Flipping Your Classroom
Jessica Dodd and Kelly Burns
What is it, and should you do it?
Pros:
•More class time for application and other higher-order thinking activities
•Students can learn at there own pace; they can pause, rewind, rewatch lessons as often as needed
•The schedule is more flexible. If students are absent, they can still get the material, or if they have upcoming events, they can arrange to watch ahead.
•There are numerous devices and places for students to watch the videos (even in the car or bus with an iPad or iPhone otw to the game)
•More collaborative activities in class and more one-on-one interaction between teacher and student
•Students have the teacher available to get answers to questions when applying the concepts, instead of struggling over traditional homework alone at home.
Cons:
•Parent/Student buy-in may not be automatic; they have to be convinced of the benefits.
•Not all students, especially in poorer districts, have the necessary technology.
•There will always be those students who will not watch the videos.
•Even students who watch the videos may not really be focusing or taking good notes; this may require some up front class time for training
•There is much more prep time required for set-up, including either selecting pre-made videos or creating from scratch, as well as learning to plan differently for class time
References:
Fulton, K. (2012). The Flipped Classroom: Transforming Education at Byron High School. T H E Journal, 39(3), 18-20.
EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative. (2012). Retrieved from 7 Things You Should Know About... Flipped Classroom: www.educause.edu/eli
TechSmith. (n.d.). The Flipped Classroom. Retrieved from www.techsmith.com/flipped-classroom.html