Whether you call it inverted instruction, classroom flipping, or some other term, the concept behind this kind of instruction is basic. Students get the foundational knowledge they need outside the classroom and class time is spent on higher-level learning. Properly executed, this instructional methodology changes the instructor’s role from one of a “sage on the stage” to a “guide on the side.” (Bergmann & Sams, 2007)

How do the students get that foundational knowledge?

• Video
  • If you record your own videos:
    • Keep them short (7 minutes max)
    • Topic focused
    • Provide captions and transcript
  • If you don’t want to make your own, there are plenty of sources:
    • Khan Academy, YouTube, Ted Talks
  • Assign specific time ranges as appropriate
• Texts
  • A history, account, narrative, or case study
  • From the course texts, assign specific pages if the students don’t need the whole chapter – they are more likely to do the reading
  • Consider developing a reading guide to target their attention on particular concepts or ideas 
• Websites
  • Again, assign specific pages or parts of the website as appropriate
• Research
  • Give your students a list of questions and let them find answers

How can I know they have attained the foundational knowledge?

Barkley and Major, in their text Learning Assessment Techniques, offer concrete ways to assess students’ foundational knowledge, and they fit the “blending” teaching paradigm:

• If asking them to recognize – consider an online quiz that focuses on verification, matching, or forced choice, to be taken prior to coming to class.
• If asking them to recall – consider online quiz questions that focus on low cues or high cues.
• If asking them to interpret or exemplify – consider an online quiz that focuses on constructed responses or selected responses.
• If asking them to infer – consider questions that focus on verification, matching, or forced choice.
• If asking them to explain – consider questions where students must reason, troubleshoot, redesign, or predict.

What are some effective classroom strategies to engage students in higher-level learning?

• Muddiest point
  • Have your students bring a list of points they’d like to have clarified to class
    • Alternatively, have them post them to a discussion board
  • Address these points first before moving on to other learning activity
• Group discussions
  • Students discuss/clarify muddiest points in groups
• Group presentations
  • Have students teach what they learned
• Knowledge Demonstration
  • Let the students demonstrate what they have learned

Is flipping right for me?
The real question is whether or not flipping is right for your students. One of the big advantages of flipping is that it gives students more control over their learning as they guide the classroom activity with their questions. Another is the opportunity it provides instructors to review their teaching methods. After considering your options, you may decide that flipped instruction does not provide any advantages. However, keep in mind that this is not an all-or-nothing proposition. You may determine that some material in your course is suitable for flipping, while some still require more of a hands-on approach. In either case, you’ll have reflected on how you are teaching and that is always a good thing. (Trach, 2020)

If you’d like to talk about group work with a member of the Coulter Faculty Common, click here to schedule a consultation.

Sources

Barkley, Elizabeth F., and Claire H. Major. Learning Assessment Techniques: A Handbook for College Faculty, John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated, 2016. ProQuest Ebook Central, https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/hunter-ebooks/detail.action?docID=4205832.

Bergmann, J., & Sams, A. (2007). Flip Your Classroom: Reach Every Student in Every Class Every Day. International Society for Tech in Ed. http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/hunter-ebooks/detail.action?docID=3317690

Hertz, M. B. (2012, July 10). The Flipped Classroom: Pro and Con. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/blog/flipped-classroom-pro-and-con-mary-beth-hertz

Trach, E. (2020, January 1). A Beginner’s Guide to Flipped Classroom. https://www.schoology.com/blog/flipped-classroom