Flipped Learning is a pedagogical approach in which direct instruction moves from the group learning space to the individual learning space, and the resulting group space is transformed into a dynamic, interactive learning environment where the educator guides students as they apply concepts and engage creatively in the subject matter.

(Reference: https://flippedlearning.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/FLIP_handout_FNL_Web.pdf)

In simpler terms:

• Students watch video lectures at home
• Then students work on homework in class

(Reference: https://www.edutopia.org/blogs/tag/flipped-classroom)

Personally, I love the idea of working on homework in classroom, where the instructor is available to answer questions and provide guidance. I think this opens up opportunity for more engagement with the material.

Two key factors are driving increased adoption of the flipped classroom model:

1. Only 69% of students who start high school finish four years later
2. An average of 7,200 students drop out of high school each day, totally 1.3 million a year

Reference: https://www.knewton.com/infographics/flipped-classroom/)

Pros vs Cons of the Flipped Classroom

Pro: Some people feel that time spent in the classroom is best spent “focused on collaboration and higher-order thinking.”

Con: Others feel that “whether delivered in class or via instructional videos, lecture is still a poor mode of information transfer.”

(Reference: https://www.edutopia.org/blog/flipped-classroom-ramsey-musallam)

The Flipped Learning Network (FLN) proposes “4 Pillars of Flipped Learning”

1. Flexible Environment: They create flexible spaces in which students choose when and where they learn. Furthermore, educators who flip their classes are flexible in their expectations of student timelines for learning and in their assessments of student learning.
2. Learning Culture: The Flipped Learning model deliberately shifts instruction to a learner-centered approach, where in-class time is dedicated to exploring topics in greater depth and creating rich learning opportunities.
3. Intentional Content: Educators use Intentional Content to maximize classroom time in order to adopt methods of student-centered, active learning strategies, depending on grade level and subject matter.
4. Professional Educator: The role of a Professional Educator is even more important, and often more demanding, in a Flipped Classroom than in a traditional one. During class time, they continually observe their students, providing them with feedback relevant in the moment, and assessing their work.

(Reference: https://flippedlearning.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/FLIP_handout_FNL_Web.pdf)

Introducing the Khan Academy

IN 2004, A former hedge fund analyst began recording and posting videos of himself explaining some math techniques. He created the material to help tutor his young cousin. Rather than keeping it private, however, the analyst posted the videos to YouTube. By 2012, Salman Khan had more than 3,000 lessons online, 140 million views, and a reputation as an education guru.

(Reference: https://www.wired.com/2012/04/flipping-the-classroom/)

According to this CBS report from August 30, 2016, “Khan Academy has (now) delivered more than 800 million free lessons on subjects ranging from basic math to computer science and beyond, for everyone from kindergarteners to college students to adults wanting to expand their knowledge.”

(Reference: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/sal-khan-duck-duck-moose-apps-preschool-khan-lab-school-progress-homework/)

Curious about what a flipped classroom looks like?

Jennifer Gonzalez, of “Cult of Pedagogy” explains in this video:

(Reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhq3Yn_QgIA)

“7 Unique Flipped Classroom Models — Which is Right for You?”

1. The Standard Inverted Classroom: Students are assigned the “homework” of watching video lectures and reading any materials relevant to the next day’s class. During class time, students practice what they’ve learned through traditional schoolwork, with their teachers freed up for additional one-on-one time.
2. The Discussion-Oriented Flipped Classroom: Teachers assign lecture videos, as well as any other video or reading related to the day’s subject — think TED Talks, YouTube videos, and other resources. Class time is then devoted to discussion and exploration of the subject. This can be an especially useful approach in subjects where context is everything — think history, art, or English.
3. The Demonstration-Focused Flipped Classroom: Especially for those subjects that require students to remember and repeat activities exactly — think chemistry, physics, and just about every math class — it is most helpful to have a video demonstration to be able to rewind and rewatch. In this model, the teacher uses screen recording software to demonstrate the activity in a way that allows students to follow along at their own pace.
4. The Faux-Flipped Classroom: One great idea EducationDrive uncovered is perfect for younger students for whom actual homework might not yet be appropriate. This flipped classroom model instead has those students watch lecture video in class — giving them the opportunity to review materials at their own pace, with the teacher able to move from student to student to offer whatever individual support each young learner needs.
5. The Group-Based Flipped Classroom: This model adds a new wrinkle to helping students learn — each other. The class starts the same way others do, with lecture videos and other resources shared before class. The shift happens when students come to class, where they team up to work together on that day’s assignment. This format encourages students to learn from one another, and helps students to not only learn the what the right answers are but also how to actually explain to a peer why those answers are right.
6. The Virtual Flipped Classroom: For older students and in some courses, the flipped classroom can eliminate the need for classroom time at all. Some college and university professors now share lecture video for student viewing, assign and collect work via online learning management systems, and simply require students to attend office hours or other regularly scheduled time for brief one-on-one instruction based on that individual student’s needs.
7. Flipping The Teacher: All the video created for a flipped classroom doesn’t have to begin and end with the teacher. Students too can make use of video to better demonstrate proficiency. Assign students to their record practice role-play activities to show competency, or ask each to film themselves presenting a new subject or skill as a means to “teach the teacher”.

As Mark Frydenberg of the Huffington Post notes, “It is not a ‘one size fits all’ model.” He points out that every classroom is different, with different levels of access to technology, different levels of motivation on the part of the students, and different technological know-how on the part of the instructors. Additionally, teachers must re-learn how to act as the “guide on the side” rather than the “sage on the stage”—and that takes time.

(Reference: https://www.panopto.com/blog/7-unique-flipped-classroom-models-right/)

My thoughts on the Flipped Classroom

I believe that the flipped classroom is a legitimate opportunity to extend the classroom beyond the walls of the space and the cells of the timetable (Ubiquitous learning).

I feel that the instructor is still a key element in the learning process. That said, as long as there is opportunity for feedback and assessment, I don’t believe the instructor needs a physical presence in the traditional ways. The flipped classroom seems to provide room for creativity and experimentation and allows flexibility for both student and teacher to only be physically present when necessary.

I believe that this extension of the classroom could also provide opportunity for longer engagement within the learning process, thereby providing more opportunity to truly learn rather than to simply regurgitate information from memory to pass a test.