This article makes me wonder how each of us defines "teaching". To some, teaching means lecturing...the transfer of knowledge from a teacher's mind to a student's mind. But teaching can also be defined as something much more interactive, responsive and reciprocal than that...and I would say that teaching in elementary and secondary schools is rarely in lecture format.
I also think about my area of teaching, which is ESL. Many ELLs would struggle to understand a "cold read" of an informative document or video, without significant pre-teaching of the content. I often find that, while many of us can learn by reading something with new content and then understand it, an ELL might need to understand the concept before being able to understand the reading....kind of an opposite way to learn.
I think if I wanted to flip my classroom, I'd rather assign a minds-on activity ahead of time...maybe students look at an image and think about what they see and what they think is happening, or maybe ask a question about it.
Thank you! I like your idea of a minds-on activity, ahead of time. I was also fascinated by the notion that an ELL student might need to understand the concept before understanding the reading. That quite interesting and it's something I hadn't really appreciated: the task of reading an assigned article could increase the load on ELL's working memory (if it contains unfamiliar vocabulary and/or unfamiliar culturally-specific material) making it MORE difficult to grasp the concept you want them to learn!
This is awesome thank you. The time on task is definitely a huge confounding variable. Another point that is often missed with flipped classrooms is that most teachers like to teach. If two methods give comparable learning outcomes, most teachers will opt for the one that makes them feel alive and useful.
Flipped learning, when approached with a sense of balance, can lead to a stronger Matthew Effect. Motivated learners, with access to a wealth of learning resources and the opportunity for increased efficiency, can significantly benefit. However, it's crucial to consider the potential impact on less motivated learners, who may be more prone to underperforming and experiencing poorer learning outcomes.
Upon completing my M Ed program, I grappled with a question that seemed to require the knowledge of multiple Ph. D.s: how can I make teaching and learning more effective in practice? I realized that exposing learners to a broader range of learning materials and designing learning activities to cover the same content with a lower cognitive load could be effective strategies. Yet, another aspect demanded further exploration: how can teachers inspire unmotivated students?
Also, schools' or even educational system functions should probably be re-investigated. Is training productive members of the workforce the focus? Or providing channels for enthusiastic researchers? Or else?
Based on my observation, most K-12 graduates eventually end up joining the workforce, which means a vital function of the school system is providing knowledge and the discipline required for students' future lives. In this sense, any learning model, flipped or not, that requires a high level of self-discipline or a large chunk of after-class time would struggle to succeed in most classrooms. After all, schools are not only places to deliver knowledge but also training centers that provide discipline.
As a private tutor, I often use this "unreasonable assumption" to discover a reasonable solution: if, for some reason, I could only spend 2 hours a day and three days a week with my students, and my students' performance immediately dictates my survival, what strategies would I adopt? (In my case, this assumption is valid to some extent.) Using most of my past students as example learners, I would stick with the traditional model since lacking self-discipline is the most common reason why they need a tutor in the first place.
You make a good point about the need for student self-discipline. That may explain, in part, why flipped learning has had a bit more success in post-secondary contexts. At the college or university level, students tend to be older and they are likely better at self-management.
Thank you for your comment, Jim! Your expertise in the flipped model, particularly its successful implementation at OISE, is highly valued. I’ve been pondering over a question: when is it most effective to apply the flipped model, considering the diverse student ages and levels of study? I believe this could be a topic of interest in developmental psychology.
I might soon start a teaching position with a for-profit organization. I’ll need to make practical teaching decisions in this role, sometimes without thorough theoretical backing. In these cases, using “tried and true” methods and looking for ways to improve them as I go might be the best strategy.
After taking CTL1620, I bought the book “How Teaching Happens.” I hope to find some answers there.
Thanks for your message. As the article mentions, the notion of "flipping" appears to be a bit of a red herring. It's not the important thing. The important thing is to find ways to ensure that your learners engage with the content.
Thank you for a thoughtful post. I enjoyed this nuance ❤️My personal experience with flipped has been mixed. Some kids do ok with the videos others don't. Your comment that teachers who already use active learning in their classrooms see little benefit rings true. I found that my direct instruction where I can read the room seeing if everyone is following… followed by active leaving was the best in my classroom.
