flipped classroom - a quick guide to concepts and practice

Flipped Classroom A quick guide to the theory, concepts and practice of

class inversion

Introduction

Richard Grieman

• IT Chair - MSB/Globe College

• I have flipped over 15 classes in the last 2 years

• Attended several seminars and read many articles on the subject.

• I have acquired a good deal of knowledge, have a lot of practice and have been very successfulusing flipped classrooms

What is a Flipped Class ?

Why Should a Class be flipped?

• The premise behind a flipped class is the make resources

available to the student when they are needed.

• Enhances learning

• Engages the student

• Allows for advanced concepts and objectives to be practiced

and achieved.

More students mastering more objectives and succeeding in the class.

Why should a class be flipped

• The purpose of flipping a class is to open time in

the classroom for:

• hands-on, applied practice

• enhancement of the curriculum

• better understanding of the topic by the student

• Group work

Under the guidance and support of the instructor

Why Should a class be flipped

• “Opening time” means many things :

• A fully flipped class with compete delivery of lectures and materials outside the classroom.

• Online presentations that explain concepts and demonstrate solutions

• Short presentations the explain or augment ideas or go deeper into content.

Any digital resource that allows for more time in the classroom to pursue activates and practice of the subject

is “flipping a class”

Examples of digital content for

partially flipped classes

• How-to videos

• How to solve mathematics problems

• 3 minute presentations on the practical application of theory.

• Self help for commonly asked questions or explanations

• Demonstration of commonly used but complex tasks

• Focused lectures on specific topics of the content

• Lectures on class objectives not directly addressed by class curriculum. (Employment opportunities, certifications)

Why should a class be flipped

• Aside for opening up class time a partially flipped class has several advantages:

• It increases the success of the student by allowing them to get help when it is needed inside and outside of class.

• It increases the likelihood that a student will complete any homework since they have help available.

• It allows for repeated content delivery on demand and as required by the student

• It helps keep slower students on pace with the rest of the class by allowing them to view content repeatedly.

Why NOT to flip a class

Don’t flip a class without a good reason

• If you don’t have a plan to use the opened in-class time in a

usefully way, don’t flip the class

• If you just want to change the timing of the homework from

outside the classroom to in-class work, don’t flip the class

• If you can’t use the class time to explore advanced concepts,

practice and/or application of the subject, don’t flip the class.

When NOT to flip a class

• Introductory classes are usually inappropriate

• Basic, overview knowledge of a subject does usually don’t require application of concepts or practice to master

• Classes where the content is mostly conceptual or abstract.

• Classes that teach a student how to think about a subject usually require in-class discussion and teacher/student interaction as a matter of necessity.

• Classes that require significant direct instructor student interaction to understand the material.

• For example, studies have indicated that student in high level mathematics, statistics, and physics classes do not thrive in a flipped classroom environment.

The Principles of Active Learning

1 Student - Facility interaction

2 Student - Student Cooperation

3. Active Leaning

4. Prompt Feedback

5. Time on Task

6. High Expectations

7. Diverse Expectations

3 Phases of Flipped Classroom

1. Knowledge Acquisition

• Students need to acquire basic knowledge before the class

2. Readiness Assessment

• Studies done by colleges flipping class show 50% of students

feel that this is the way they learn.

3. Knowledge Applications

• The same studies as above show that 47% of students

feel this is the way they learn

See references at end of presentation

Knowledge Acquisition

• Begin with end in mind

1. What objectives do you want the students to learn ?

2. What tasks do the students need to do to show you that they have mastered the material?

3. What are the most complex assignments / projects you can reasonable implement that will give the student the best opportunity to master the material

Shape the course and let students know what is going to be expected of them.

Knowledge Assessment

• Learning Objectives

• List the objectives on the unit lecture so they know what is expected of them

• Have them do an individual test/quiz/assignment

• Seriously consider not grading it or making it open book grade it very, very leniently

• Have them do the same test/quiz/assignment they did individually in a group

• Expect a very high group test score (It’s expected and desired)

• Class discussion on the objectives with which they are having problems.

