from an instructor to a facilitator. The teacher still manages the classrooms but instead of becoming an orator giving a monologue, he/she becomes an active observer, engaging in discussions whenever required.

The flipped classroom method promotes student responsibility in a flexible environment and therefore is adopted by many educators.

Image credits: http://mwillardcounselor.weebly.com/flipped-lessons.html

References:

https://www.teachthought.com/learning/the-definition-of-the-flipped-classroom/

https://facultyinnovate.utexas.edu/flipped-classroom

https://study.com/academy/lesson/roles-in-a-flipped-classroom-teachers-students.html