7 Qualities of Successful Flipped Classrooms

Here are some words of advice garnered from interviews with teachers, technology managers and Ed-tech providers working in the flipped classroom space.

March 3, 2015 Chrissy Winske Leave a Comment

Successful Flipped Classrooms... Focus on Class Time

While many teachers who flip their classrooms do incorporate video, it’s important to remember that the technology is just a means to an end. The real goal is to change how you teach and how you make use of in-class face-to-face time.

“The videos are good. They enable you to have more time in the classroom, but what happens in the classroom is what makes all the difference in the world,” says Mark Burkholz, math teacher and director of Technology at Lawrence Academy in Groton, Ma.

Successful Flipped Classrooms...Incorporate Active Learning

“In class we’re able to dive deeper by having students do something very hands on and creation-based where [students] are learning through doing and through conversation instead of me lecturing” says Todd Nesloney, a former 5th grade teacher who is now principal at Navasota Intermediate in Navasota, Texas

This hands-on, creation-based learning helps students to cultivate critical thinking and problem solving skills.

Successful Flipped Classrooms... Know One Size Does Not Fit All

While technology isn’t necessary for flipped learning to occur, it does often play a major role in facilitating flipped classrooms. No two teachers are alike. They have different preferences and varying degrees of comfort with technology. Aaron Sams, co-founder of the flipped classroom advises tech coaches to spend a couple of minutes with each teacher to inquire about their skill level and whether the teacher prefers to work on an iPad or desktop, webcam, etc,. That way, IT can customize a solution and avoid buying unnecessary equipment and software.

Successful Flipped Classrooms...Make Room for Mistakes

“There isn’t a binder you can hand out for how to flip your class,” says Troy Cockrum, English teacher at St. Thomas Aquinas School. As a result, the process is often one of trial and error. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, especially when you’re new to the flipped classroom.

Successful Flipped Classrooms...Keep the Student In Mind

“Avoid preparing linear sequences of videos in advance. Flipped content needs to be created in response to student needs rather than based on assumptions and predictions. It needs to be student rather than content focused,” says Phil Stubbs, Education director, Verso Learning.

Successful Flipped Classrooms...Partner Up

Try pairing with another teacher in the same discipline to create flipped content. That way, you can split the workload and learn from one another at the same time.

“The more the teachers share back and forth, the better results they have,” says Chris Geocaris, assistant director of Educational Technology, Warren High School.

Successful Flipped Classrooms...Don't Take Themselves Too Seriously

When making videos, “realize you’re talking to kids. Add humor, be silly, be your own self,” says Jon Bergmann, Co-founder of the Flipped Classroom.

By now, the flipped classroom needs no introduction. Most educators and Ed-tech professionals are familiar with the term and have likely taught or have a co-worker who has taught in a flipped classroom. It’s been a topic of discussion on K-12 TechDecisions for quite some time. If you need a quick refresher, check out our flipped classroom coverage from the past.

Although the conversation has certainly changed over time, the message is the same. Flipped learning is about rethinking how teachers teach and students learn. It’s transformed how we think about education and is discussed at widely attended education conferences like TCEA, ISTE and SXSW. Teachers who flip their classrooms report higher levels of student engagement. Because teachers do not spend class time lecturing, they are able to work one-on-one with students as needed and can better assess trouble areas. It’s an attractive option for teachers looking to increase face time with their students and use the classroom as vehicle for deeper learning and exploration.

We’ve covered a number of flipped learning success stories on K-12 TechDecisions and through our conversations with the K-12 community, certain trends began to emerge. This list of seven qualities of successful flipped classrooms was gleaned through interviews with dozens of educators, technology managers and Ed-tech providers. These qualities were the ones that stood out to us and the ones we felt would most likely set you up for success.

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