Discussion

What is the Flipped Classroom?

A flipped class is one that inverts the typical cycle of content acquisition and application so that

• students gain necessary knowledge before class, and 
• instructors guide students to actively and interactively clarify and apply that knowledge during class.
• Instructors who are flipping their class often describe the impact of this shift by making comparisons like the ones in the following table.

TIME	OLD: BEFORE THE FLIP	NEW: AFTER THE FLIP
Before Class	Students assigned something to read	Students guided through learning module that asks and collects questions.
	Instructor prepares lecture	Instructor prepares learning opportunities.
Beginning of the Class	Students have limited information about what to expect	Students have specific questions in mind to guide their learning.
	Instructor makes general assumption about what is helpful	Instructor can anticipate where students need most help.
During Class	Students try to follow along.	Students practice performing the skills they  are expected to learn.
	Instructor tries to get through all the material	Instructor guides the process with feedback and mini-lectures.
After Class	Students attempt the homework, usually with delayed feedback	Students continue applying their knowledge skills after clarification and feedback.
	Instructor grades past work	Instructor posts any additional explanations and resources and grades higher quality work.
Office Hours	Students want confirmation about what to study.	Students are equipped to seek help where they know they need it.
	Instructor often repeats what was in lecture.	Instructors continue guiding students towards deeper understanding.

 

 

Why are instructors flipping their class?

Students learn more deeply.
As a result of students taking responsibility, interacting meaningfully and often with their instructor and peers, and getting and giving frequent feedback, they acquire a deeper understanding of the content and how to use it.
Students are more active participants in learning.
The student role shifts from passive recipient to active constructor of knowledge, giving them opportunities to practice using the intellectual tools of the discipline.
Interaction increases and students learn from one another.
Students work together applying course concepts with guidance from the instructor.  This increased interaction helps to create a learning community that encourages them to build knowledge together inside and outside the classroom.
Instructors and students get more feedback.
With more opportunities for students to apply their knowledge and therefore demonstrate their ability to use it, gaps in their understanding become visible to both themselves and the instructor.

Flip Quick-start Guide

Step 1: Identify where the flipped model makes sense for your course

This guide is designed to walk you through the steps of flipping a single class; the process is scalable for flipping portions of each unit or an entire course.  One of the major factors in course redesign is the time it takes to do it well.  We recommend pilot testing the flipped model with a single class before engaging in a complete redesign.
The following questions can help you identify a good place to start, whether you have designed your course around learning outcomes or by units:

• What classes do you currently have an in-class activity that you rarely have time to complete during class and requires the students to apply their knowledge and skills?
• What concepts or topics do students struggle the most to understand based on exam scores and/or assignment grades?
• What topics would students benefit from the opportunity to apply the concepts within the classroom where your expertise could guide their development?

Step 2: Spend class time engaging students in application activities with feedback

 Instructors develop in-class engagement structures that leverage the power of the flipped class. Inside flipped classroom students engage in applying the course content and thinking in ways common to that field.  Ideally, the learning activity builds in its level of challenge, so that misunderstandings and misconceptions are exposed.

• How might class time be repurposed in ways that will provide students with an appropriate level of challenge while leveraging your expertise as a coach or guide?  

Instructional Strategies

If you have a learning activity that fits this criterion, then begin with that activity.  If you have traditionally spent class time lecturing, then finding a structure that fits your discipline is important.
There are a wide variety of evidence-based instructional approaches that create engaging class environments, here are a few approaches being used to create collaboration and problem solving in small and large classes:

·         Peer Instruction: Students prepare for class and give instructors feedback about what they found confusing or difficult.  During class, students experience cycles of mini-lectures interspersed with peer discussion of conceptual questions that work to elicit, confront, and resolve misconceptions students may hold.

·         Team-based Learning (TBL): Students prepare before class and experience readiness-assurance quiz over the content at the start of class (first as individuals and then as a team). Teams get immediate feedback on their performance while instructors address gaps in understanding via mini-lectures. Next, teams engage in structured application activities that conclude with teams simultaneously making a specific choice.  (length: 12 minutes).

