There has been a great deal of information lately on the World Wide Web and in the media on the flipped classroom approach. I still get the sense that many educators are unsure of what this actually means and entails. I myself have done quite a bit of research as of late to gain a better understanding.
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There are two main components associated with the flipped classroom approach to teaching and learning. The first is that students watch lectures and consume other forms of content outside of school at their own pace while communicating with peers and teachers using online tools. The second is that students in school work to actively apply what they have learned through concept engagement with assistance from the teacher. For a more detailed description and an infographic on this approach check out this great article at MindShift. There is also fantastic information at The Digital Sandbox including this description: "The flipped classroom provides avenues for teachers to become facilitators of learning and move away from the sage on the stage approach to teaching. The goal is to extend learning time conversation to outside of class through threaded discussion."
Below is an introductory video on what it means to "flip" your classroom. Please be aware that there is a brief product pitch at the end of the video.
For more resources on the flipped classroom approach visit Cybraryman's page on the topic. So what are your thoughts on this topic? I would love to hear from those educators that have found success with this. Will schools and educators find value in this approach and begin to flip their classrooms? Or will the fear and anxiety associated with standardized testing and new teacher accountability reforms stop this phenomenon from taking off?
