Part 1: Flipping The Classroom? … 12 Resources To Keep You On Your Feet

Welcome to another post rich in resources. If you have come here looking for links that will guide you to videos and multimedia to use in a Flipped Classroom that is coming in a future post. Perhaps you have tried a little Flip of your own and want to learn more. If you are beginning to investigate what a Flipped Classroom is, with the thought of possibly trying some kind of Flip yourself… then this is also the right place. I have researched and tried to find you the very best resources to get educators in all positions thinking about what a Flipped Classroom” really is”? I know that if you take a look at the resources provided you will walk away with a better understanding, and a well thought out implementation. It is the understanding and implementation that hold the key to success. Before taking this narrative journey please take a moment to subscribe to this blog by RSS or email.  I appreciate you taking that time and remember you can follow me on Twitter at mjgormans. Last, please give this article a retweet and pass it on to other educators. It might just give them a reason to FLIP… in a well-planned manner!  As always… thanks and have a great week! – Mike

Many educators are beginning to become aware of the growing teaching method referred to as “Flipping The Classroom”. Simply put… the teacher provides videos for homework, while traditional home work is done in class under teacher supervision. Unfortunately this might be just too simplistic of a definition. Possible this is why using the words “simply put” may not be the best practice in explaining anything.

You see, at first this definition does make a lot of sense, and like so many “best practices” I see great value in the idea. In fact, how many parents have sat at the study table with their child only wishing that the teacher was available to explain a math problem? How many students have had to wait until the next day to ask that important question before finishing homework? Before hauling out the video camera and writing your lesson scripts or perhaps linking to the entire Khan Academy video selection… I have several points of reflection.

Yes, I am a proponent of incorporating various multimedia and online learning in a blended environment. In fact… there is no doubt that this is the future of education. I say blended because I firmly believe that it is a real teacher that can really make a difference. Blended learning also incorporates some on-line instructional activities. Now, before jumping in the air and doing a full flip, educators must spend some time investigating and contemplating what might work best for their individual situation. Please spend a few moments and allow me to not only provide you with some resources… but also as you explore these resources, you may develop some points to ponder. It is my full intention to assist you in coming up with your own definition of the “Flipped Classroom”. As you go through the resources below… click on the links and immerse yourself. I have tried to find resources that really say it in a way that we can all understand.  You may just begin to Flip your idea of Flipping!

The Twelve Resources To Better Understand Flipping the Classroom

Blend My Learning (The Envision Experiment) – Oakland, California high school students who had failed algebra were randomly assigned to one of two summer school classes. The “control” classroom received a traditional five-week summer school curriculum for Algebra 1. The “treatment” classroom used Khan Academy for almost all of the period each day, and both classes had the same teacher. Take a look at their findings.

The Economist: Teaching Methods – An Alternative Vote… Using Science To Teach Science – This study involves the theory of “deliberate practice” by psychologist Anders Ericsson.  This research team introduced a more interactive, discussion-based and assessment-oriented approach to physics class that strongly implies major improvements to science and engineering instruction in general. Read what they learned.

Learning About The Khan Academy – You have heard about Khan and have possible even used the tutorials. Before making your own… take a moment to learn from Khan and discover the method of his success. There really is a lot of thought in each of those clips. Jack McShea in his blog HG2S Training Blog gives an awesome explanation, provides a link to Khan’s TED Talk, and provides other useful Khan Links.

The Flipped Classroom (Shedding Light on The Confusion, Critique, and Hype) – A wonderful article by Aaron Sams , considered a co-creator of the flipped class model and the co-author of the book on the flipped class. In this article Aaron does a wonderful job of describing that one must be careful in defining the “Flipped Classroom”. He makes it clearly understood that Khan is just one type of Flip. A great article allowing educators to begin  contemplating what their idea of a Flipped Classroom is.