·         Case-based Learning:  Students work together in small groups with guidance from the instructor to analyze the problem and evaluate a given course of action or decide on one of their own. 

·         Process-oriented Guided Inquiry Learning: POGIL activities are designed around the learning cycle where students explore data or information guided by questions, generate conclusions based on the data, and apply these concepts in new situations.  The activities are structured to develop process skills, critical thinking, problem solving and collaboration.  

Assessment Strategies

Assessment techniques can help inform and enhance learning when questions that measure student understanding are embedded into in-class learning activities:

• Provides students with feedback about what they know and do not know.
• Provides instructors with real-time data that informs instruction.
• Encourages students to engage during class by holding them accountable for their preparation.

Technology-enhanced Learning

A Classroom Response System (CRS) allows instructors to ask questions to the class, then immediately gather and display student responses.  There are several clicker systems on the market for faculty to choose. (length: 12 minutes).

 

Step 3: Make connections between inside and outside of class learning

Once you have selected the class to flip, pull together the materials associated with that class (e.g. pre-class readings, lecture slides & notes, learning activity, and assignments associated with this material).  Start with what you have and as you gain experience then explore and expand what you do inside and outside of class to help students learn.  
If you zoom out from this image, you would see this cycle repeated throughout the semester where students are engaging in learning both inside and outside of class.  For now, you are focusing on a single cycle and planning what students will be learning before, during and after this class to ensure meaningful connections are made among these three elements.
Organize the material you have gathered and organize it into three piles according to what students currently experience before, during, and after class.  The crux of the Flipped model is to move the application-oriented "homework" into the classroom and to move the "lecture" to before class.  We will walk you through each phase of the model, but first take what you have and see how it might be reorganized to fit this model.  Here are a few questions to get you started in this process:

• What do I want my students to know and be able to do as result of completing this sequence of the course?  How does it fit into the bigger picture of the unit and course?
• What part of the current "homework assignment" could be moved inside of class to help students practice applying the content? or What in-class learning activity is being rushed through because there is currently not enough time to do it well?
• What practice do students need inside of class to prepare them for the larger assignment tht will be completed after-class?  Will students make the connection between what is happening inside of class and the assignment they are working on after class?
• What content do students need to know before class to successfully engage in the learning activity during class?

The after-class portion may consist of a wide variety of activties including completing the work started in class or reading deeper about the topic or working together on a larger assignment that extends several class periods or practicing on one's own.  Again if you zoom out from this image, you would see that the after-class portion from one class occurs at the same time as before-class for the next class.  This model is designed to help you organize your students learning and therefore is simplifying a more complex reality.

Step 4: Adapt your materials for students to acquire course content in preparation of class 

Instructors explain how they develop structures for students to engage course content before class by either creating their own materials or currating what already exists and placing it online.
The dynamic and active environment that is created within the flipped classroom means that it is essential for students to come prepared for class.  Once you have a clear idea for how students will be asked to apply their knowledge and skills during class, then begin considering what students will need to read or view in advance of class.  While online video content is associated with the Flipped classroom model, one can flip a class by repurposing traditional materials.  Some common ways students prepare for class incude:

• Reading materials (e.g., textbook chapters or relevant articles)
• Online video and audio content (e.g., podcasts, videos, online micro-lectures, simulations, or demonstrations)

Keep it simple at first by relying on your current resources or using existing online content rather than creating your own. If you have time, then explore what content currently exists online that may help you supplement your resources.  Whatever path you take, make sure that you...

