Flipped Classroom

The idea of a flipped classroom is an interesting one. Changing the focus from lecture to engagement can definitely have its benefits. The more one on one time that can be spent with students, the more likely teachers will be able to quickly sort out learning gaps. Depending on the type of class and type of student, this may be a very successful way to conduct class. On the other hand, it may also land far below expectation.

Flipped classroom approaches allow students an easier medium to catch up if they are to fall behind, but are there unexpected consequences to this? What is the likelihood that the students won't just take this as an excuse to not go to class at all? In high schools, this issue may be circumvented due to attendance restrictions, but in colleges this may be an issue.

Another issue is the availability of technology for the students to view their lessons. If a student encounters an issue where they cannot, or do not, watch the video, the teacher may be stuck teaching the material as a lecture anyway, in essence costing time rather than saving it. While actually in the classroom, this may be accounted for by making the videos available to those who haven't watched them, but will the students stay on task.

While there are benefits to this teaching style, I think that it takes a certain class with a certain teacher to really make it successful. I think the most effective way to implement this would be for the students to join the class in a college environment knowing this is the way the class will be held in advance. Giving them the option to do so, rather than force it on the students as a way of teaching would be the optimal way to increase engagement while also minimizing downtime.

The Ever-Changing Classroom is the Same as it's Always Been

The video Educational Change Challenge talks about the movement from lecture to education reform. When you look at the what we've learned in the last 100 years, the way we've been teaching has not kept up with the times. Being able to connect with your students can be incredibly advantageous in creating a learning environment that can benefit everyone. It's true that not all students learn at the same pace or in the same way. Creating technology that can meet these different student's needs may be key to education in the future.

The video Networked Student talks about a teacher that took a constructivist approach to learning. The idea is that students will learn by making connections with ideas that they have already learned. Rather than lecturing, the teacher allows the students to explore the newest ideas, rather than learning in traditional methods. While this is good in theory, the way it is described seems to miss the necessary direction that you may need if you are totally unfamiliar with the topic. This method also may cause students to become sidetracked more often than if they were in a traditional classroom setting, even if they think that their focus is in the correct area.