Introduction: How did I get here? Why is a "flipped" classroom right for my students?
*This Introduction was originally written at the beginning of this research experience. After learning more about the flipped classroom and how I can utilize it in my teaching career, I have revised some of my original ideas. Those revisions are included in pink, italicized font.
Summary:
For my capstone project, I plan on researching and understanding how to “flip” my classroom. Although I currently teach two different courses, I plan on only implementing the classroom flip in my Anatomy and Physiology course. Moreover, to begin, I do not want to completely flip the classroom to the point in which most of the learning and lectures are taking place at home. Instead, I would like to use videos to introduce new topics so that students have a better understanding of the material when we discuss it in class. Moreover, I would like to use videos as a review session so that students have the material available and can access it to study for exams. I would also like to upload assignments and handouts so that if students are absent, they can obtain the material from home and come back to school already caught up with what they missed.
Rationale:
The reasoning behind why I want to flip my A & P course lies with the fact that we take a lot of notes in the course and there is a lot of lecture. Most students today do not respond well to constant lecture and note-taking. I wanted to find a new way to help my students become enthusiastic about the material while still being able to cover everything that needs to be discussed. Moreover, the students will have constant access to material and lectures, therefore they can refer back to the information if need be. Finally, I feel it will help students when they are absent because they will be able to access the information at home and won’t fall behind if they miss school.
A flipped classroom does not completely replace the lecture/note-taking aspect of a classroom, but instead allows students to work through lectures at their own pace. Although lectures are still a main component of the learning experience, students can still become enthusiastic about their learning because the lectures now take place at home and students can express their new knowledge in the classroom through demonstrations, laboratories, and group collaboration. Additionally, not only can students refer back to lectures to help them study or with problem areas, but they can have the chance to work ahead if need be. Goals can be set and students can excel at their own pace. Finally, video presentations allow me to keep lessons going even when I am out for professional development opportunities or sick days. I am no longer at the mercy of a substitute, but can still continue teaching even when I am not in attendance.
Goals:
· Upload lectures to Moodle for introductions and review.
· Upload classroom assignments and handouts to Moodle.
· Provide an on-line calendar for students with daily information.
· Give assignments or note-taking requirements for on-line lectures.
· Develop more labs to occur during class time due to more time available.
Steps:
1. Research flipped classrooms.
2. Understand the workings of Moodle. Through this research process I found that this step was not necessary. Instead I found that Weebly was much more user-friendly and would be a great resource for my flipped classroom. I could upload my lectures and have students view videos from this website instead.
3. Decide which lectures would work best in an on-line format.
4. Talk to other teachers who have flipped their classroom.
5. Develop annotated bibliography with resources I have obtained.
6. Develop lesson plans. I found that the Skeletal System was a great starting point for flipping my classroom. The information is relatively easy to pick up and would be easy to transfer to on-line lectures. The students could then come to class ready to identify structures on their own.
7. Reflect on the process.
8. Slowly begin to implement a flipped classroom.
Impact:
I believe the biggest impact this inquiry will have is that it will give me a better understanding of how to flip my classroom and hopefully provide motivation to make the flip occur. Before this inquiry I had thought about possibly trying to flip my classroom but I was nervous about the amount of work it would take and whether or not it would be effective. This will give me the chance to understand how it has worked on other classrooms and what will be most beneficial for my students. If my research on this topic is successful, I feel that it would provide a great benefit to both me and my students and will help the students become more enthusiastic and motivated about the material because they will have more responsibility over their learning.
Not only did I learn the steps to take to create a flipped classroom, but I was introduced to a wealth of resources to make the flip happen. Whereas I was at first intimidated by the amount of work the flipped process would take, I now have a better understanding as to how to make the switch easier. Instead of simply using my own video lectures, I can also incorporate video lectures from other professors or professionals. Not only will this help with the amount of work I will be undertaking, but students will benefit from receiving content from a variety of view points. Furthermore, a flipped classroom allows me to differentiate my instruction for my students. Not only can struggling students refer back to videos to assist with problem areas, but students can also work ahead when they are excelling. Finally, students are given a more hands-on approach to learning in the classroom because they no longer have to spend as much time in lectures. Instead, they can practice the new material they have obtained and show me what they have mastered through new forms of assessment.