• Hold students accountable for completing the pre-class assignment
• Provide students a way to pose questions about the content they are learning outside of class

Find existing online content

If you are interested in exploring what content currently exists online, some resources that maybe useful or might serve as inspiration for creating your own content include..Ted.ed/ You Tube/Open Culture

Create your own online content

Advances in technology have made it easier than ever to produce and distribute audio-visual content online. Examples include voice-over PowerPoint slideshows; recordings of problem solving or demonstrations (video, screencast or document camera); up-close video of instructors lecturing to the camera; or learning-modules which can contain a combination of text, images, animations, audio, and video integrated with exercises, activities, and assessments.
Before you begin creating your own online content, here are some things to consider:

• Show brief and multi-modal explanations presented in discrete units, which is more effective than asking students to watch a recording of a 50-minute traditional lecture.
• Focus content on a single topic broken down into 3 to 5 segments that are 3 to 5 minutes long.
• Create dynamic, to the point, and fast-paced explanations when using video.
• When videos include the presenter, use a close to medium shot of the presenter's face rather than a wide, distant shot of the presenter standing at the podium or by a white board. 
• Present excellent quality audio that is edited to remove awkward pauses and mutterings (“ums,” “like, you know,” etc.).

If you decide to create one yourself, there are many ways to do it:
(1) Record your voice as you click through a PowerPoint presentation.
 (2) Screen-cast allows you to annotate your slides as you talk.
 (3) Use a web-cam to record yourself giving a micro-lecture.

Design engaging out of class learning

Students are more likely to participate and engage in course work if they know they will be help accountable for what they have learned.  Embed assessment questions measuring student understanding of the content to help inform instruction and to provide feedback about their understanding. Common methods include:

• Build learning modules (e.g., combination of text, video, and assessments) for students to complete as homework. Use Learning Management Systems (LMSs) such as Blackboard and Canvas to fully integrate assessments into the learning experience so that students are required to test their understanding of the content immediately after it is presented to them. 
• Use the Just-in-Time Teaching approach which requires students to answer 2-4 conceptual questions targeted at common misconceptions prior to class. The results are used to inform instruction during class.
• Insert reflective questions into video content. Encourage students to pause and consider the answer to each question, or better yet write the answer down in their notes.
• Require students to pose questions about the content. Use various forms of social media (e.g., Twitter, Piazza.com or Hoot.me) or the discussion platform in your classroom management system (e.g., Blackboard or Canvas) as a platform for questions. 

Step 5: Extend learning beyond class

How will the content and skills learned before and during this class prepare students for extending their learning after class (e.g. finishing the problem set,  starting work on a project or a portion of an assignment, building upon what was begun in class to delve deeper into the topic, practicing alone or collaborating with peers, etc.)?
Students gain experience applying course content during class time, but they may also need additional practice after class.  Extending what happens inside the class to outside the class is a crucial step for students to gain mastery and meet the learning outcome.  Some ideas for deepening student understanding include:

• Use discussion boards to elaborate on ideas developed inside class.
• Present additional problems (on Blackboard, Canvas, course website, or from the textbook) for students to gain further practice on their own outside of class. Online assessment systems can be used to provide immediate feedback to students.
• Create assignments that require students to take the skills and knowledge developed in class and apply it in a new way or to a new situation not covered in class.
• Assign additional readings that further expands upon the concepts discussed in class.

Flip teaching or a flipped classroom is a form of blended learning in which students learn new content online by watching video lectures, usually at home, and what used to be homework (assigned problems) is now done in class with teachers offering more personalized guidance and interaction with students, instead of lecturing. This is also known as backwards classroom, flipped classroom, reverse teaching, and the Thayer Method."

What is a micro-lecture?

