Dr Fiona J. L. Handley

Centre for Learning and Teaching

Flips, double flips and advanced flips: next steps in flipping the classroom

A pedagogic model where the “typical classroom and homework elements are reversed” (EDUCAUSE 2012)

“Flipped learning is a pedagogical approach in which direct instruction moves from the group learning space to the individual learning space, and the resulting group space is transformed into a dynamic, interactive learning environment where the educator guides students as they apply concepts and engage creatively in the subject matter” (Bergmann and Sams 2014 p. 6 taken from www.flippedlearning.org)

What is flipping the classroom?

Started in US schools – original flip was videos viewed at home, and then homework (e.g. answering questions) done in class

A broader concept in HE – content is looked at before sessions which frees up time for more active learning in face-to-face sessions

What it is not:Recording lectures for students to re-viewMaking videos of all sessions to flip entire courses in

one goA way to reduce face-to-face contact time (hopefully!)

Lots of variety within this concept

Approved by BLSC and LTC in autumn 2014

Aims were to identify:The impact on student learning as perceived by

the students and indicated by their levels of engagement both online and F2F

Levels of support requiredTechnology requirementTime commitment

The University of Brighton Flipping Initiative

EducationBrighton Business SchoolBrighton Language Institute Art Design and Media (Screenwriting)Art Design and Media (Visual

Communication)

Case studies – a total of 7 flips

The 6 Key Steps to Blended Learning are:

1. Identify the learning objectives2. Look at the curriculum to decide what is best face-to-face and what is best online3. Consider the integration and relationship between face-to-face and eLearning4. Develop the most appropriate eLearning activities to achieve the learning objectives5. Decide how you will assess these activities6. Choose the most appropriate technology

6 Steps to Blended Learning

Results of the flip initiativeFlip Face to face

Students watch videos sourced from the internet (2 examples)

1 Discussion and poster presentation2 Students undertake the skills based task demonstrated in the video

Students read ejournal articles (2 examples) with an activity e.g. addressing particular questions

1 Nearpod interactive sessions, and groupwork to create a presentation2 Discussion in groups applying theory to case study

Students read online articles, visit websites and watch videos

Students visit exhibitions in London having chosen appropriate information to help them engage.

Students do internet research on a visiting speaker

Speaker spends less time on introduction and more time on question and answer session

Students watch videos created by the tutor, and apply skills to a set reading, completing a form

Group discussion on the form

The time taken to support staff was less than envisaged – 1 hour

Main support was giving advice on face-to-face sessions e.g. starting with seminar groups rather than big lectures

The average time taken to create the flip was about 150 minutes

Evaluation

“They all took the time to watch the video clips. They all engaged very positively in the post viewing tasks and the brainstorming and mingle activities during class”

“Students fed back in student-staff meeting that they really enjoyed it”

Feedback - positive

“Find ways of engaging all students with the content before the lesson, not all of the students looked at the content before the lesson”.

“Ensuring that students follow the logical process of learning and not shortcut/avoid more challenging elements… further exposure to flipped learning would help.”

Improvements for next time

Updates a traditional teaching model Makes good use of technology - new kinds of

resources, accessible anywhere, that collect learning analytics

Increases students’ ‘time on task’, at their own pace

Makes best use of tutor’s skills and knowledge in face-to-face time

Increases time spent on active learning

Advantages of flips…

Feedback from students can be mixedStudents may not do out of class activity, or

turn up to classCan be initially time consuming for staffCan involve a big change of role for staff:

“control freaks need not apply” Bergmann and Sams 2012 - but neither should last minute planners!

Very little direct empirical research on how it improves student learning

Issues…

Students’ in-class activity results in a product that forms the out-of-class activity – creating another flip

Next steps in flipping – the double flip

Next steps in flipping – the double flip

Pre-session activity

Output from in-class activity

2nd pre-session activity

In-class activity

2nd in-class activity…

For example

Students watch presentation on theory

…and create 4 slide presentation on their case study

Online, students look at all case studies, and look at patterns between theories and case studies.

In class groups apply theory to case studies…

In-class activity discusses these patterns

For more advanced students try to make even more time for really high order cognitive skills to take place in class

Next steps in flipping – advanced flips

The traditional flip/session divide

Flip

Session

Advanced flip 1

Students read an eJournal article then do group work via a discussion forum to prepare a presentation

In session each group does 5 min presentation, then class discusses to create overview presentation

Advanced flip 2Students watch presentation on theory

…and create 4 slide presentation on their case study

Online, students look at all case studies, and look at patterns between theories and case studies.

In class groups apply theory to case studies…

In-class activity discusses these Patterns and creates new presentation on theory for next year’s students to view

New roles for staff:Using new technologiesPlanning over several sessionsBetter communicationMore facilitation

New roles for students:Accessing different resources in different waysDoing more things, inside and outside the classroomGreater understanding of how they learn

Challenging, but increases sense of community and is more interesting for both?

In summary…

We are looking for staff to participate in the next phase of the flipped initiative: To trial our Absolute Basics materials on the CLT Resources website To try some approaches using content

creation e.g. screencasts or lecture captureTo trial some more advanced flips

Please contact f.handley@brighton.ac.uk

Interested in doing a flip?

Bergmann, J. and Sams, A. 2012 Flip Your Classroom: Reach every student in every class every day Arlington, VA: ISTE

Educause, 2012, 7 Things you should know about flipped classrooms http://www.educause.edu/library/resources/7-things-you-should-know-about-flipped-classrooms 

O’Flaherty, J. and Craig, P. 2015 The Flipped Classroom: A Scoping Review. In Internet and Higher Education 25 (2015) 85-95

References