The Telegraph – Think Tank – Flip – Thinking – The New Buzz Word Sweeping The US – Well know writer Daniel Pink (A Whole New Mind and Drive) explains how education may be changing. Daniel tells the story of  Karl Fisch (author of an awesome blog… Fischbowl) who is a 20-year veteran of Arapahoe High School located south of Denver, Colorado. He describes how Karl has found success with the Flip.

New York Times – (Learning In The Dorm Because Class Is On The Web) – Is this the future? If this turns into a college norm… are K12 schools getting students ready?  How might K12 incorporate Flipping (or blended learning) to help students transition to such an environment?

Plan B: Flip The Classroom… Every Teacher Should Do This – I include this because the writer, Donald Clark, does an excellent job of pointing out both formative and summative assessment. Before using any Flip concept an educator should investigate their knowledge and practice involving both formative and summative assessment. How might “Flipping the Classroom” facilitate summative assessment through the incorporation of formative teaching and assessment strategies?

The Flipped Classroom InfoGraphic – OK… if you are a person who learns best by pictures, this just might be your ticket. While this gives a great image of what a Flipped Classroom might be… could there be more emphasis on instructional strategies? It mentions ideas and concepts such as “learning through activity” and “educational technology”. Not a whole lot of graphics illustrating these important elements.  Perhaps you need to decide what they will be. I feel this is where a Flip done correctly allows for the teacher to create engaging high level activities, incorporate PBL, and leverage technology beyond the video lecture. Before Flipping an educator must seriously consider these aspects

USA Today: Flipped…Classrooms Take Advantage Of Technology – USA Today article that points out both advantages and some disadvantages to a Flipped Classroom model. This article provides essential ideas to ponder before making the Flip.

The Flipped Classroom – A short but very enlightening article on positive applications involved in “Flipping a Class”. This article produced by the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning provides an important point to reflect on at the conclusion of the article. It states, “While I’m glad many educators seem to be jumping onboard with this model, my concerns are that some teachers may simply transfer their lectures to video and then have their students write papers or fill out worksheets during class. To me, that is bad pedagogy. However, if significant learning opportunities are capitalized on during class time, this could truly change learning and solve the problem, at least temporarily, of engaging students with material outside of the classroom” Wow… well said! Take a look at the video while you are there.

Electronic Educator – Flip Your Classroom Through Reverse Instruction – Follow one teachers path toward Flipping (Reverse Instruction). Once again it is emphasized that class time must be carefully planned with innovative and engaging ideas. It is more than just helping students with what use to be homework! Also it points out that all stakeholders must be informed about the Flip. Make sure you see the videos.

The Flipped Classroom Model – The Full Picture – And a full picture it is from a very informative and engaging blog entitled, “ UserGeneratedEducation”.  After reading this article any educator will walk away with the idea that the Flipped Classroom is more than just videos followed by paper work. Jackie Gerstein does a wonderful job of bringing the whole idea of the process together. The graphics do a wonderful job of showing how asynchronous and synchronous connections work together to involve both the individual and the group. Plan on having a little time to spend… which will be well worth it.

As you can see… the simple definition, “the teacher provides videos for homework while traditional home work is done in class under teacher supervision” does not quite fit the bill. In fact, this alone may turn a Flip into a Flop.  Educators must first begin any Flip with a well thought out understanding and follow that with a plan of action. After developing you concept of a Flip classroom you may decide to take a little more time reading, researching and planning. Most importantly remember that students should always be at the center of instruction. The idea of Flipping is another one of those wonderful peripherals we find in the true 21^st century classroom.

Thanks for joining me on this wonderful journey of 21^st century learning. Join me in future weeks as together we continue to explore several more posts devoted to the Flipped Classroom, including strategies to consider before implementing! If you have some great Flip resources please comment and send them my way. I enjoy learning from all of you. Also remember to subscribe to this blog by RSS or email and follow me on twitter at mjgormans. I also appreciate your sharing of this post and any retweets. Along with more Flipping be ready for information on STEM, PBL, Web 2.0, 21^st Century Learning… and  yes, “A Letter For Teachers From Santa”! Work on your Flip… … Land On Your Feet, and have a wonderful week! – Mike