Purpose

Why should I flip my classroom?

Katie Gimbar explains why she flipped her classroom. (Gimbar, 2011).

While flipping your classroom may seem like a huge undertaking, it will be well worth it when you realize how beneficial it can be.  

How it Works

(Traditional Classroom vs. Flipped Classroom, n.d.)

         Instead of listening to lectures in the classroom, students listen to the teacher's lectures through videos at home.  The students then come into class prepared to start an educational activity that will allow them to dive into the topic and grasp the concept in a deeper way.  A teacher is no longer a "sage on the stage" but a "guide on the side", allowing students to make their own meaning while assisting when necessary.  Because the teacher is not the center of the classroom, he or she has more time to help students individually.  This style of learning allows all students to learn at their own pace, eliminating the problem of have some students bored of the material while others struggle to grasp the concept.  

Benefits

• Differentiation for all students-  Higher-level students can fast forward through parts of the video that they already understand.  On-level students can watch the video as it was filmed to learn about the topic.  Lower-level students can rewind, pause, and replay the video as many times as necessary to understand the lesson. In class, who have watched the at-home video and are still confused can get the attention and instruction they need while students that understand the concept can be challenged at their own level by individualized activities.
• Increased class time for teacher assistance- The teacher does not waste time lecturing to all students, but instead can travel throughout the classroom to assist the students in small groups or one-on-one.  All students can discuss their individual questions with the teacher without having to waste the class times of other students.
• Increased class time for peer collaboration- Instead of listening to teacher lectures, students will have more class time to collaborate with their peers.  Group projects can be planned so students can interact with and learn from each other.
• Increase class time for projects and global learning- Because more class time is available, there is more time for students to work on long-term projects.  In my science classroom, I always struggled to find time for engaging projects, but with the flipped classroom, more time can be dedicated to projects applying our science concepts to the real world.

Disadvantages

• Increased Preparation Time- Teachers need to spend more time planning by preparing and filming videos, setting up an online learning environment, and  developing differentiated activities for the students to complete in class.  However, as teachers continue with flipping their classrooms, it gets easier and videos can be reused from year to year with minor adjustments.  Teachers can also use videos or podcasts from other sources (YouTube, TED Talks, or other teachers) to supplement their own material.
• Student complaints- When first starting a flipped classroom, students may complain about having to watch videos at home and having "more work" to do in class, instead of just sitting and listening to the teacher.  However, as time passes, students will begin to understand the benefits of the flipped classroom as well.  When they start to see their increased understanding of the topics, they will begin to buy into the flipped classroom as well.  
• Limited Technology-  Students with limited technology at home may have difficulty watching the videos to prepare for class.  However, this can be solved in several ways.  Please see the Software/Hardware page of this blog to solve these issues.

Advantages and Disadvantages list was complied from personal experience and 7 Things You Should Know About... Flipped Classroom, 2012.