Now – The students should all be in the same place, in the correct mindset –

they are ready to take on a complex task


• You need to change YOUR approach to demonstrating readiness

• Quizzes and questions are NOT about making the student accountablebut rather about allowing the student to assess their knowledge

• Quizzes and questions are an opportunity for the student to apply their knowledge and generate questions.

• Consider using pre-class activities that allow open-ended exploration of the concepts and the ideas being introduced.

• The students will then come to class with having formulated questions and views on the objectives for discussion. This improves learning.

Remember : Knowledge Assessment is where 50% of student learn


• Use graded in-class group discussion/assignments using the same pre-class activities assigned individually.

• This group grading technique requires significant student buy in

• Explain what the strategy of the flipped class:

• Group work scores will be higher then individual scores because of the exchange of knowledge between the students.

• Remind them that practical application is best way to learn

• Ensure there is ample opportunity for individual grades

• Give them some input in group vs. individual grade distribution (almost always they decide 50%)

Knowledge Application

• Remember: We are flipping the class to open time during class for

most complex assignments / projects you can reasonable

implement that will give the student the best opportunity to master

the material. Such as:

1. Opened ended Case Studies

2. Complex assignments that may not have a single correct answer.

3. Projects

Performed in groups and individually (Sometime both together)

Knowledge Application

Appropriately complex projects, case studies and assignments

Meet one or more of the following principles

1. They can’t practically be completed by a single student.

2. They couldn’t reasonably be completed without significant support/guidance from an instructor

3. They require a through understanding and mastery of the subject to understand and complete

4. They have an open ended, which is to say more than one,solution

Flipped Class design

Example 1 – Database Design

• Online lectures pre-class

• Open book pre-class quiz

• This is just learning activity – they have will actually look up the

answers if they didn’t get it from the lecture.

• I expect high grades o this

• In-class group problems that apply their knowledge

• These are ungraded

• Students demonstrate and discuss the answers to each other.

• Begin any weekly assignments in-class to allow for questions

Flipped Class design

Example 1 – Database Design

• Beginning week 4 a quarter long case study is introduced and is

done in groups. This is done in-class to allow for collaboration and

instructor support

• Week 9 to 11 individual case study similar to the group case is done

by the students using fellow students as references for sharing

knowledge as needed/desired.

Flipped Class Design

Example 2 – Project Management

• Online lectures pre-class

• Pre-class Individual case study analysis on the units subject

• This is graded BUT I am not concerned with the actual answer, only with the application of knowledge that led them to the answer.

• In class group discussion of the assigned individual case study

• Ungraded – Means for sharing of ideas and generation of questions

• Graded in class discussion

• Using a defined participation rubric that’s easy to understand and is essentially pass/fail.

• Week 3 begin a quarter long virtual project done in groups

Putting this all together

• Online lectures and supporting videos

• Students can access the lectures at there convenience and

watch them at their leisure and as many times as they’d like.

• Even if the class is only partially flipped they have

access to additional resources that aid in their

learning and reinforce their knowledge.

• Students get to apply their knowledge quickly and

with feedback from their peers and their instructors.

Putting it all together

• Students are more engaged and interested.

• Even marginally prepared students learn the higher concepts of the curriculum.

• They show up at higher rates.

• My flipped classes have near 100% attendance

• This experience is borne out in every study I’ve seen.

• Their success rate goes way up.

• My flipped classes increased final grades by about one half a letter grade over their non-flipped counterparts

• This is also borne out by every study I’ve seen.

All this is very nice but how do we

do it ?

The 3 T’s of flipping a class

1. Time

• I’m not going to lie to you, this is time consuming the first time you do it and is takes more time for preparation than a standard class.

2. Technology

• There are some things you need to understand

3. Tools

• What’s available and what you prefer

Time

• You need to be willing to invest some time on this.

