Journal 3: Upside Down, and Inside Out: Flip Your Classroom to Improve Student Learning

Fulton, K. (2012). Upside down, and inside out: Flip your classroom to improve student learning.Learning and Leading with Technology, 39(8), 12-14. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/learn/publications/learning-and-leading/issues/Upside_Down_and_Inside_Out.aspx

This article deals with a new approach to teaching, which “Flips” the way traditional classrooms have been taught. In this approach students are primarily instructed at home while doing traditional homework in the classroom.  The way this would work is teachers would film themselves lecturing on the content and instructing students on the task at some prior date. Students would then watch these videos at home much like they would primary watch their teachers instruct in the classroom. The next day the teacher would help students with their “homework” allowing them to differentiate instruction to those students who need more help with the content. In this model students could break off into small groups or work independently to finish the assignment. The approach allows students to not only work at their own pace but it also allows them to watch instruction from different teachers for better understanding of the subject. According to the article the early results seem promising with students test scores rising. Teachers who have “flipped” their classrooms also report that it has made their classes into a more student centered learning environment.

Could this approach be used to help in say an English class?

                
Yes, This class approach could be used in an English class in a verity of ways. Even if a teacher decided not to “flip” their whole class this model could still be used when teaching difficult concepts. For example, when teaching students about iambic pentameter a teacher could do the instruction of this and other pome forms though a video. The next day they could helps students identify iambic pentameter since it is a concept, which some students struggle with. The true power of “flipping” a class I believe is that it gives teachers the ability to have more in class time with students when they need it.

What problems if any do you see with the flipped classroom approach?

It seems as if this approach would work best in well to do school but not in poor districts. I understand that they offer students a cd but some don’t even have a tv. Also, the learning curve for teachers seems kind of steep since I would say a great number of them are not tech savvy enough to pull this type of thing off. I believe that this might be a little a head of its time. It sounds like a good start but not the complete answer.