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A Look Into The Technology and Education of Flipped Classrooms Caitlin Lewis Radford University EDET 620
A Look Into The Technology and Education of Flipped Classrooms Caitlin Lewis Radford University EDET 620
FLIPPED CLASSROOMS
Introduction
In the world of education, there is a constant conversation about the
roles of various technologies and how they can be used. It seems as if every
day there are new options coming to light and more people are being
exposed to ways of teaching they never knew existed. This actually occurred
in my own math education class just the other day. We were discussing
various ways that teachers could differentiate their instructional methods,
and one student mentioned the flipped classroom strategy. I myself had
never heard of the idea previously, so I was interested to learn more about it.
The student who mentioned the flipped classroom strategy actually was in a
university class where the professor fully implemented this strategy. She
spoke of how at first she was not sure how she could benefit from this
teaching style, but in the end, she really enjoyed the way she was learning.
She felt it made the time in the classroom better spent and more meaningful
to what they were learning. After hearing about her personal experience
with the flipped classroom, I wanted to learn more about the instructional
method that was centered on technology in a way I was not very familiar
with.
Through this literature review I would like to take a look into some of
the background information on the topic, and research on flipped classrooms,
specifically some of the educational theories that play a significant role in the
research and outcomes. Following the theories and research, will be a look
into the effectiveness of a flipped classroom and how teachers will
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accomplish their jobs with this strategy in mind. Next, is insight into the
specific changes needed to be made by students in order to succeed in a
flipped classroom and lastly, the possible limitations that can arise with this
strategy.
Background Details
Many people have used a variety of the aspects of a flipped classroom
within their instruction, but the term flipped classroom is credited to a pair of
high school teachers from Colorado (Milman, 2014, p.1). In 2006 Jonathan
Bergman and Aaron Sams were relying on podcasts and screencasts as a
vital part of their instructional methods (Milman, 2014, p.1). These two
teachers were overwhelmed with the number of students missing school, and
wanted to find a way to reach their absent students (Jacot, Noren, & Berg,
2014, p.23). A flipped classroom is one in which actual classroom time is not
dedicated to instruction. Instead it is used for engaging activities (Milman,
2014, p.1). Concepts are presented to students through videos and other
visual methods. The students then can access the videos on their own time
and come to class to build upon the skills and concepts they have practiced
elsewhere. The idea of the flipped classroom might not have reached such
high heights had it not been for the advancement of the internet and Web
2.0 technology. Web 2.0 sites enable user interaction and participation by
having a user-friendly interface where one can edit and publish the existing
information (Jacot, Noren, & Berg, 2014, p.24). A few examples of common
Web 2.0 sites are Blackboard, WebCT, Weebly, wikis, and blogs (Jacot, Noren,
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& Berg, 2014, p.23). The ability and option to distribute information, work
together with others, and make connections outside of one physical room
has become a different idea entirely (Jacot, Noren, & Berg, 2014, p.23).
Instead, now it is possible to do those same things, but the room has become
a web of rooms connected by the internet and the new forms of technology
found within it.
Effectiveness of a Flipped Instructional Experience
One article I found when searching the literature focused on the
differences between a traditional classroom and a flipped classroom, with a
specific concentration on the accuracy and mental effort displayed by
students. Before going into detail about the study itself, it is important to
look into why this study was actually performed. There is not just one
specific theory, but a compilation from a few theorists that has been brought
together. The theorists mentioned in the article are Sweller, Miller, Baddeley
and Hitch, Pavio, and Mayer (Mattis, 2014, p. 233). The summarization of
the theories can be concluded that people learn more deeply from pictures
and spoken words than from pictures and printed words and learners learn
better when new information is explained by audio narration than on-screen
text known as the modality effect (Mattis, 2014, p. 233). However, there
are some who believe that this premise does not apply in all situations, and
there are specific circumstances a teaching situation needs to meet (Mattis,
2014, p. 233). As such, it was found that the modality principle would likely
not apply in situations when the presentation exceeds an allotted time, the
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the positive themes are access to recorded lectures, easy notetaking, and
peer learning (McCallum et al., 2015, p. 47). The only negatives were about
self-discipline and increased time and effort (McCallum et al., 2015, p. 47).
The conclusions brought about from the data are in line with the theory of
student involvement. The participants felt that when they were highly
academically involved in the instruction they were able to achieve more from
an academic standpoint (McCallum et al., 2015, p. 49).
