RUNNING HEAD: FLIPPED CLASSROOMS1

A Look into the Technology and Education of Flipped Classrooms

Caitlin Lewis

Radford University

EDET 620

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Introduction

In the world of education, there is a constant conversation about the

roles of various technologies and how they can be used. It seems as if every

day there are new options coming to light and more people are being

exposed to ways of teaching they never knew existed. This actually

occurred in my own math education class just the other day. We were

discussing various ways that teachers could differentiate their instructional

methods, and one student mentioned the flipped classroom strategy. I

myself had never heard of the idea previously, so I was interested to learn

more about it. The student who mentioned the flipped classroom strategy

actually was in a university class where the professor fully implemented this

strategy. She spoke of how at first she was not sure how she could benefit

from this teaching style, but in the end, she really enjoyed the way she was

learning. She felt it made the time in the classroom better spent and more

meaningful to what they were learning. After hearing about her personal

experience with the flipped classroom, I wanted to learn more about the

instructional method that was centered on technology in a way I was not

very familiar with.

Through this literature review I would like to take a look into some of

the background information on the topic, and research on flipped

classrooms, specifically some of the educational theories that play a

significant role in the research and outcomes. Following the theories and

research, will be a look into the effectiveness of a flipped classroom and how

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teachers will accomplish their jobs with this strategy in mind. Next, is insight

into the specific changes needed to be made by students in order to succeed

in a flipped classroom and lastly, the possible limitations that can arise with

this strategy.

Background Details

Many people have used a variety of the aspects of a flipped classroom

within their instruction, but the term flipped classroom is credited to a pair of

high school teachers from Colorado (Milman, 2014, p.1). In 2006 Jonathan

Bergman and Aaron Sams were relying on podcasts and screencasts as a

vital part of their instructional methods (Milman, 2014, p.1). These two

teachers were overwhelmed with the number of students missing school,

and wanted to find a way to reach their absent students (Jacot, Noren, &

Berg, 2014, p.23). A flipped classroom is one in which actual classroom time

is not dedicated to instruction. Instead it is used for engaging activities

(Milman, 2014, p.1). Concepts are presented to students through videos and

other visual methods. The students then can access the videos on their own

time and come to class to build upon the skills and concepts they have

practiced elsewhere. The idea of the flipped classroom might not have

reached such high heights had it not been for the advancement of the

internet and Web 2.0 technology. “Web 2.0 sites enable user interaction and

participation by having a user-friendly interface where one can edit and

publish the existing information” (Jacot, Noren, & Berg, 2014, p.24). A few

examples of common Web 2.0 sites are Blackboard, WebCT, Weebly, wikis,

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and blogs (Jacot, Noren, & Berg, 2014, p.23). The ability and option to

distribute information, work together with others, and make connections

outside of one physical room has become a different idea entirely (Jacot,

Noren, & Berg, 2014, p.23). Instead, now it is possible to do those same

things, but the room has become a web of rooms connected by the internet

and the new forms of technology found within it.

Effectiveness of a Flipped Instructional Experience

One article I found when searching the literature focused on the

differences between a traditional classroom and a flipped classroom, with a

specific concentration on the accuracy and mental effort displayed by

students. Before going into detail about the study itself, it is important to

look into why this study was actually performed. There is not just one

specific theory, but a compilation from a few theorists that has been brought

together. The theorists mentioned in the article are Sweller, Miller, Baddeley

and Hitch, Pavio, and Mayer (Mattis, 2014, p. 233). The summarization of

the theories can be concluded that “people learn more deeply from pictures

and spoken words than from pictures and printed words” and “learners learn

better when new information is explained by audio narration than on-screen

text” known as the modality effect (Mattis, 2014, p. 233). However, there

are some who believe that this premise does not apply in all situations, and

there are specific circumstances a teaching situation needs to meet (Mattis,

2014, p. 233). “As such, it was found that the modality principle would

likely not apply in situations when the presentation exceeds an allotted time,

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the animation has technical terms or symbols, is not in the learner’s native

language, or the material is already known to the learner” (Mattis, 2014, p.

233). The goal of the researchers in this study was to examine the

variances of accuracy and mental effort concerning whether a traditional or

flipped classroom strategy is used. For the actual experiment forty-eight

students were split into two groups, a control group and experimental group

(Mattis, 2014, p. 236). The control group received visual only instruction,

and the experimental group received algebraic problems that were worked

throughout the time period of an instructional video (Mattis, 2014, p. 239).

