#413 – Flipped Learning

#413 — Flipped Learning

AVID Open Access
12 min

Transcript

The following transcript was automatically generated from the podcast audio by generative artificial intelligence.  Because of the automated nature of the process, this transcript may include unintended transcription and mechanical errors.

Paul Beckermann 0:00 Welcome to Tech Talk for Teachers. I’m your host, Paul Beckermann.

Transition Music with Rena’s Children 0:05 Check it out. Check it out. Check it out. Check it out. What’s in the toolkit? Check it out.

Paul Beckermann 0:16 The topic of today’s episode is flipped learning. In the past couple of episodes, I’ve unpacked two models of blended learning: whole group rotation and station rotation. Today I’m going to dig into a third model, flipped learning. While flipped learning can stand on its own as an effective blended learning model, it’s much more versatile than that. In fact, flipped learning is regularly integrated into nearly every other blended learning model. By understanding the concepts and practices of flipped learning, you can improve your implementation of all the blended learning models.

So let me begin with a description of what flipped learning actually is. In its most classic sense, flipped learning is the flipping of what happens at school with what happens outside of class. For example, instead of listening to a lecture or reading an article at school, students do this on their own time after school hours as homework.

Similarly, instead of doing application or practice on their own at night, this work is completed during class time. By flipping these two experiences, students can acquire the instructional input on their own while having the teacher present in class to answer their questions, support them, and help them apply their new learning.

Another advantage of flipping these experiences is that it allows the teacher to maximize face-to-face time for work that requires the most cognitively complex tasks: analysis, synthesis, creation, and evaluation. This is where students are stretched and grow the most, and it’s during this phase of learning that they most need their teacher support. The instructional input is generally less cognitively complex, and students are often able to complete this phase of learning on their own, especially since it’s often a more passive experience. If they do have questions, they can follow up with their teachers during the in-person class session.

I have talked to many teachers who get nervous about trying to flip learning because they’re worried that students won’t watch the video or complete the learning activities needed to be ready for the in-class activities. This is a valid concern and something that needs to be considered and planned for. While there’s no one perfect solution to this, there are a few effective strategies that you can try. Here are five of them to consider. Let’s count it. Let’s count it. Let’s count it down.

Number one, set clear expectations and hold students accountable to them. So this first step is to make sure that students know what they’re supposed to do and how to do it. If they don’t understand the directions, they can’t complete the task. Then, as with any other classroom expectations, the second step is to make sure that there are natural consequences if they choose not to do the work. It’s important to note that these consequences are not punishments.

Rather, they’re opportunities to redirect our students in ways that increase their chances for success in the future.

Number two, require students to watch the videos when they get to class. So on the surface, this may not seem like a consequence at all, and yes, this will mean that students will miss out on some of the other learning activities that you’ve planned. However, if the content is core to engaging in the next phase of learning (and it should be, if you’re assigning it), students need to complete the work. Allowing them to skip it will not only send the wrong message, but also put the student at an academic disadvantage.

Number three, create in-class activities that students don’t want to miss. Other than making the videos engaging and meaningful, the best way to motivate students to watch the videos outside of class is to create an in-class activity that they don’t want to miss.

If these are fun, mentally stimulating, collaborative, and interactive, most students will want to be part of it. Missing this portion of the lesson may be the natural consequence of not doing the prior work, and it can motivate students to watch the videos in the future.

Number four, find out why they didn’t do the work. Be careful not to assume that students are just being lazy or avoiding your assignments. Some students might not have reliable internet at home, leaving them unable to view content that’s online. Others may not have a home environment that’s conducive to learning, or maybe the student is responsible for caring for siblings on the evenings when their parents or guardians are at work. By taking the time to understand the reason that the work has not been completed, you can work with the student and the family to find a solution.

Number five, employ an in-class flipped model.

This is one of my favorite approaches to flipped learning, and it eliminates the issues of students not completing necessary work outside of class. Essentially, with the in-class flip model, students still acquire basic content on their own. This may happen in a lot of ways. Some examples are watching video, reading something, listening to a podcast, interacting with a software program, engaging with a custom AI chatbot, or maybe conducting research on their own.

The difference is that students do this in class during the normal lesson, rather than as homework. Oftentimes, this approach is integrated into the other blended learning models, making all of them more feasible. For instance, during station rotation, teachers can effectively clone themselves by providing video directions and instruction at each station.

Students can watch the recording on their own or in groups and complete the station activities while the teacher works with individuals or small groups of students at a teacher station.