Summary:
For my capstone project, I plan on researching and understanding how to “flip” my classroom. Although I currently teach two different courses, I plan on only implementing the classroom flip in my Anatomy and Physiology course. Moreover, to begin, I do not want to completely flip the classroom to the point in which most of the learning and lectures are taking place at home. Instead, I would like to use videos to introduce new topics so that students have a better understanding of the material when we discuss it in class. Moreover, I would like to use videos as a review session so that students have the material available and can access it to study for exams. I would also like to upload assignments and handouts so that if students are absent, they can obtain the material from home and come back to school already caught up with what they missed.
Rationale:
The reasoning behind why I want to flip my A & P course lies with the fact that we take a lot of notes in the course and there is a lot of lecture. Most students today do not respond well to constant lecture and note-taking. I wanted to find a new way to help my students become enthusiastic about the material while still being able to cover everything that needs to be discussed. Moreover, the students will have constant access to material and lectures, therefore they can refer back to the information if need be. Finally, I feel it will help students when they are absent because they will be able to access the information at home and won’t fall behind if they miss school.
A flipped classroom does not completely replace the lecture/note-taking aspect of a classroom, but instead allows students to work through lectures at their own pace. Although lectures are still a main component of the learning experience, students can still become enthusiastic about their learning because the lectures now take place at home and students can express their new knowledge in the classroom through demonstrations, laboratories, and group collaboration. Additionally, not only can students refer back to lectures to help them study or with problem areas, but they can have the chance to work ahead if need be. Goals can be set and students can excel at their own pace. Finally, video presentations allow me to keep lessons going even when I am out for professional development opportunities or sick days. I am no longer at the mercy of a substitute, but can still continue teaching even when I am not in attendance.
Goals:
· Upload lectures to Moodle for introductions and review.
· Upload classroom assignments and handouts to Moodle.
· Provide an on-line calendar for students with daily information.
· Give assignments or note-taking requirements for on-line lectures.
· Develop more labs to occur during class time due to more time available.
Steps:
1. Research flipped classrooms.
2. Understand the workings of Moodle. Through this research process I found that this step was not necessary. Instead I found that Weebly was much more user-friendly and would be a great resource for my flipped classroom. I could upload my lectures and have students view videos from this website instead.
3. Decide which lectures would work best in an on-line format.
4. Talk to other teachers who have flipped their classroom.
5. Develop annotated bibliography with resources I have obtained.
6. Develop lesson plans. I found that the Skeletal System was a great starting point for flipping my classroom. The information is relatively easy to pick up and would be easy to transfer to on-line lectures. The students could then come to class ready to identify structures on their own.
7. Reflect on the process.
8. Slowly begin to implement a flipped classroom.
Impact:
I believe the biggest impact this inquiry will have is that it will give me a better understanding of how to flip my classroom and hopefully provide motivation to make the flip occur. Before this inquiry I had thought about possibly trying to flip my classroom but I was nervous about the amount of work it would take and whether or not it would be effective. This will give me the chance to understand how it has worked on other classrooms and what will be most beneficial for my students. If my research on this topic is successful, I feel that it would provide a great benefit to both me and my students and will help the students become more enthusiastic and motivated about the material because they will have more responsibility over their learning.
Not only did I learn the steps to take to create a flipped classroom, but I was introduced to a wealth of resources to make the flip happen. Whereas I was at first intimidated by the amount of work the flipped process would take, I now have a better understanding as to how to make the switch easier. Instead of simply using my own video lectures, I can also incorporate video lectures from other professors or professionals. Not only will this help with the amount of work I will be undertaking, but students will benefit from receiving content from a variety of view points. Furthermore, a flipped classroom allows me to differentiate my instruction for my students. Not only can struggling students refer back to videos to assist with problem areas, but students can also work ahead when they are excelling. Finally, students are given a more hands-on approach to learning in the classroom because they no longer have to spend as much time in lectures. Instead, they can practice the new material they have obtained and show me what they have mastered through new forms of assessment.