This article makes me wonder how each of us defines "teaching". To some, teaching means lecturing...the transfer of knowledge from a teacher's mind to a student's mind. But teaching can also be defined as something much more interactive, responsive and reciprocal than that...and I would say that teaching in elementary and secondary schools is rarely in lecture format.
I also think about my area of teaching, which is ESL. Many ELLs would struggle to understand a "cold read" of an informative document or video, without significant pre-teaching of the content. I often find that, while many of us can learn by reading something with new content and then understand it, an ELL might need to understand the concept before being able to understand the reading....kind of an opposite way to learn.
I think if I wanted to flip my classroom, I'd rather assign a minds-on activity ahead of time...maybe students look at an image and think about what they see and what they think is happening, or maybe ask a question about it.
Good food for thought, in any case!
Thank you! I like your idea of a minds-on activity, ahead of time. I was also fascinated by the notion that an ELL student might need to understand the concept before understanding the reading. That quite interesting and it's something I hadn't really appreciated: the task of reading an assigned article could increase the load on ELL's working memory (if it contains unfamiliar vocabulary and/or unfamiliar culturally-specific material) making it MORE difficult to grasp the concept you want them to learn!
This is awesome thank you. The time on task is definitely a huge confounding variable. Another point that is often missed with flipped classrooms is that most teachers like to teach. If two methods give comparable learning outcomes, most teachers will opt for the one that makes them feel alive and useful.
See https://www.kirschnered.nl/2021/09/06/flipping-the-flipped-classroom-when-three-wrongs-made-a-right/
Great article! Thank you!
You're welcome Jim
Flipped learning, when approached with a sense of balance, can lead to a stronger Matthew Effect. Motivated learners, with access to a wealth of learning resources and the opportunity for increased efficiency, can significantly benefit. However, it's crucial to consider the potential impact on less motivated learners, who may be more prone to underperforming and experiencing poorer learning outcomes.
Upon completing my M Ed program, I grappled with a question that seemed to require the knowledge of multiple Ph. D.s: how can I make teaching and learning more effective in practice? I realized that exposing learners to a broader range of learning materials and designing learning activities to cover the same content with a lower cognitive load could be effective strategies. Yet, another aspect demanded further exploration: how can teachers inspire unmotivated students?
Also, schools' or even educational system functions should probably be re-investigated. Is training productive members of the workforce the focus? Or providing channels for enthusiastic researchers? Or else?
Based on my observation, most K-12 graduates eventually end up joining the workforce, which means a vital function of the school system is providing knowledge and the discipline required for students' future lives. In this sense, any learning model, flipped or not, that requires a high level of self-discipline or a large chunk of after-class time would struggle to succeed in most classrooms. After all, schools are not only places to deliver knowledge but also training centers that provide discipline.
As a private tutor, I often use this "unreasonable assumption" to discover a reasonable solution: if, for some reason, I could only spend 2 hours a day and three days a week with my students, and my students' performance immediately dictates my survival, what strategies would I adopt? (In my case, this assumption is valid to some extent.) Using most of my past students as example learners, I would stick with the traditional model since lacking self-discipline is the most common reason why they need a tutor in the first place.
You make a good point about the need for student self-discipline. That may explain, in part, why flipped learning has had a bit more success in post-secondary contexts. At the college or university level, students tend to be older and they are likely better at self-management.
Thank you for your comment, Jim! Your expertise in the flipped model, particularly its successful implementation at OISE, is highly valued. I’ve been pondering over a question: when is it most effective to apply the flipped model, considering the diverse student ages and levels of study? I believe this could be a topic of interest in developmental psychology.
I might soon start a teaching position with a for-profit organization. I’ll need to make practical teaching decisions in this role, sometimes without thorough theoretical backing. In these cases, using “tried and true” methods and looking for ways to improve them as I go might be the best strategy.
After taking CTL1620, I bought the book “How Teaching Happens.” I hope to find some answers there.
Thanks for your message. As the article mentions, the notion of "flipping" appears to be a bit of a red herring. It's not the important thing. The important thing is to find ways to ensure that your learners engage with the content.
Thank you for a thoughtful post. I enjoyed this nuance ❤️My personal experience with flipped has been mixed. Some kids do ok with the videos others don't. Your comment that teachers who already use active learning in their classrooms see little benefit rings true. I found that my direct instruction where I can read the room seeing if everyone is following… followed by active leaving was the best in my classroom.