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Flipped Classrooms

Running Head: Flipped Classrooms

A Look Into Flipped Classrooms

Flipped Classrooms

As the 21st century has progressed, technology has become essential to even the
most rudimentary skills of this centurys learners. The question that national, state, and
local educational systems are asking is What year are we preparing our students for?.
Jacobs (2012) suggests that curriculum is outdated because its premise is based on the
platform of 19th and 20th century research. As educators, we must use technology to
upgrade, invigorate, and enhance the disciplines and content taught. Due to recent
advances in technology, many ideologies and theories have flourished and taken the
classroom environment and principles on a new contemporary course.
Flipped Classrooms are a new pedagogical model in which the typical lecture
and homework elements of a course are reversed (Educause, 2012, pg. 1). With the help
of video lectures, the teacher is able to conduct individual student-centered learning
outside the classroom as homework, and facilitate group-based problem solving activities
inside the classroom as experimental learning. In a flipped classroom there is a continued
cycle of 4 recurrent stages. Gerstein (2012) says that each unit cycle in a flip classroom
includes experimental activities, content exploration, reflection, and demonstrating and
application of content. The experimental activities are used to activate prior knowledge
and discover new information that does not need to be defined in a lecture. Once the
lesson is concluded, the content exploration is given as homework in a digital form. The
next day or few days, the students are able to reflect, with the teacher as a guide, and
many students can be remediated and instruction is differentiated for maximum results
with each child. After mastery of the concept, each student is able to demonstrate and
apply content skills learned through any form of assessment.
Even though an educator may flip their classroom, it is important that they
involve flipped learning. As stated by Flipped Learning Network (2014), flipped learning
and flipped classrooms are not interchangeable (pg. 1). In order to make sure that you
have flipped learning woven into the framework of your flipped classroom, you must
include the four pillars of flipped learning. The Four Pillars of Flipped Learning are
Flexible Environment, Learning Culture, Intentional Content, and Professional Educator.
First, the educator must have a flexible environment. Flipped classrooms grants
the teacher time to incorporate an environment that is inviting for all learning modalities.
It also allots the student to choose when, where, and how they learn. The educator must
also understand the importance to be flexible with the rate that each student learns, and
they way each student is assessed on that learning. Second, the learning culture that once
existed in the classroom will change drastically. It becomes student-centered, deliberately
separating the teacher from being the sole content expert (Arfstrom, Hamdan,
McKnight, & McKnight, 2013, pg. 5). The teacher becomes another resource, and not the
be all end-all. Third, the educator reviews content and makes it intentional. Bergmann
and Sams stated that a teacher must carefully consider whether or not a video is essential
and appropriate tool for the desired outcome (Bergmann, & Sams, 2014, pg. 35). Lastly,
the professional educator must be able to appropriately and effectively analyze the everchanging dynamic of the learning environment. Students must master the concepts, and
no video lecture can replace the educators continual feedback, constructive criticism, and
presence in a controlled chaotic atmosphere.

