What is a flipped classroom? It is a concept where the teachers helps the learners learn for themselves and by themselves. In a traditional classroom it is the teacher who decides what to learn, when to learn it, how to learn it and in the end how to prove to the teacher that they have learned it. It is about changing how content is delivered. Instead of standing in front of the class, the lectures and explanations are taped and the students watch it as homework at home. Flipped classroom is a mastery system meaning when the students get to the end of a unit they have to master the content. When they completely have passed the objectives they have to meet a minimum requirement of 75 %. When they meet that requirement they can move on. And if not they have to go back and do it again. The important issue is mastery and the teachers make videos of the lectures for the students to watch before they go to class. When the students come to class they are familiar with the content and the teacher can walk around more and help the students while they are working with problems. It makes it a lot easier to differentiate the learning for the students. You can aim to give every learner content they can understand instead of settling for the middle group!.
Watch these two videos with Jonathan Bergmann and Aaron Sams who are pioneers in the field of using vodcasts in the classroom. They have devised a new method of teaching called Pre-Vodcasting and the Flipped Classroom. In this model, students watch vodcasts at home and class time is spent in engaging hands-on activities and directed problem solving. Both Jonathan Bergmann and Aaron Sams are High School Science teachers in Woodland Park Colorado, at the base of Pikes Peak. Thus far, students using the Pre-Vodcasting model have been very successful in mastering Chemistry. via Educational Vodcasting – Flipping the Classroom.
