THE ULTIMATE EXAMPLES AND TOOLS LIST TO FLIP YOUR CLASSROOM
The flipped (or inverted) classroom approach means that passive learning happens at home and the active part of the lesson takes place in the actual lesson. In other words, theory and writing are designed as a task or homework to solve at home. The teacher uses conversations, debates, and more productive and collaborative activities in the classroom. So, the teacher creates more active opportunities for students to practice listening, speaking, and productive skills.
The University of Connecticut defines this methodology as “an instructional strategy that reverses the learning environment by delivering instructional content, often online, outside of the classroom. It moves activities, including those that may have traditionally been considered homework, into the classroom to increase student engagement and active learning.”
Some Characteristics
Before and After the lesson it’s called asynchronous learning. This is when the student attends online workshops or webinars, watches videos with topic explanations, reads textbooks or a website, and then completes homework, a quiz, or any written activity.
During the lesson, the activities are conducted in real-time, which is known as synchronous learning. This is when debates and conversational lessons, group discussions, and productive activities take place.
The Four Pillars
According to The Edvocate, many teachers already flipped their classes by having their students read a text outside the classroom, watch a short video, or read a text to complete a task. But to engage students in flipped learning teachers must implement the F.L.I.P. four pillars.
Flexible Environment: This involves a flexible space for students to choose where and when they learn. So this environment is usually a busy, noisy space where learners are working at their own pace. Moreover, it requires flexibility on how learning is delivered and assessed.
Learning Culture: A shift in learning culture is required for flipped learning to be successful. This means that rather than being a Teacher centered on learning, it is more like the students become the core of the learning process.
Intentional Content: Teachers asses and determine which content is relevant to their students, and this aspect enables teachers to provide materials that students can explore in their own time. Here is where technology plays a very important role, the teacher selects videos or articles and students access them online anytime and anywhere.
Professional Educator: The role of the professional educator is no longer leading the class but managing students and activities. Teachers provide relevant materials for students to prepare for the face-to-face part of learning and then guide discussions and debates. During this process teachers observe students, providing them with instant feedback and assessing their learning.
Examples of Flipped Classrooms
Traditional Inverted Classroom
Students are assigned the homework of watching videos or reading a text online for the next class. Then, class time is focused on traditional schoolwork and practice activities.
Discussion-oriented Flipped Classroom
Class time is focused on discussion and exploration of the material previously assigned. The teacher assigns videos, maybe a movie, a youtube video, or a lecture video related to the topic, and in class, a debate or discussion is carried on.
Demonstration-focused Flipped Classroom
This type of lesson is especially useful for subjects that require students to remember and repeat a process such as chemistry and math. Screen recording technology is helpful and students can produce short videos on “How to” do a specific experiment. An example of this model is found in Zdrojewski’s blog. Zdrojewski asked his students to make 90-second instructional videos for their teachers on how to use technology like Gmail and Google Drive. The student productions — titled “Tech Under 90 Sec” or “Teaching the Teachers” — are posted on Zdrojewski’s blog and take students’ work beyond the typical homework assignment.
Faux-flipped Classroom
This type of flipping is great for students who are not a good fit with homework. In this case, teachers have students watch the videos in class and offer their help and support from student to student, giving them the flexibility to review the materials at their own pace.
Group-based Flipped Classroom
This model is basically having students team up together in groups and research a specific topic or idea using the computers to access the internet in class. Teachers encourage students to learn from each other and this also helps them to explain to their peers the concepts and information found.
Virtual Flipped Classroom
The virtual flipped classroom is ideal for older students whose needs aren’t met in traditional classrooms. Professors at Universities use this method with the help of learning management tools like, for example, moodle.org and Google Classroom. They upload all relevant materials for them to watch, read or listen to and then produce a completed task.
Tools to flip your teaching
Loom: This tool enables you to record your screen and audio to create video tutorials. It has a free feature that is very helpful if your idea is to share it with your students.
Mural: This website lets you create and share digital whiteboards with your students which integrate a variety of interactive multimedia features.
PhotoPeach: With this tool, you can create presentations using photos and images and embed music and text on them.
Slideshare: This is a popular tool with which you can create presentations, infographics, documents, and more.
Quizlet: You can create interactive quizzes to share online with your students. It has a wide variety of templates and tests.
Socrative: Tool that lets your students create and solve tests in real time and with any device.
Tech4Learning: This platform creates educational software including a Rubric maker that helps assess students’ work. Also offers a wide range of tools and resources.
Teachnology: Teachers will find rubrics and a rubric maker, worksheets, lesson plans, and many other resources.
I hope you found this helpful. Happy Flipping!