Similarly, in whole group rotation, students are often introduced to new content through a flipped approach. Again, this content may be delivered in multiple ways. In the blended learning playlist model, students frequently engage in flipped learning as part of the choice boards that they’re asked to complete.

That’s a quick summary of the basics of flipped learning and some tips on how to make it work in your classroom, but there’s still a very important question to address: why? Why should I consider using a flipped learning approach? Well, here are some reasons to consider.

Number one, increase student engagement. Jon Bergmann, one of the originators of flipped learning, stresses that the power of the flipped classroom is not the videos.

Rather, it’s the increased student engagement that’s possible because of the flip. He says, “It’s time to change from passive learning to active learning so we can reach every student every day.” By increasing activity, collaboration, and application during class, students will be much more engaged in their learning.

Number two, increased inquiry and higher-order thinking opportunities. We all want our students to go beyond simply memorizing content. Flipped Learning prioritizes class time for these higher-order thinking skills. Bergmann points this out, stressing the importance of using in-class time to give students projects and inquiry activities. He says that’s where the magic will really happen. He emphasizes that students should be applying, analyzing, and creating in class.

Number three, increased individualized student contact. Bergmann also stresses that at the core of flipped learning is an intent to give struggling students more of what they need.

Full class instruction limits relationship building with students. Being freed up to interact with students one-on-one and in smaller groups goes a long way to helping establish deeper relationships with them. In fact, Bergmann says “flipped learning comes down to relationships.”

Number four, increased achievement. Bergmann points out that flipped learning has been highly researched, with over 500 studies so far, and the vast majority of those studies point to increased student achievement. In fact, there are now entire flipped universities, and even Harvard Medical School has adopted the flipped approach. Flipped Learning has also been shown to increase the depth of learning due to the increased level of engagement in class.

And number five, as I mentioned earlier, flipped learning makes all of the other blended learning models more feasible.

Paul Beckermann 8:17 I’ll finish with a few bonus tips to help make the implementation of flipped learning more practical for you.

Number one, you don’t have to create all the flipped content. There’s nothing wrong with finding and using educational content that’s been created by others. If you’re looking for videos, there are countless available on free platforms like YouTube, SchoolTube, TeacherTube, Khan Academy, and TED-Ed. If you don’t want to use video, you can link to high-quality websites, articles, or podcasts. You might even have curriculum materials that come with an adoption cycle in your district that you can use. Of course, if you choose content from someone else, be sure to preview it to make sure it meets your standards and academic objectives.

Number two, your own videos don’t have to be perfect. There are advantages of creating your own videos. If you decide that video is your media of choice, students get to hear your voice and they recognize how you explain things. Free programs like Loom and Screencastify allow you to easily record your screen and voice at the same time. If you go this route, it’s important not to obsess about getting everything perfect. If you do, you’ll find that this consumes way too much of your time. If you create your own videos, plan your message, decide what visuals you want to show as you explain each concept, and then keep it moving. In a video format, you can move faster than in a live classroom, and you can keep your message shorter. In fact, try to keep your videos under seven minutes and even less for younger students. You might even want to chop a seven-minute video into two or three shorter ones. Several shorter videos can be more effective than one longer one and can increase the chance that students watch to the end. And again, remember, one take is fine. It does not have to be perfect. We’re not perfect in our live classes either.

Number three, engage students during the flipped experience. During face-to-face instruction, you can see if students are tuned in. This is not always the case during flipped learning, unless it’s happening in the classroom and you’re circulating around the room to make sure students are connected and engaged with the flipped content. Give them something to do while watching the video, listening, or reading the content. You might give them graphic organizers to complete. You could ask them to generate questions from the new content. You could have them take focused notes, or you can use a program like EdPuzzle to embed questions inside of a video. EdPuzzle also gives you analytics, so you can see if students have watched the whole video, and even if they’ve watched sections more than once.

And number four, start small. If flipped learning sounds intriguing to you, it’s okay to start small, perhaps with one lesson. Get your feet wet, see how it works, and then decide if and how you want to expand from there. To learn more about today’s topic and explore other free resources, visit avidopenaccess.org. Specifically, I encourage you to explore the AVID Open Access collection, “Explore Blended Learning Strategies,” and of course, be sure to join Rena, Winston, and me every Wednesday for our full-length podcast, Unpacking Education, where we’re joined by exceptional guests and explore education topics that are important to you. Thanks for listening. Take care, and thanks for all you do. You make a difference.