Blog
March 7, 2018

Make your teachers flip over flipped classrooms


March 7, 2018
 / 
Gary Falcon
 / 
Featured image for “Make your teachers flip over flipped classrooms”

Last week, we told you about some great guidelines established by academic researchers on the subject of flipped classrooms. While that post is chock-full of great advice for helping students transition to a new form of classroom instruction, faculty and staff need help transitioning too!

Check out the Hong Kong University researchers’ tips for addressing faculty challenges and operational challenges of changing to a flipped classroom.

  • Enriching teachers’ knowledge of flipped classroom approach – If moving to a flipped classroom is a school-wide initiative, it is safe to say that not every teacher is going to be an expert on the subject. Just as it was important to showcase the importance of the new instruction method to students, teachers need to see the vision and know how this can benefit their students.
  • Preparing flipped learning materials progressively – Transitioning to a flipped classroom often means a lot of material creation on the part of teachers. Although video resources exist for many subjects, they often don’t cover material in the way a teacher would like or are not complete enough to act as a complete resource for students. The researchers recommend starting small and developing materials for a few lessons at a time, rather than jumping into a flipped classroom all at once and being overwhelmed by material creation.
  • Supporting students who are limited by technology resources – Consider whether there may be students without access to the Internet on a home computer or device. Not all K-12 students have access to a computer, mobile device, and/or the internet at home, making flipped classrooms particularly difficult for these families. It is important to think about what resources are available at the school and in the community to ensure these students can still be successful.
  • Using Learning Management Systems (LMS) and gamification to monitor and motivate students – Getting students to actually do their pre-lesson work is sometimes challenging in a flipped classroom environment. Researchers recommend using quizzes within an LMS, or gamification activities, such as Kahoot, to keep students motivated and completing the required tasks.
  • Providing institutional support – It is helpful to have the IT resources, and if possible, classroom support, when operating a flipped classroom. For example, two teachers can combine classtime, allowing one to facilitate a group activity for students who are ready to move on, while the other could work with struggling students who need additional assistance.

Utilizing these tips will make the move to a flipped classroom less painful and more successful for everyone.

Wondering if an LMS or other student management system can help your school incorporate more blended learning initiatives? Download our checklist to see what software would be a good fit for your school. Please download your checklist.

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