Learning & Teaching Collaborative Resources

This is a collection of suggestions and resources that I have put together for instructors who are interested in the possibility of implementing a flipped classroom in their course. The following are some of the questions that you should think about as you consider adopting a flipped classroom approach in your course and some tips--my own and others’--for developing a teaching strategy using a flipped classroom.

A flipped classroom approach can be beneficial for a course, but a flipped classroom alone will not automatically improve a course. As with any time you choose a pedagogical model, it is important that the flipped classroom approach is aligned with the learning goals for the course and that the learning activities and assessments you select are appropriate for the model.

• Have a strategy for implementing the flipped classroom approach (Raths, 2013).
• In some cases, it may make sense to use a flipped classroom approach to target specific learning goals or specific units in the course, without necessarily flipping the entire course (Demski, 2013; Raths, 2013).
• Ensure that all activities are integral and make this clear to students (Skinner & Guyer, 2013); design in-class activities that make the value of out-of-class work evident to students (Talbert, 2014a).

Much of the value of a flipped classroom approach is that it enables you to facilitate students’ completing learning activities that lead to deeper learning with instructor and peer support in the classroom.

• Choose an instructional model to encourage and facilitate deeper learning with in-class activities (Saxena, 2013).
• Use class time for collaborative, active learning activities (Saxena, 2013; Skinner & Guyer, 2013).
• Ensure that in-class time is structured and well planned (Coursera, n.d.).
• Don’t repeat at-home content in class, particularly not to rescue students who don’t do complete out-of-class work (Bergmann, 2014; Skinner & Guyer, 2013).
• Include opportunities in class for students to reflect on their learning (Honeycutt & Warren, 2014).

The most well-known characteristic of a flipped classroom is that students’ initial exposure to new content takes place outside of the classroom. Although we frequently hear about students watching videos for this initial exposure, simply recording the same lectures that you might give in a classroom is probably not the most effective practice.

• Be aware of potential weaknesses of a lecture-based approach to teaching; these apply to videos that students view outside of class as much as they apply to in-class lectures (Gerstein, 2012).
• Allow students to collaborate outside of class (Demski, 2013).
• Avoid using only video for content presentation outside of class (Raths, 2013)--keep materials varied and interesting (Saxena, 2013).
• When using videos, keep them short--generally not longer than 5-10 minutes each (Bergmann, 2014; Raths, 2013).
• Don’t assume students know how to learn from videos; model and/or explicitly teach strategies (Bergmann, 2014).
• Assess understanding so problems can be addressed at the beginning of class (Demski, 2013).
• Use low-stakes assessments to hold students accountable for out-of-class work (Skinner & Guyer, 2013).
• Keep track of the total amount of time spent on out-of-class activities--don’t simply add videos to reading assignments; be clear with students about how much time they should expect to spend on course activities outside of class.

Many students will not be accustomed to courses that are organized around a flipped classroom framework and may not be immediately comfortable with it. It is important to orient students to the structure of the course and help them to understand the benefits you hope to achieve using this approach.

• Clearly communicate instructional objectives to students; be clear about which objectives they should be able to accomplish before class and which they will accomplish in class (Talbert, 2014b).
• Explain to students why you are using this model, but don’t focus on the term “flipped classroom” or characterizing the approach as experimental or innovative (Demski, 2013; Schell, 2013; Talbert, 2014c).
• Frequently comment on students’ successful work, highlighting how the approach has helped them (Demski, 2013; Talbert, 2014c).
• Use evaluations during the course to collect student feedback (Talbert, 2014c).

As with any course, assessment of students’ progress--for evaluating the effectiveness of the course in meeting learning objectives as well as for grading--is imperative. It is important to select assessments that complement the flipped classroom approach.

• Use assessments that complement the model--don’t assume that you can change your teaching model and use the same assessments (Demski, 2013; Schell, 2013).
• Use frequent low-stakes assessments instead of a few high-stakes assignments (Schell, 2013).
• Build in formative assessment to help you and your students track and reflect on their progress (Saxena, 2013; Skinner & Guyer, 2013).

The use of technology to enable the delivery of materials outside of class (videos, etc.) is an important aspect of most flipped classrooms and should be considered as carefully as other aspects of your teaching strategy.

• Not every potential use of technology is effective or appropriate; when selecting instructional technology tools, be sure that they meet a specific need and efficiently serve their purpose.
• If possible, any technology that is required to create, access, or present materials should be easy for students (and instructors) to use without training (Saxena, 2013; Demski, 2013).
• Be sure that students have access to help resources for any technology that they are required to use outside of class.

Bergmann, Jon. (2014, February 17). 5 mistakes to avoid when flipping your class. EdTechReview.  

Coursera. (n.d.) Flipped classroom field guide.  

Demski, Jennifer. (2013, January 23). 6 expert tips for flipping the classroom. Campus Technology.   

Gerstein, Jackie. (2012, May 15). Flipped classroom: The full picture for higher education. User Generated Education.

Honeycutt, Barbi & Warren, Sarah Egan. (2014, February 17). The flipped classroom: Tips for integrating moments of reflection. Faculty Focus.

Raths, Dennis. (2013, December 4). 9 video tips for a better flipped classroom. T.H.E. Journal.   

Saxena, Saomya. (2013, December 11). Best practices by teachers for the flipped classroom. EdTechReview.

Schell, Julie. (2013, April 16). The 2 most powerful flipped classroom tips I have learned so far. Turn to Your Neighbor.  

Skinner, Karen & Guyer, Cindy. (2013, May 28). Seven tips for a successful flip. Spectrum Online. American Association of Law Libraries.  

Talbert, Robert. (2014b, March 5). Creating learning objectives, flipped classroom style. Casting Out Nines.  

Talbert, Robert. (2014c, March 6). Getting student buy-in for the inverted calculus class. Casting Out Nines.  

Talbert, Robert. (2014a, January 6). Getting students to want to do pre-class work. Casting Out Nines.

The following are potentially helpful resources to consult for more information about flipped classrooms.

Some instructional approaches to consider:

• Project-based learning
• Team-based learning
• Peer instruction
• Experiential learning

Learn more about flipped classrooms:

• Infographic
• 7 Things You Should Know About Flipped Classrooms (EDUCAUSE)
• Definition of “Flipped Learning” from the Flipped Learning Network
• Flipped Classroom Field Guide (Coursera)

Flipped classroom resources from other institutions:

• SMU Center for Teaching Excellence
• University of Washington Center for Teaching & Learning
• UT Austin Center for Teaching & Learning (check out their Quick-start Guide)
• Vanderbilt Center for Teaching
• Stanford Teaching Commons