The Flipped Classroom

Hey guys! Today's topic is something called the flipped classroom. This is a really cool concept that I think you all would like to learn more about.

To start off, the concept of the flipped classroom coincides with its name -- it's really a flipped classroom. The normal idea of instruction and lecturing in class and homework at home is flipped. In a flipped classroom, instruction is delivered online outside of class and homework is moved into the classroom. The teacher's role goes from the instructor in front of the class to more of a guide for the students. Lectures are watched online, outside of the classroom.

Let's look at an example...

Mr. Smith teaches an advanced chemistry class at the local high school. He creates 3 to 4 videos a week. The content of the videos is the material he would normally teach in class. His students watch his videos online at home. During class, instead of lecturing the whole period, Mr. Smith gets to do labs and experiments with his students. The in-class work and activities illustrated the concepts that he spoke about in his videos. Now, his students have the knowledge when they first walk in Mr. Smith's classroom. They can now focus on hands-on experiments that reinforce the knowledge they learned from the videos.

Sounds pretty cool, huh? Well, some don't quite think so. There are many misconceptions about the flipped classroom, and here are some of them:

• It only works for certain subjects WRONG!!! The flipped classroom can work for any classroom! Most people believe it only works for subjects such as math and science, but the flipped classroom can work with any subject!
• It's just a trend WRONG!!! The flipped classroom concept has been around for a while, sometimes referred to as different terms, and while you may now just be hearing about it, it has been successful in many classrooms around the world for quite some time.
• The flipped classroom is the same thing as an online class WRONG AGAIN!!! While I can see why people have this assumption, it is not the case. One difference between the two is that in a flipped classroom, one does not go to school solely online. There is a balance between online instruction and in-class activities. 

So, there are three large misconceptions about the flipped classroom. People have their doubts and they will until they try it for themselves. Now, you may wonder how the flipped classroom is transforming education. I can give you a few good reasons...

(1) Teachers have more time in class to go do interactive activities and help students with "homework"

(2) Students are less frustrated because they get to do their homework in class with a guide (the teacher)

(3) Students receive instant feedback because teachers have time to explain difficult concepts

Flipped classrooms are becoming more and more visible in classrooms across America today, and they will continue to grow. Now it's your turn to decide... Would you implement the flipped classroom?