The participants would rate their levels of cognitive effort and also

participated in pre and post tests on the subject. The results determined that

the flipped classroom strategy best helped the learning outcomes of

moderately complex problems, and cognitive results were highest when

highly complex problems were used (Mattis, 2014, p. 244). From this study,

it can be gathered that it is very likely for students participating in flipped

instruction to achieve a higher level of accuracy on their testing results

(Mattis, 2014, p. 244).

Qualitative Analysis of Student Academic Involvement

Other than measuring the scores of students it is necessary to

examine the impact a flipped classroom can have on student involvement

academically. First it is important to take a look at the theory that led up to

the development of this study. The theory of student involvement

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recognizes that both student time and energy are limited. As a

result, the more a student can direct his or her time and energy

toward a developmental goal of learning course material by

preparing for class, reading assigned materials, participating in

class and engaging faculty and peers, the more the student will

learn and in turn achieve his or her goal. (McCallum et al., 2015,

p. 43).

The study used a group of students who were participating in flipped

classroom instruction in two different math classes, and one business

management class (McCallum et al., 2015, p. 45). How the data of student

involvement would be collected presented somewhat of a challenge for the

researchers, because with students working outside of a classroom it is

difficult to observe them. The researchers decided on a survey and focus

group interviews (McCallum et al., 2015, p. 46). A group of sixty students

participated in the classes that were aligned with the instructional methods

of a flipped classroom, followed by the survey and interviews. During the

interviews, students were given questions about how worthwhile they found

the flipped classroom approach, and how it stimulated or retracted from their

“classroom” education and participation with both classmates and

instructors (McCallum et al., 2015, p. 46). From the results of this study it

was found that the students felt that the flipped classroom approach was

beneficial to their academic involvement. From the feedback collected there

was a list of positive and negative themes that the students noted. A few of

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the positive themes are access to recorded lectures, easy notetaking, and

peer learning (McCallum et al., 2015, p. 47). The only negatives were about

self-discipline and increased time and effort (McCallum et al., 2015, p. 47).

The conclusions brought about from the data are in line with the theory of

student involvement. The participants felt that when they were highly

academically involved in the instruction they were able to achieve more from

an academic standpoint (McCallum et al., 2015, p. 49).

How Can the Teacher Accomplish their Job

Having a successful flipped classroom can be a larger time

commitment in comparison with a standard classroom, ad educators need to

understand how they can be successful with this strategy. First off there is a

higher amount of planning needed to be completed prior to the start of the

class on the teachers part (Kovach, 2014, p.39). It takes effort and a teacher

who is willing to learn enough about technology in order to record and post

video lesson in an online format. For teachers new to the idea using a

PowerPoint with voice over is a good starting point, which can lead to video

recordings and even YouTube videos can be incorporated (Kovach, 2014,

p.39). Flipped classroom instructors have two options when it comes to the

creation of their materials. Either they can create and test all materials

before the start of the class or create the lessons weekly in order to adapt

the lessons to fit specifically the needs of the class (Kovach, 2014, p.39). For

the in-person part of the class the teacher must be prepared to adapt their

role as an instructor. “Serving as an effective leader in the flipped classroom

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requires, to some degree, that instructors relinquish control from time to

time within the classroom and instead empower students/training

participants to be their own teachers and direct their learning processes at

various times throughout the course” (Kovach, 2014, p.39). Even with the

sharing of responsibility of the learning in the classroom, the job of a flipped

classroom instructor will demand an educator who is knowledgeable about

the questions that may arise and can give feedback directly for students

when working with them in person (Kovach, 2014, p.39). The ultimate idea

is that teachers can help students succeed before they have a chance to fail

and, if possible, teachers can make adjustments to differentiate the

materials for the students.

Changes made to Instructional Experience from a Student’s

Perspective

Teachers are not the only ones who will need to adapt to a new role in

the classroom settings; students must be prepared to approach their

education with a newfound perspective. In order to be a thriving learner in a

flipped classroom students must be willing to take the necessary time to

engage fully them in the online content that is posted before the actual class

meeting (Kovach, 2014, p.40). This takes a very mature, dedicated student

who does not need a teacher to walk side by side throughout their entire

learning process. When students do meet with their peers and instructors

for the face to face portion, there is no time to sit back and observe. In order

to gain from the entire experience students must be willing to make the

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extra effort to be a participating student; otherwise, the goal of a deeper

understanding will not be met (Kovach, 2014, p.40).