• Redesign your class around the new curriculum and content

• Put your toolkit together

• Figure out how to best deliver the content in the new flipped scheme

• Create content

It gets easier with practice but it will take more time to prepare the curriculum

Technology

• Dealing with digital content which means using

digital tools.

• You will have to familiarize yourself with technical

tools, processes and formats.

• What technology tools you have access to and can use is

going to depend on your teaching environment

• Talk to your IT department and explore your options.

Technology

• Many schools doesn’t have a lot of training or

support for flipping classes

• Be creative and innovative.

• Use publically available providers necessary

• Youtube

• Cloud services

• On line conversion websites

Tools

• You need about four things to start:

• A recording system or website

• A set of headphones with a microphone

• At least one application that can record ad hoc content.

• Some presentation application

• Power Point

• Keynote

• Prezi

Recording System

• Lot’s of them.

• Prezi

• Screencast o matic

• Activepresenter

• CamStudio

• Camdiesta

• Some are going to cost a small amount, some are free,

some have editing tools.

Presentation tools for ad hoc

demonstrations

• Anything you can record, store and can create an internet link for.

• NearPod.

• Educatations is my recommendation

• Use it like a white board

• Create a presentation freehand or using keyboard, insert art, you can do just about anything with it.

• Save the presentation, it’s creates a link in the cloud.

• Make the link available to the students.

Best practices for creating digital

content

• Most important:

Your online content should be your own.

• It’s your class, the students expect your instruction

• Avoid the temptation to use previously created digital content.

• Yes, there is a lot of great stuff on the internet

• Yes, it’s easy and quick to link to

• Yes , it WILL cause your students to become disengaged. You are creating a flipped class, not a MOOC.

Would you accept work from a student who just copied or linked to it in the internet ? Your students won’t either.

Best Practices for Creating Digital

Content• It’s a lecture or demonstration not a multimedia

extravaganza.

• You’re delivering information and knowledge, keep it simple

to consume.

• Most students listen to the on-line lecture but don’t watch

unless something is being demonstrated.

• Break the lectures up into short sections of 10-20 minutes so

they can be stopped and continued easily.


Content

• If you want to include a video content in your lesson, don’t include it in the recorded lecture. Videos are best used in class for immediate discussion or questioning

• Don’t include questions or test their knowledge in the middle of the online lesson. It’s a three step process,

Knowledge Assessment is step two,

Knowledge Acquisition is step one

Complete step one before going to step two.


ContentJust because you’re creating pre-class lectures doesn’t mean you

can’t lecture is class.

• You may need to explore some concepts in depth or further include information to deliver knowledge.

• Don’t hem yourself into the model. Adapt to the curriculum and the students in the class.

• Once you’ve opened the in-class time you can use it the best way you see fit

• It’s being discovered that in-depth, target lectures in class sometime need to be included to completely cover some concepts.

Background or foundational knowledge in the pre-class lecture, details and demonstration in the class lecture can be a good way to blend a class.

To Sum Up

• Flipping a class is a means of creating the opportunity of using class time for the application of knowledge that meaningful, practical and challenging.

• A class does not have to be completely flipped to take advantage of the delivery of outside of class knowledge

• Not all classes can/should be flipped

• Don’t even consider flipping a class unless you can enhance the curriculum

• Flipped classes = better outcomes (they live up to the hype)

To Sum up

Be aware that this will take time

To design

To create

To deliver.

You’ve really got to want to do it.

If you don’t want to, don’t do it.

BUT

If you do it right, I guarantee you that you won’t regret it.

References

•

• Child Trends. (2012). Home Computer Access and Internet Use. Retrieved 2014, from http://www.childtrendsdatatbank.org, Hamden, N. M. (2013).

• The Flipped Classroom Model: A White Paper Based on the Literature Review Titled "A Review of Flipped Classroom Learning". Pearson.Papadapoulos, C. ,. (2010).

• Implementing an inverted classroom model in engineering statistics: initial results. Proceeding of the 40th ASEE/IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference. Washington DC: American Society for Engineering Statistics.

http://www.childtrendsdatatbank.org/