Video in the Flipped Classroom

ED 530: Collaborative Emerging Technology Integration Plan

Melanie L. Widelko
Wilkes University
August 7, 2015

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Introductory Justification of Emerging Technology: Video in the Flipped Classroom
Trends come and go in education, frustrating many to no end. It is important to note,
though, that true best practices do not come and go but instead evolve over time as
people and societies change as we gain more and more knowledge about children
and learning. Similarly, since technology and education have always gone hand in
hand, as technology evolves, so too does the way we use it in the classroom to
support teaching and learning.

In the past few years, flipping the classroom, or providing the instruction portion of
lessons for home and completing the homework activities at school, has become
popular. Video technology, used in classrooms for many years, has taken on a new
role and become an even more invaluable resource, driving this new type of flipped
classroom instruction is videotaped in a variety of ways and used to deliver the core
lesson at home. For the purpose of this paper, video refers to any professional or
homemade production of moving images relevant to instruction such as screencasts,
Youtube videos, videotaped recordings, DVDs, animations like Powtoon, etc.

Is flipping, specifically the use of video in flipping, another trend or is it a best

practice that will stay with us for many years to come? Of course, only time will tell
but my belief is that common sense, along with current research, support using video
(in the flipped classroom) as a valid instructional technique.

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Academic Research Narrative on Emerging Technology: Video in the Flipped Classroom
Its quite evident that we are using video in education. As far back as 2011, in a TED
Talk, Salman Khan of Khan Academy stated that a million students a month were
using his online educational video website, viewing 100 to 200,000 videos a day. In
2013, a PBS survey of 503 U.S. teachers showed that 43% of teachers surveyed used
online video in their classroom. Add to that offline video, homemade videos that
more teachers now have the ability to create easily, etc. and we can only assume the
number increases substantially. Paul Riismandel (2015), in his article
State of
Education Video 2015
, suggests that the use of video is now so much a part of
instruction (as in everyday life), that the question isnt really should we use it but
how we should best use video in instruction. So, the big question is why? What is so
special about video that we are using it often and even driving whole new ways of
teaching such as in flipping the classroom?

According to the University of Queenslands Institute of Teaching and Learning

Innovation, there are four main benefits when using video in the classroom including
encouraging thinking and problem solving, helping with mastery learning, engaging
students, and providing authentic learning experiences. (University of Queensland,
n.d.) Michal Tsur (2014), cofounder and president of Kaltura, shares some
interesting facts in his blog post titled
Research Confirms Video Improves Learning
Results
including that Forrester Research estimates one minute of online video
equates to approximately 1.8 million written words and visuals are processed

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60,000 times faster in the brain than text. With that in mind, it is no wonder that a
recent McGrawHill report by Brian Belardi (2015) shares that 62% of students say
that technology helps them feel better prepared for classes. It is also not surprising
that educators began to move toward using video in a fresh, outside the box way
no longer simply using video to enhance lectures but using video to record the
instruction itself, allowing students to do the previously unthinkable, learn at home
and practice at school flipping the classroom.

Being a relatively new teaching method, there is limited long term research on the
effectiveness of the flipped classroom. However, as a veteran educator, the idea
behind the flipped classroom certainly does have an element of common sense about
it and makes one wonder why flipping took so long to arrive on the education scene.
In a traditional classroom setting, teachers teach the students a concept with either
lecture or variations of lecture that may or may not include hands on activities. Most
times, the teacher stops there and then expects the students to complete further
practice at home homework. Lets face it, homework brings about numerous
concerns and challenges. Normally, the teacher is not available during home practice
and students/parents are left to their own devices, perhaps not understanding the
assignment or forgetting a key step in problem solving, etc. As students move into
higher grade levels, many parents get to a point in which they no longer can help the
student because of lack of personal knowledge in the subject. This can lead to
frustration for everyone. At times, we run into parents who simply cannot or do not

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want to assist students with their work and/or parents who do not encourage their
student to complete homework regularly. When students return to class, sometimes
their work is done and sometimes it isnt no matter what, the most students
normally get is a brief overview of the correct answers before the teacher is moving
onto the next lesson. The flipped classroom alleviates many of the above woes in the
flipped class, a student simply has to watch a video/videos or perhaps do light online
reading and at most, complete a short assignment to show that they completed the
flipped lesson. All parents have to do is ensure this takes place and they now have
the opportunity to learn along with their students no longer are the lessons a
secret. All of the activities and practice that go along with the lesson take place in
the classroom where the teacher is available to assist and can group students
according to their needs and abilities. Teachers know if and when students have
achieved the objectives of the lesson and can offer extension or remedial activities
based on in class performance in real time. All students have the opportunity to
practice and know if their answers are correct immediate feedback on many levels.