Limitations of a Flipped Classroom

As with every up and coming educational strategy and technology

there are a few aspects of the flipped classroom that are not ideal. One area

where issues can arise is with the video itself. Also, the quality of the video

needs to be taken into consideration as a possible limitation. Various tools

and recording devices may produce low-quality videos with sound issues,

visual problems, or other areas can influence the quality as well (Milman,

2014, p.10). Along with video quality, resources that are available for

students to watch the videos on can vary. It is most beneficial for students

to have a personal computer to watch on; however, in a flipped classroom

there is no way to limit completely multitasking. For example, a student may

simply turn on a lesson video while completing other assignments, or even

watching television simultaneously. There are multiple limitations that can

arise on the student’s part, but limitations can come from the institutions as

well. One educator, John Gunyou speaks about many flipped classroom

educators like himself are having to rely greatly on their own personal

experience and research to incorporate these new methods (2015, p.24). He

also points out that schools need to prepare for accommodating the needs of

flipped classroom; for example, updating technical systems and software,

and better supporting instructors who use these methods. Even with a

variety of limitations, there are still more benefits to the use of flipped

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classrooms, it is just important that educators are aware so they can make

adjustments as needed.

Conclusion

Flipped classrooms demonstrate a great deal of potential and are

making their way in the world of educational technology. “The flipped model

has the potential to enable teachers to cultivate critical and independent

thought in their students, building the capacity for lifelong learning and thus

preparing future graduates for their workplace contexts” (O'Flaherty, &

Phillips, 2015, p.94). Before teachers can be prepared to make use of the

flipped classroom approach, it is important to look back on the research.

New studies are being developed about this instruction style, but there are

quite a few studies that show great promise for the future of flipped

classrooms. With the first study presented in this review, there is a clear look

into the importance from a cogitative standpoint why flipped classrooms are

important. The flipped classroom approach also allows for an increased level

of student involvement and achievement. Even with research to support a

flipped classroom it is not possible unless the teachers and students are

willing to adapt their roles to fit this instructional method.

Educators must be well versed in the technology requirements, but

also in the new way of handling their position virtually and face to face.

Students need to know what is expected of them as participants in a flipped

classroom. It may be necessary for students to discuss with their professors

before enrolling in a flipped class, so they can prepare for the adjustments

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they will need to make when it comes to participation and virtual lessons.

Lastly, there are a few limitations that are being uncovered as more

researchers are looking into the topic of flipped classrooms. However,

knowing the limitations is one of the first steps to combatting them and

there are ways to have a substantial flipped classroom within the limits.

In general, flipped classrooms are up and coming. There is a decent

amount of research and discussion about them, but in the near future surely

more researchers will be taking up this topic to study and find out more

about it and the deeper impact it has on students. In education, the idea of

a teacher as the “sage on the stage” is no longer the leading view of how a

classroom should run (Gilboy et al., 2015, p. 109). Instead active learning

with approaches, such as the flipped classroom, are great starts for

education where technological approaches are incorporated to maximize

learning.

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References

Gilboy, M. B., Heinerichs, S., & Pazzaglia, G. (2015). Enhancing student

engagement using the flipped classroom. Journal of Nutrition Education

& Behavior, 47(1), 109-114. doi:10.1016/j.jneb.2014.08.008

Gunyou, J. (2015). I Flipped My Classroom: One teacher's quest to remain

relevant. Journal of Public Affairs Education, 21(1), 13-24.

Jacot, M. T., Noren, J., & Berge, Z. L. (2014). The flipped classroom in training

and development: Fad or the future?. Performance Improvement,

53(9), 23-28. doi:10.1002/pfi.21438

Kovach, J. V. (2014). Leadership in the "classroom". Journal for Quality &

Participation, 37(1), 39-40.

Mattis, K. (2015). Flipped classroom versus traditional textbook instruction:

Assessing accuracy and mental effort at different levels of

mathematical complexity. Technology, Knowledge & Learning, 20(2),

231-248. doi:10.1007/s10758-014-9238-0

McCallum, S., Schultz, J., Sellke, K., & Spartz, J. (2015). An examination of the

flipped classroom approach on college student academic involvement.

International Journal of Teaching & Learning In Higher Education, 27(1),

42-55.

Milman, N. B. (2014). The flipped classroom strategy. Distance Learning,

11(4), 9-11.

O'Flaherty, J., & Phillips, C. (2015). The use of flipped classrooms in higher

education: A scoping review. Internet & Higher Education, 25, 85-95.

doi:10.1016/j.iheduc.2015.02.002

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