How Can the Teacher Accomplish their Job
Having a successful flipped classroom can be a larger time
commitment in comparison with a standard classroom, ad educators need to
understand how they can be successful with this strategy. First off there is a
higher amount of planning needed to be completed prior to the start of the
class on the teachers part (Kovach, 2014, p.39). It takes effort and a teacher
who is willing to learn enough about technology in order to record and post
video lesson in an online format. For teachers new to the idea using a
PowerPoint with voice over is a good starting point, which can lead to video
recordings and even YouTube videos can be incorporated (Kovach, 2014,
p.39). Flipped classroom instructors have two options when it comes to the
creation of their materials. Either they can create and test all materials
before the start of the class or create the lessons weekly in order to adapt
the lessons to fit specifically the needs of the class (Kovach, 2014, p.39). For
the in-person part of the class the teacher must be prepared to adapt their
role as an instructor. Serving as an effective leader in the flipped classroom
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classrooms, it is just important that educators are aware so they can make
adjustments as needed.
Conclusion
Flipped classrooms demonstrate a great deal of potential and are
making their way in the world of educational technology. The flipped model
has the potential to enable teachers to cultivate critical and independent
thought in their students, building the capacity for lifelong learning and thus
preparing future graduates for their workplace contexts (O'Flaherty, &
Phillips, 2015, p.94). Before teachers can be prepared to make use of the
flipped classroom approach, it is important to look back on the research.
New studies are being developed about this instruction style, but there are
quite a few studies that show great promise for the future of flipped
classrooms. With the first study presented in this review, there is a clear look
into the importance from a cogitative standpoint why flipped classrooms are
important. The flipped classroom approach also allows for an increased level
of student involvement and achievement. Even with research to support a
flipped classroom it is not possible unless the teachers and students are
willing to adapt their roles to fit this instructional method.
Educators must be well versed in the technology requirements, but
also in the new way of handling their position virtually and face to face.
Students need to know what is expected of them as participants in a flipped
classroom. It may be necessary for students to discuss with their professors
before enrolling in a flipped class, so they can prepare for the adjustments
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they will need to make when it comes to participation and virtual lessons.
Lastly, there are a few limitations that are being uncovered as more
researchers are looking into the topic of flipped classrooms. However,
knowing the limitations is one of the first steps to combatting them and there
are ways to have a substantial flipped classroom within the limits.
In general, flipped classrooms are up and coming. There is a decent
amount of research and discussion about them, but in the near future surely
more researchers will be taking up this topic to study and find out more
about it and the deeper impact it has on students. In education, the idea of
a teacher as the sage on the stage is no longer the leading view of how a
classroom should run (Gilboy et al., 2015, p. 109). Instead active learning
with approaches, such as the flipped classroom, are great starts for
education where technological approaches are incorporated to maximize
learning.
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References
Gilboy, M. B., Heinerichs, S., & Pazzaglia, G. (2015). Enhancing student
engagement using the flipped classroom. Journal of Nutrition Education
& Behavior, 47(1), 109-114. doi:10.1016/j.jneb.2014.08.008
Gunyou, J. (2015). I Flipped My Classroom: One teacher's quest to remain
relevant. Journal of Public Affairs Education, 21(1), 13-24.
Jacot, M. T., Noren, J., & Berge, Z. L. (2014). The flipped classroom in training
and development: Fad or the future?. Performance Improvement,
53(9), 23-28. doi:10.1002/pfi.21438
Kovach, J. V. (2014). Leadership in the "classroom". Journal for Quality &
Participation, 37(1), 39-40.
Mattis, K. (2015). Flipped classroom versus traditional textbook instruction:
Assessing accuracy and mental effort at different levels of
mathematical complexity. Technology, Knowledge & Learning, 20(2),
231-248. doi:10.1007/s10758-014-9238-0
McCallum, S., Schultz, J., Sellke, K., & Spartz, J. (2015). An examination of the
flipped classroom approach on college student academic involvement.
International Journal of Teaching & Learning In Higher Education, 27(1),
42-55.
Milman, N. B. (2014). The flipped classroom strategy. Distance Learning,
11(4), 9-11.
O'Flaherty, J., & Phillips, C. (2015). The use of flipped classrooms in higher
education: A scoping review. Internet & Higher Education, 25, 85-95.
doi:10.1016/j.iheduc.2015.02.002