Flipped classrooms were already gaining significant traction in recent times. The pandemic made them an essential mode of learning. There had to be a way to get teachers and students together on a video platform without loss of learning and education. This is where the flipped classroom model really made a mark.
In this article, we will look at what flipped classrooms are, how to flip a classroom, different models of instruction, classroom activities for flipped classrooms and why a flipped-classroom approach can benefit both teachers and students. Without further ado, let’s jump in!
What exactly are Flipped Classrooms?
Flipped classrooms essentially ‘flip’ the way teaching is done. Instead of class time being used for lectures, they are shared as videos that students can access individually, in their time. Class time is used for projects, discussions and a collaborative learning experience.
Doing this allows students to access passive learning material in their own time and absorb information at their own pace. This also allows teachers to use class time to interact with each student and make learning a more personalised experience. In fact, 96% of teachers who have flipped at least 1 lesson will recommend it to others and 9 out of 10 teachers have seen a positive change in their student engagement after flipping lessons.
How can classrooms be flipped?
Flipping a lesson is not just about recording lectures and sending them out. One needs to ensure that learning goals are met, and students are kept engaged and interested while using flipped classrooms. Here are a few checks to make sure you’re geared for success when implementing them.
1. Finalise Technology
Flipping a classroom is technology-heavy. You need to choose the right technology that will allow you to do everything from recording and editing videos to share them with your class. You will also need a learning management system (LMS) that will help track progress and a hosting service to host all the content.
2. Create Content
Once you decide to create content, you need to make sure you record lively videos that keep your students’ interests peaked. You will find that since recording videos is free of normal distractions, what normally takes 30 mins can be done in much less time. This gives you more time to be creative and make your videos fun and engaging.
3. Get Students and Parents on Board
Change is hard, no matter who is involved. Letting parents and students know what is changing, why you are changing it and what they can expect more or less will make accepting the change easier from the get-go.
4. Ensure Accountability
Though lectures are delivered remotely, this aim is better student engagement and participation. If students do not do their bit at home, no amount of interactive sessions in class will help. Figuring out a way to track engagement like quizzes, entry passwords etc will help counter this.
5. Be Consistent
All said and done, the key to seeing results is consistency. The first few videos may not turn out great. That’s fine. There’s a learning curve for everybody. Keeping at it diligently will make you a pro in no time! Once that is in place, you just need to focus on your students’ needs.
Read more on Video Conferencing: Top 6 Developments That Shape the Modern-Day Enterprises
5 Must-Dos to ensure easy adoption
The success of a flipped classroom depends on a few factors. We’ve listed a few strategies to help ease into flipped classrooms that have more pros than cons.
1) Ensure Access
You need to ensure that your students are able to access the material easily. If they have access to the internet, it is relatively easier by uploading videos to online platforms like Google or others geared for education. If not, you will have to consider providing them with CDs or flash drives.
2) Set clear expectations
Another important item on the checklist is to ensure that students know what is expected of them. Do they need to write down notes or ask specific questions? Do you want them to watch the whole video at one go or absorb some information first and then get back to the rest. These are questions best tackled beforehand.
3) Short Lessons
When trying to absorb information alone, most attention spans are lower. Try to keep the videos to a maximum of 10 to 15 minutes. If recording for lower grades or difficult concepts, even short bytes of 2 to 4 minutes might be ideal. With such short videos, you can even do more than 1.
4) Ensure Accountability
Not everyone will be diligent about making sure they come to class prepared. It would be best to set certain questions or tasks to be completed before coming to class to ensure students are accountable for their learning as well.
5) Start Small
You do not need to flip all your lessons in one go. Starting small with maybe one lesson or subject will give both you and your students to adjust to these new methods. This will lead to more acceptance and better adoption.
5 Activities to Keep Students Engaged
Moving from traditional methods needs significant adjustments from both teachers and students. These are some approaches that will make the use of a flipped classroom model easier for both.
1) Assessments
Setting regular assessments not only helps keep students on their toes. It also helps you assess your students’ progress and make changes accordingly.
2) Q&A Sessions
Starting a class with Q&A sessions will help you gauge if you can move to the day’s exercise or need to cover some ground on a few concepts before moving forward.
3) Watch and Learn
Having one or a few students come to the front and solve a problem or have a discussion while the rest of the class watches is a wonderful way to keep students engaged as well as demonstrate concepts. The remaining class can take notes and provide feedback as well.
4) Role Play
Roleplay especially in subjects like humanities or history where students can enact parts will help them understand more than just what happened, allowing them to delve into mindsets and appreciate how things changed or haven’t.
5) Active Interactions
Sitting and absorbing information can get monotonous. Shake things up by giving students opportunities to move around in class. This provides a break and helps them assimilate information better.
Why Flipped Classrooms?
Having looked at the importance of flipped classrooms and how educational video platform can help keep students engaged, let us look at what benefits a flipped classroom offers for everyone involved.
1) Paced Learning
A flipped classroom allows students to learn at their own pace without feeling rushed or bogged down by their peers.
2) Customised and Engaging
Since lessons are done in private and classes are interactive, this is a far better way to keep students engaged and personalise the way they learn concepts.
3) Easier Review
Since classes are tech-enabled, it becomes easier and more streamlined to review homework and students’ progress.
4) Continuous Improvements
Lastly, having a streamlined way of working allows both teachers and students to continuously improve their ways of working together.
Takeaway
With or without the pandemic, attention spans have been shrinking. Flipping classrooms will provide both teachers and students the appropriate stimulus needed to keep students learning and make fun and interactive again.