• A micro-lecture is a SHORT video recording intended to present information or teach people about a particular subject
• It includes one or a combination of the following

o                    Video / image of the presenter

o                    Power point or other type of text / file

o                    Audio

o                    User controls to play, pause and stop

 Micro Lectures can be used:

Before class

• Introduce a topic for discussion 
• Raise awareness on a topic or issue
• Inspire with a story or idea
• Present images, provoke curiosity and inquiry
• Explain or clarify a reading 

After class

• Follow up on a topic that was inquired in class and you did not have class time to cover, or was not part of the class conversation. 
• Reach students when they need clarification or explanation
• Help with problem solving
• Extend on a topic, add news about it
• Relate a topic to current or other events (newspaper stories, happenings, books, people)

 The short and quick micro-lecture gives the instructor the opportunity to show that

• You are there for the students, 
• You hear or know about their problems or concerns
• You are following up on something they are worried about in the middle of the week  / semester
• You  can acknowledge class work and not just micro-lecture about class notes
• You can go beyond the lecture
• You can share a story 

 

Adapting PowerPoint Lectures for Online Delivery: Best Practices -

If you use PowerPoint lectures in your face-to-face classes, you can use those same lectures as jumping-off points for creating narrated animations for your online students to watch. That’s the good news.
However, chances are you’ll need to make extensive changes — both to your existing PowerPoint slides, and to how you deliver them. Typically, this means scripting the lecture before narrating and recording it so that all information presented online is:

• As concise as possible
• Organized logically (no skipping around)
• Relevant to the important concepts you’re trying to convey (as opposed to spending equal time on minor points or details)
• Rich with stories, personal examples, and/or examples that clarify and amplify the important concepts
• Primarily visual (very little text presented on any screen)
• Broken down into separate 2-7 minute recordings, each based around a single concept

 Simply recording yourself narrating your PowerPoints as you would in a face-to-face classroom is ineffective because the online environment differs from the classroom in several ways:

• The time and attention students are willing to spend watching a screen is much less than the time and attention they’re willing to spend watching a live human being lecturing.
• The online environment is poor at conveying information in text form (but excels at conveying information visually).
• Online students can’t ask questions in real-time—and you won’t be able to see when they’re “getting it” so that you can diverge from your standard lecture and supplement their understanding. Therefore, your presentation has to be extremely clear and explicit.
• Online students are typically much less tolerant of extraneous or confusing information presented in a recorded lecture than they are of an in-person lecture.
• Students will be accessing lecture recordings differently—and for different reasons—than they “access” face-to-face lectures. Face-to-face students come to class, listen to lecture, and leave. Online students may use lecture recordings for previewing material, as their main source of course content, or for review. They may access recordings never, once, or multiple times for any of all of these reasons.

Below are best practices for converting a PowerPoint presentation for online delivery:

• Break long lectures into five minute (or so) chunks. Studies show that online students won’t sit through hour-long lectures—so don’t create them. Instead, create a handful of smaller lecture “chunks,” each of which defines and elaborates a main concept. Chunking lectures in this way also makes it possible for online students to customize their learning by reviewing—and re-reviewing—only those concepts they’re having trouble grasping.
• Write a script for each concept. Speaking off-the-cuff may work in a classroom, but it doesn’t online. Scripting forces you to organize the presentation of your material—to make sure you don’t leave anything out or throw in anything extra. It also gives you time to think about the most effective approach to convey material in the highly visual online environment. If you decide not to write a script beforehand, be prepared to spend the same amount of time you would have spent on the script in the recording studio instead, recording and re-recording your lecture chunks (in effect, scripting your recordings during the recording process instead of beforehand.) There really is no way around the scripting step in the production of effective content optimized for online delivery; it’s “pay me now or pay me later.”
• Rework your PowerPoint slides to act as a storyboard for your script. Your PowerPoint slides should contain mostly visuals; you’ll need to reduce text to a few words per screen at most. Animations (recorded PowerPoints) are good at conveying visual information; they aren’t good at conveying text information. Any text that appears on the screen should be the “take aways” or critical notes you would expect students to take, not simply explanations or nice-to-have details.
• Time any text or images that appear on your PowerPoint slides to display at the same time that you, the narrator, speak the text or discuss the image. Studies show that presenting text causes students to try to read it—which means they’re missing whatever the narrator happens to be saying at the same time. Learning theory also suggests that displaying images and talking about them later isn’t as effective as introducing the images at the very time you begin speaking about them.