Flipping Out!

Last week in class, we discussed a topic that I'd never learned about before - flipped classrooms. It's a term that I'd heard thrown around but never took the time to research or understand.

So what is a flipped classroom? The instruction that is usually done at school is done at home and vice versa. The traditional classroom model is just flipped around - hence the term flipped classroom. You may be asking yourself - how does this work? Flipped classrooms incorporate technology. At home, the students prepare for the following day's class by watching the lecture at home. One method is to have the teacher record the lecture/lesson and then link the students to it. This way, the student gets all the background info they need at home. Then in class the next day, the students can spend their time reinforcing the learning and and applying it to activities in class.

I haven't decided if I like flipped classrooms or not. There are certainly many pros to this method, but there are also cons that have me on the fence. First, let me go into what I do like about this idea. For one, it's extremely student centered, which I love. I know how rough it can be to sit through nothing but lecture. This method allows the lecture to happen at home so the students can be the center of attention during class time. This method also makes it easy to differentiate. You could create different videos for different levels. That way all of the students could get the necessary information on an appropriate level. The technology aspect of this method could also motivate students. Instead of going home and reading, they could watch a fun video and get the same information. However, there are some major issues I have with this method. Number one, it assumes that all students could access these lectures from home. Some families may not have internet access, which could be a major disadvantage. As a reading minor, I don't like how this method de-emphasizes reading. I think our students should be reading text, not relying so much on computers and other forms of technology. Also, what happens if the student is watching the video at home and they have a question? One solution would be to make a discussion board the class can post their questions on, but that would mean the teacher has to constantly check the board. I think it could hurt students to not get a chance to ask questions in real time.

I'm still debating and weighing out the pros and cons of the flipped classroom. Maybe someday I'll give it a try. What do you think about this method? Got any arguments for/against it? Feel free to comment! I'll leave you with a graphic I found at knewton.com that explains the method, how it came to be, and some of its results. Click through to view the full version. Until next time!

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