Flipped Classrooms

Like Goodwin and Miller (2013), many wonder if there is enough research to
claim that the benefits of flipped classrooms really improve learning. A Review For
Flipped Learning indicates that there is little rigorous empirical research (Arfstrom,
Hamdan, McKnight, & McKnight, 2013, pg. 9). But even with this limited amount of
research there is evidence that supports improvement of learning. Many educators who
have implemented this approach have documented their experiences, as well as
participated in surveys given by various organizations spearheading knowledge in
Flipped Classrooms and Learning.
Flipped learning and classrooms speaks the digital language of 21st century
learners. Unlike the educators carrying out the paradigm, the students are already
acclimated to YouTube, Podcasts, and other forms of digital media. Since the students are
viewing the pre-recorded lectures individually, they are able to pause and review parts of
the lecture, which essentially allots them to move at their own pace. Each student is now
granted the opportunity to analyze concepts and discern connections without the pressure
of being submerged in the traditional 20th century classroom setting. Class time is no
longer a combination of rushed lecturing and independent practice, but transforms into an
environment where the teacher is facilitating learning. The struggling students are
provided opportunities for remediation, and each kid is engaged in the learning process.
Not only is learning improved in the classrooms, but interaction and relationships
with all stakeholders as well. Student-student interactions, teacher-student interactions,
teacher-teacher interactions, and even teacher-parent interactions grow. The academic
conversation evolves, and everyone becomes empowered by the overflowing confidence
of mastering content. Teachers are able to provide real time feedback, and students are
able to practice effectively and efficiently. This encourages the students to take ownership
and responsibility for their learning, and allows the educator to differentiate instruction.
Like many pedagogical approaches, there are a few drawbacks that have been
vocalized among educators. Many believe that students may arrive into the classroom
setting unprepared, and unwilling to work. They also stress that if students do not
recognize and demonstrate self-directed learning skills(Estes, Ingram, & Liu, 2014),
then the success rate is low. This is where, as Bergmann and Sams (2014) suggested, the
educator teaches their students how to properly and effectively review the digital
homework provided. Gerstein (2012) also expressed the fear that these videos, or digital
tools used, would turn into a repackaging of an old paradigm. The homework portion of
the model must be carefully tailored to fit students needs for the in-class portion, and
must be of good quality. This fear can easily be alleviated by again, acknowledging and
narrowing the focus of the digital aid, using aids that have already been created, or
attending staff developments that extend the skills of the educator. Due to the
unaccustomed void for class exploration, educators would also need to be trained in
technology, as well as on how to transition to a model with full student-centered learning,
discourse, and hands-on authentic learning experiences (Gerstein, 2012).
Although very little research has been conducted in the elementary and post
secondary settings, the type of learners that we service are still the same. They are 21st
century learners, as well as digital natives. The data that has already been collected

Flipped Classrooms

proves the potential that flipped classrooms could have in the following years to come. If
we want to see an increase in the success rate of our students in the professional world,
we must give them opportunities inside the classroom to perfect their 21st century
knowledge in concordance with the content. The future of flipped classroom can provide
so many opportunities for all stakeholders in the educational system, as presented by the
resources and their findings. As time progresses, more research and collaborative efforts
will allow us to perfect and cultivate evolution to the future of flipped classroom.

References

Flipped Classrooms

Arfstrom, K. M., Hamdan, N., McKnight, K., & McKnight, P. (2013). A Review of
Flipped Learning. Retrieved from
http://www.flippedlearning.org/cms/lib07/VA01923112/Centricity/Domain/41/LitReview
_FlippedLearning.pdf
Bergmann, J. , & Sams, A. (2012). Flip Your Classroom: Reach Every Student in Every
Class Every Day. Eugene, OR: International Society for Technology in Education.
Educause Learning Initiative (ELI). (2012). 7 Things You Should Know About Flipped
Classrooms. Retrieved from http://www.educause.edu/library/resources/7-things-youshould-know-about-flipped-classrooms
Estes, M., Ingram, R., & Liu, J. C. (2014). A Review of Flipped Classroom Research,
Practice, and Technologies. International HETL Review (IHR), 4. Retrieved from
https://www.hetl.org/feature-articles/a-review-of-flipped-classroom-research-practiceand-technologies/
Flipped Learning Network (FLN). (2014). What is Flipped Learning?. Retrieved from
http://www.flippedlearning.org/cms/lib07/VA01923112/Centricity/Domain/41/FLIP_han
dout_FNL_Web.pdf
Flipped Learning Network (FLN). (2014). Speak Up and FLN Survey Results. Retrieved
from
http://www.flippedlearning.org/cms/lib07/VA01923112/Centricity/Domain/41/Speak
%20Up%202013%20Survey%20Results%20Flipped%20Learning%20Network.pdf
Gerstein, J. (2012). The Flipped Classroom: The Full Picture Based on an Experimental
Model of Learning [Kindle DX Version]. Retrieved from Amazon.com
Goodwin, B., & Miller, K. (2013) Research Says/ Evidence on Flipped Classrooms Is
Still Coming In. Educational Leadership, 70. Retrieved from
http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/mar13/vol70/num06/Evidenceon-Flipped-Classrooms-Is-Still-Coming-In.aspx
Herreid, C. F., Schiller, N. A. (2013). Case Studies and the Flipped Classroom. Journal of
College Science Teaching, 42. Retrieved from
http://sciencecases.lib.buffalo.edu/cs/pdfs/Cases_Flipped_Classroom.pdf
Jacobs, H.H. (Ed.). (2010). Curriculum 21: Essential Education for a Changing
World. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.