While research is limited, there are some promising studies taking place on flipping
the classroom. For example, in a recent Pearson Case Study (2013), results of flipping
the classroom in an urban school in greater Detroit show that test scores, graduation
rates, and college attendance have increased and student engagement has
improved dramatically, and discipline problems have declined in both number and
severity. In 2014, as part of the Speak Up National Research Project, 28% of school

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leaders said that flipped learning was significantly changing teaching and learning in
their schools while 38% of middle and 40% of high schools said positive results were
seen as a result of flipping.

The flipped classroom can occur without video but of course, video is an essential
component of flipping. There are a multitude of high quality and easy to use websites
and programs available to teachers to create videos and other resources for flipping.
Teachers can use premade videos that can be found on sites like Khan Academy and
Youtube EDU or create their own with screencasting programs, videotaped recordings,
iMovie, and the like. They can also use programs such as Powtoon to create fun
animated videos and create infographics to use in videos with sites like Piktochart.
Using video in the flipped classroom, students are left engaged, wowed, and learning
all in a laid back, nonthreatening way that allows the teacher and students time
together to be maximized. The benefits of using video in the classroom shared above
along with the promising results of research on the flipped model support that flipping
and video is a perfect marriage one that I feel will continue to grow and evolve into
a best practice used for many years to come.

Integration Plan: Introduction & Overall Goal

I am currently a second grade teacher (all subjects) in a small Catholic school, called
St. Vitus School, in western Pennsylvania. In my classroom, I have a Smartboard,
personal laptop, and several iPads. There is also a computer lab, and mobile laptops,

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available for use in the building. While we do have technology available, there is not
a dedicated technology staff member and there is very limited access to technology
training which makes for a building staff with overall limited technology skills and/or
drive to integrate technology. Students receive a computer class and several upper
grades receive media instruction but curriculum is vague and while students seem to
be technology savvy in some ways, they have limited knowledge in many other ways.
There is very limited, possibly no knowledge, of flipping in the building so my overall
goal is to introduce flipping the classroom to the students, staff, and parents by
integrating flipping using video into the second grade classroom once per week.

Integration Plan: Objectives

As always, I intend to share my ideas with my building principal before beginning the
integration plan. I feel sure she will approve of and be very interested in the plan.
Integration will take place over a school year with evaluations taking place at the end
of each 9week grading period. Integration will be performed once weekly, as
follows, at the beginning of the school year with the potential to grow, depending on
evaluations.

After talking with my principal, I will introduce flipping the classroom to parents at
our first parent night, normally held in September, with a Powerpoint and example of
a typical video/task that may be given. Parents will, at this time, also be encouraged
to send informal feedback anytime! After introducing to parents, I will introduce

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similarly to the students and begin to hold Flipit Fridays. Each Thursday, I will
assign two lessons to be viewed at home on Youtube (via our class website). On
Friday, then, we will complete related tasks, the homework, in the classroom.
Lessons will be chosen based on what we are working on at the time a typical lesson
could be a writing lesson. For example, upon completing a unit on paragraph writing,
I could have students publish their writing using a blog and collaborate by
commenting on other student blog posts. An example of a video lesson I created on
the topic of blogs can be found at this link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZaxdkxhD8. For Flipit Fridays, students will
be required to complete an activity for morning work that shows whether or not they
completed the flipped lesson. For example, in the blog video I shared, students need
to be able to log in to Kidblog before coming back to class. So, for morning work, I
could have them show me that they can do this. This way, students who did not
participate can watch the video during morning work so that they are caught up by
the time we complete the activities in class. We would then go on to complete a blog
post and comment in class, and students would be asked to watch the remainder of
the video at home over the weekend, in order to solidify/conclude the learning. At
the end of the grading period, I will send home a more formal survey for parents,
complete my own selfevaluation, and have students complete a more formal visual
evaluation along with chatting with me about their experiences. I will use a graphic
visual (a snail) to signify that the lesson is a flipped lesson and the snail will be our
mascot a representation of our slow and steady entry into integrating the flipped

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classroom. An example can be seen in the above link. At midyear, providing we have
successfully integrated flipping into the classroom, I will invite staff members and the
principal to observe and will also offer a training to staff should that be something
the principal is interested in.

