Thursday, May 26, 2016
Flipped Classrooms
I always looking for new ways to reinvent the wheel, and in math this is especially true as we work hard to engage our students while covering the curriculum. When I came across this blog regarding Flipped Classrooms and it made me think...could it be that simple? Flipping the classroom is not a new idea as you can tell from the date on the blog, but it's new to me. I like the idea of students taking on more responsibility for their learning experience outside of the classroom, and being able to focus on the application of their skills through in class activities and group work. One of many benefits of implementing a flipped environment is how well it support a Mastery Learning Model. This definitely helps when addressing the needs of both our fast and slow learners. Has anyone else tried out a flipped environment? How did it go? If not, would anyone be interested in trying? I'm curious to hear what people think. Check out this link to see how the Algebros setup their Flipped Classroom.
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Flipping is something that is new to me too! While I like the idea, and could potentially get 'on-board' with it, I wonder what parent reactions would be. In my grade 6/7 class, I quickly realized that many parents expected that all learning be done in the classroom. My students' timetables outside of school hours were nearly fully booked all of the time. Between hockey (with nightly practices and tournaments every few weekends), swimming, dance, soccer, piano, gymnastics, etc., there seemed to be very little time left for school work - whether it be traditional homework or watching a video lesson. Without the support from parents - to help reinforce that videos actually are watched, and that their child is free from other obligations, I'm not sure that a flipped classroom would actually work.
ReplyDeleteI also believe that students need some down time to participate in some of the sports and other activities that they enjoy. To watch a video(s) at home in the evening, and then go to school all day seems like a lot for students. No?
Lastly, in addition to the points above, is it reasonable to spend 40 - 60 hours per unit on making the videos and facilitating a flipped classroom? I know that there is still a lot of prep work for a traditional classroom, but this also seems excessive. Yes, if it betters our students, then it's good, but it's like a whole other job! Some videos could be potentially used from year to year, but you would still need to ensure that they're relevant and redo as necessary.
I'm not totally convinced just yet! I would certainly like to see it in action, and experience it myself before totally discounting it though.
Great post!