A recent pedagogical innovation involves what is refered to as flipping classrooms. This consists in shifting the focus from a professor led focus to a student focus. This process involves teaching using videos, and other material posted to students through an IT platform. Students would learn from the posted material and then focus on discussions in the classroom.
What do you think of this pedagogical innovation? has it worked for you?
Because knowledge is no longer tethered to lecterns or a teacher’s desk, tertiary and secondary education is seen prone to technological disruption just as encyclopedias, journals and magazines, movies, music, newspapers, and television, to name a few other information-centric industries, became from the early 2000s. (Certainly, brick-and-mortar institutions of higher learning are increasingly challenged by commercial providers of lecture series; for-profit universities; nonprofit learning organizations, e.g., the Khan Academy; online services, e.g., iTunes U; and specialized training centers that issue instruction and credentials in sundry trades and professions— all of whom can easily scale delivery of online instruction.)
But, there is more: e-learning can also be used in conjunction with face-to-face teaching in blended learning mode, be that synchronous or asynchronous. Therefore, some think that the traditional model of instruction in universities—the main societal hub for higher education since the end of the 11th century—will soon be inverted: instead of attending lectures on campus and after that heading off to work on assignments students will first scrutinize online material and then gather in hybrid learning spaces to explore a subject in rich conversations (or laboratory exercises) with professors and fellow students. Proponents of blended learning reckon that the Flipped Classroom model may even enhance critical thinking. (Paradoxically, since economic reasons determine much in higher education, traditional but exclusive face-to-face tuition may become the privilege of a few while demand for global standardization in some fields may lower the level in many cases. In reality, consolidation and diversification are not mutually exclusive.)
PS: Learning in a Flash, available at https://www.researchgate.net/publication/266477068_Learning_in_a_Flash, may be of interest. (Tangentially, there is also E-Learning in the Workplace, available at https://www.researchgate.net/publication/254583111_E-Learning_and_the_Workplace.)
Article Learning in a Flash
Article E-Learning and the Workplace
It appears in flipping the classroom students are having to do more work in reading and reviewing content (could be a lot) the night before in order to be prepared for class the next day. Perhaps, striking a balance in the amount of preparation needed and what is done in class can be revisited.
Many thanks,
Debra
Coming from the lens of special education, flipped classrooms present challenges to students with disabilities especially in language processing as related to reading.
I second that Nancy. The flipped classroom is interesting in terms of differentiation as it offers opportunities for students who may not thrive in traditional classroom formats. However a dangerous tendency at present is to 'flip the classroom' continuously. This ends up removing barriers to learning for some students, but creating new barriers for some of their peers. The flipped classroom can be a great tool in differentiation when used with moderation. If it is imposed constantly, it adds no flexibility to the pedagogy. Another issue is the assumption that learners necessarily have access to online resources at home + the tendency of teachers to load up resources which may not be accessible. Genuine reflection around accessibility must accompany any effort to 'flip' .
I echo the comments posted already. I just need to mention that blended learning (a form of which is the flipped classroom model) or i2Flex (as we call it in our institution), is no different from traditional, face-to-face learning where the teacher's role in the design, and the delivery of the learning experience is the key one for the success of that experience. For more, please have a look at the attached chapters (both from our blended/i2Flex learning book).
Chapter The i2Flex Methodology: Definition, Praxis, and Conditions for Success
Chapter Flipping and flexing in science: Video lessons and the i2Flex model
- Badges
- Science method
- Similar topics
- Teaching