Review Checklist for Objectives, Activities & Timelines, and Collaboration

1. Objectives
Does the objectives directly address the goal(s)?
Yes the objectives address the goals. After a paragraph writing unit the students will
publish their writing through blogs.
Are the objectives observable and verifiable?
The objectives are observable and verifiable. The students blogs on Kidblog are
observable.

2. Description of Activities and Timelines

Do the activities align with the goal(s) and objectives?
The activities are aligned with the goals and objectives.
Is the timeline stated?
The timeline was stated. She will begin at the beginning of the school year. Every 9
weeks there will be evaluations. The FlipIt Fridays would require videos to be
watched on Thursday night at home. Following up activities would take place on
Friday.

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Are there specific activities listed?
Yes, specific activities are listed, for example the paragraph writing lesson.
Are there evaluation measures of effectiveness discussed in the plan?
The students blog entries, parent surveys, and student visual evaluations (snail) will
all be used.
Is the plan achievable?
Yes I believe this is very achievable. Melanie, I love the FlipIt Fridays idea. Perfect
way to start. I wish you the best with flipping your classroom. It was a pleasure
working with you.

Feedback Narrative:
Include overall evaluation of paper, suggestions for
improvement and additional commentary
Peer Reviewer Name:
Karen Stern
Peer Reviewer Date:
8/7/15
Date Feedback reviewed:
8/7/15

Reflection & Summary

In summary, I am very excited about my integration plan and fully intend to follow
through with it in the upcoming school year. I believe it is doable although the
nature of the plan is somewhat up in the air in the sense that being something so new
for my school, I will have to take it one step at a time and play everything by ear. My
concern is that although I have the skills to create videos, I will not have adequate

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planning time to do so, but I will certainly give it my best shot because I do believe in
the flipped model and feel that any success I have in my own classroom could
potentially positively influence many others within my school.

As for the collaborative nature of this plan, I have to say I normally am not a fan of
working collaboratively on this type of project. I was pleasantly surprised, though, by
how easy it was to work with three other individuals I am thankful that they all took
the project seriously and did their fair share of work. I have to say, the collaborative
nature actually did ease my stress in the sense that I knew I had someone to review
my work so I didnt stress as much as I normally do about typos and everything being
perfect I knew someone would have my back and I figured I could wait to do one
final read thru and any changes until they offered feedback.

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Works Cited
Belardi, B. (2015, March 9). Report: New McGrawHill Education Research Finds More
than 80 Percent of Students Use Mobile Technology to Study. Retrieved August 6,
2015, from
http://www.mheducation.com/about/newsroom/reportnewmcgrawhilleducation
researchfindsmore80percentstudentsusemobile

Flipped Learning Model Dramatically Improves Course Pass Rate for AtRisk Students.
(2013). Retrieved August 7, 2015, from
http://assets.pearsonschool.com/asset_mgr/current/201317/Clintondale_case
study.p
df

PBS Be more. (2013, February 4). Retrieved August 6, 2015, from

http://www.pbs.org/about/news/archive/2013/teachertechsurvey/

Riismandel, P. (2015, March 18). The State of Education Video 2015 Streaming Media
Magazine. Retrieved August 6, 2015, from
http://www.streamingmedia.com/Articles/ReadArticle.aspx?ArticleID=102764&PageN
um=2

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Speak Up 2014 National Research Project Findings Flipped Learning continues to trend
for third year. (2015, February). Retrieved August 7, 2015, from
http://flippedlearning.org/cms/lib07/VA01923112/Centricity/Domain/4/Speak Up
FLN 2014 Survey Results FINAL.pdf

The University of Queensland. (n.d.). Retrieved August 6, 2015, from

http://www.uq.edu.au/teach/videoteachlearn/pedbenefits.html

Transcript of "Let's use video to reinvent education" (2011, March). Retrieved August
6, 2015, from
http://www.ted.com/talks/salman_khan_let_s_use_video_to_reinvent_education/tra
nscript?language=en

Tsur, M. (2014, June 1). Research Confirms Video Improves Learning Results.
Retrieved August 6, 2015, from
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michaltsur/researchconfirmsvideoi_b_5064181.ht
ml