YOU CAN’T INTERACT WITH A VIDEO Watching videos presents a problem. You can’t interact; you can’t raise your hand and ask a question. The Colorado teachers compensate for this. “We talk to every student in every class every day,” says Jon. “Before, there would be 30 children in class. But how many were actually engaged with me? Let’s be honest, it was a conversation not with 30 kids but around seven – the seven kids who were interested and going ‘Ooh, ooh, Mr Bergmann, I know the answer.’ “There were many students who would walk in, sit down, take notes and walk out. I did not talk to them, they did not ask a question. “Now, I go into class and they all interact with me, every day. There is no place for them to hide. It is also not threatening because they are just talking to me by themselves or in a small group.”
meetings. I’ve lost count of the number of meetings where a principal tells me things that could have been said in an email. I would ask you as school leaders: what is the best use of your face-to-face time with your faculty? What could you be doing with them? You could be holding engaging conversations about meaningful topics that will have an impact on teaching and learning.” So, is flipped learning the answer to all the woes of education? No, say the pair. However, if you want your staff to become enquiry-driven, problem-solving teachers of the future, this may be a way to push them in that direction. This journey, the one that Aaron, Jon and thousands of other teachers are taking, is the template. “A few years ago, this was some crazy fringe thing but the fact that I am standing here at Bett and I have presented this same topic in the United States for the past five years tells me that this is something that is catching on,” says Jon. “When we started there was very little quality content in
ESHA LENDS ITS SUPPORT TO FLIPPED LEARNING The European School Heads Association is also encouraging schools to adopt flipped learning. “Flipping Classrooms empowers teachers to be more interactive and focus on the application of knowledge, mentor them directly and it frees up class time for more open ended creative things. This is where the teachers can be at their best; guide students to solve open ended, more creative projects,” a spokesman says.
eshacommunity.wikispaces.com/ Flipping+Classrooms
BLOOM’S TAXONOMY OF LEARNING
Create Evaluate Analyse Apply Understand Remember the chemistry field so we made our own videos. That is not true today.You could use YouTube and TedEd, to name just two, although I think it is best practice if a teacher makes their own videos, as it maximises and enhances the relationship between student and teacher. “It’s the kind of process that starts small and grows.You can flip a lesson, a chapter, a unit, a whole class, a whole department or even a whole school.” Jon believes that we are in an exciting period of change. “We are moving from a teacher-centred classroom to the learner-centred, problem-solving classroom,” he says. Aaron agrees. “Students are more engaged in my class now that technology has allowed me to flip the classroom,” he says. “I have virtually no Ds. Ds have become Cs, Cs have become Bs, and Bs have become As. Student engagement has massively increased. “They are excited about learning now, and it’s brilliant, as you Brits say, to see those light bulb ‘ah-ha’ moments when students are working in a collaborative way.” Further information: flippedlearning.org flippedclassroom.org MARCH/APRIL 2013 ● LEADERSHIP FOCUS
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