When I first heard about the idea of a ‘flipped classroom’,
my first reactions was to disagree with the set up. However, after doing some
research and gaining a more thorough understanding of both points of view and
their critiques, my opinion has definitely changed.
There are instances, specific lessons and topics, that are
better understood through interactive activities, group work, and class
discussions. By having students prepare for these classes before they arrive,
then the basic knowledge or academic language needed to participate is already
acquired. Students can have more time to inquire about the topic and more
deeply explore its implications. It also allows students to access not only any
course materials, but to be able to talk with one another and the teacher to
clarify and cement understanding (by learning together or assisting their
peers).
I still hold some reservations as to when flipped classrooms
can be used effectively. There are certain concepts that I feel it is necessary
to have the teacher gauge student reactions and levels of understanding
continuously through a lesson. A video may be too simply of a delivery system
for more involve, detailed, or complicated material. For example, the unit
circle is a model that contains a large amount of information derived from a multitude
of sources involving the interaction of trigonometry and Cartesian space
awareness. Students may be overwhelmed and disheartened with the ideas if it is
introduced through a video, whereas having a teacher to act as a guide and
clarify confusion the instant it arises may subvert any student misgivings.
My interpretation of flipped classrooms has now categorized
it as another form of a teaching style or technique. Just with all types of
modalities, there is a time and place of when it is most effective and it is up
to us as educators to determine when it can be best implemented.
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