Time is one of the most valuable resources we have in the classroom. When we are pressed for time, unfortunately, it seems that the best of our practices get sacrificed so that we can get the content and skills instruction across…but we miss out on the most formative, engaging, and constructivist practices the really make learning live. Discussions get shortened, small groups disappear, individual conferences evaporate, labs are unfinished, and individual interventions become a wish rather than a must.
One practical approach to solving the conundrum of limited time is using “Flipped Learning”, however like with all practices it can have a powerful impact when used thoughtfully and can fail miserably when approached without deliberate expectations. When done correctly, the flipped model shifts moving some information acquisition to outside of class time so that student activities can be expanded to include practices that maximize the impact of face-to-face time in the classroom. However, when done poorly it becomes “extra homework” and makes assumptions about home environments, individual motivation, or asks students to move beyond the zone of proximal development on their own without the more knowledgable other.
In general, the goal is not to move all lessons to homework but rather to carefully flip the right minutes to change the landscape of a lesson.
Pros and Cons
Flipped learning can potentially create meaningful time for:
- teacher feeback
- small-group activities
- discussions
- collaborative problem solving
- individual conferences
- labs/simulations/virtual experiences
- retrieval or metacognitive practice
- formative assessments
- intervention and enrichment
and many other practices that teachers dream they could take advantage of but don’t…or can’t. However, there are potential downsides as well. A poorly implemented flipped classroom can occur when:
- students do not complete the preparation materials
- the flip is internet reliant and service is unavailable
- assignments become “additional” rather than “redistributed”
- students are expected to learn material that is way too difficult for them
- teachers repeat the entirely of the flipped lesson in class
- technology is used to replace the teacher
The research is clear that implementation of the flipped learning approach is the difference maker in its success towards positive results.
Dos, and Don’ts
A few starter tips that can help make the flipped classroom succeed:
- Start with 5-10 minutes lessons at home
- Use materials you already have or are familiar with
- Ask students to preview information father than master information
- Decide in advance how you will use the reclaimed time
- Provide a pathway for students who missed the flipped activity to catch up
- Check for understanding before moving forward
However, but sure to avoid:
- Flipping every lesson
- Assigning long videos
- Forcing yourself to become a content creator
- Assuming that watching is the same as learning
- Excluding students from lessons
- Turning 45 minute periods into 45 minutes of homework
Five Things To Get Started Easily
1. The 5-10 Minute Flip
Move 5-10 minutes of something that students can easily and meaningfully engage in without you. Use those 5-10 minutes deliberately during class time, such as those listed above. The key questions to ask in your planning is “Can the students gather a preliminary understanding without me and how will I deepen that with the time I’ve reclaimed?”
2. Flipped Learning Does Not Require Tech
A flipped lesson might include a one page reading, understanding a diagram, exploring a map, becoming familiar with new vocabulary, following a long a worked examples, analyzing a photograph, reviewing a primary source. Advanced tech is not necessarily required. Deliberate decisions on materials is.
3. Maintain the Focus on Preview Not Self-Teaching
Ask students to “encounter” information rather than mastering it but give them concrete deliverable things to bring with them. Ask them to notice things, take notes on some, generate questions, or list things that are confusing. Sometimes, it may be a replacement for an entire concept, but you can flip a classroom just as well with some takeaways to launch an activity.
4. Use What Already Exists
You don’t need to create or re-create materials for your flip. If there’s a video you usually have shown in class, use that. If there was a handout you intended to use that students can navigate without, that’s a strong resource. Media resources are often good choices when coupled with expectations. Provide slides that you might have gone through. If you do intend to record something keep it simple and brief. Consider what you’ve already been using and decide if students can do it on their own.
5. Protect the Things That Need a Classroom
The purpose of flipping the classroom is not to reduce your interaction with students–it is to increase your efficacy with them in a minimum amount of time. In a flipped model you are creating opportunities for high impact practices. Protect these practices with your professional life!
Protect time for:
- Difficult explanations
- Teacher modeling
- Feedback
- Discussions
- Collaborative Work
- Small Groups
- Intervention and Enrichment
- Labs
- Writing Workshops
- Projects
- Building relationships
How do I Get Started?
Before you start your first lesson with the flipped model ask yourself these questions
What am I doing that students can encounter without me successfully?
What valuable practice don’t I have enough time for that I can implement in the reclaimed time?
How much time do I need and how can I teach the routine?
Give flipped classroom a deliberate and thoughtful shot. It can help you reclaim your time and get far more out of your practice than you thought.
Limited Resources and Research
Li et al. — Effectiveness of Flipped Classrooms for K–12 Students
https://doi.org/10.3102/00346543241261732
Strelan, Osborn & Palmer — The Flipped Classroom: A Meta-analysis
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2020.100314
Agarwal, Nunes & Blunt — Retrieval Practice Consistently Benefits Student Learning