Flipped Learning

What is flipped learning?  According to the Flipped Learning Network  after an observation, it was shown that students need the teachers there to answer questions or provide help, but they didn’t need their teachers present to listen to a lecture or review content. Flipped learning is more for college, high school, and middle school students. Flipped learning is a way of allowing students to be the center of the classroom.  In one of the videos viewed from this website, the teachers discuss how flipped learning allows children to learn on their own levels, and how flipped learning is more consistent with 21^st century learning.  Flipped learning is using videos and different forms of technology to teach the students the material.  The students watch a lesson online,and complete an activity or an assessment to show understanding. The second link provided to us was a link to the Tech Ed website.  This website has many different lesson pages, and videos provided by professionals.  The videos can be used based on curiosity or subject themes.  In the lessons are quizzes, and if the student does not answer correctly, there options for video hints and additional resources.  A teacher can flip a lesson using this website.  A teacher can edit a title, add instructions, select certain quizzes, and add their own resources. 

These two articles and videos helped me form an opinion of flipped learning.  I believe that flipped learning is a way of moving forward in the education system and making students accountable for their own education. This way of learning is more hands on and allows students to work at their own pace.  

The next article I read was titled “Flipped Learning: Revolution or Transformation?  This article discussed how students were reacting to the flipped learning concept.  Stated, “Flipped learning is transformational shift which is changing classrooms across the globe.”  The author explains how he has seen teachers who were ready to give up, get a new sense of purpose. How students take ownership for their learning, and become more excited to learn.   The author explains how schools and parents have a new sense of hope and love for learning. 

Like I said earlier, flipping a classroom was more for the older grade levels. However, my specialty is early childhood and special education.  So an article titled Flipping the Elementary Classroom  caught my eye. This article explains rather than flipping the classroom, flip a lesson. A good way to start this, as the article explains, is to ask yourself as a teacher what are you constantly repeating, and what do the students need to know more of? Make the video short and meaningful. Ensure that all students have access to the video and decide on a way to ensure they all watched the video.

After reading these articles, I am excited on learning more about flipped learning, and to incorporate this method in my classroom someday.  I agree with idea of flipping a few lessons, but I disagree on flipping a whole classroom.  Flipped learning is without a doubt a way for the students to become active in their own learning, and a way for them to learn at their own pace.  However, I do believe that it is important for teacher instruction.  With adding flipped learning to a few lessons throughout the week or day, the learning is more interactive and draws away from direct instruction, but still allows for the teacher in the classroom.

For more information, check out these sites: 

Flipped Learning: A response to criticisms 

Advantages of flipped learning

Information on flipped classrooms and technology

When I become a teacher, I will flip a few lessons, but I will still be active in my classroom and provide different types of activities and lessons for a diverse learning setting.  There are some complications with flipped learning.  Some students may not have access to computers, and some students may not learn using the flipped method. Some students do not benefit from watching videos and teaching themselves.  Flipped learning is a look into the future, and I agree that this is more appropriate for older aged students. However, when done correctly, flipped learning is great for elementary aged students and allows them practice and exploration on different lessons and ways of learning, and prepares the students for later grades and forms of instruction. In my classroom, I will try flipped learning and base my opinion on the outcomes of my students. With technology rapidly becoming apart of learning and everyday instruction, it will greatly affect how i conduct my classroom.  Based on the research I have conducted, students like flip learning, and it is a new and exciting way to learn a new concept.

This Video explains how a 4th grade teacher uses flipped learning as a math lesson, and how the students feel about the method