Flipping the Classroom: A Basic How-To Guide

A movement in education, referred to as “flipping the classroom,” is slowly grabbing the attention of teachers and administrators alike, possibly redefining the future of education. The genius is in its simplicity: flipping the work done in the classroom with the work traditionally done at home. The idea is for students to study the basic lessons and objectives at home and then bring their knowledge to the classroom, where educators will help them perfect the techniques and information they have absorbed, answer questions more deeply, and provide practice work. In-class work centers will include peer-to-peer collaboration, open discussion, and general practice, which experts suggest will build interpersonal skills. Flipping the classroom is an easy and promising concept to embrace in any learning environment, and here is how you can do it, too:

1. Create an online lesson plan. The objective of classroom flipping is for students to easily access easily basic course information and lessons at home. Develop a plan that works fluidly in an online environment. Instructional video lectures, online tutorials, audio recordings, and slideshows are great techniques to use in making a lesson that is informative and interactive to keep students engaged in each lesson.

2. Offer Help. Keep in mind that technology is not 100% reliable. There are a number of issues that a student could encounter when attempting to view or open lessons. Ensure that they can reach you via email, or if you are comfortable with it, via Skype or text messaging. Be open minded and understanding to your students’ needs outside of the classroom.

3. Keep in-class work open and engaging. The key to flipping your classroom is to use the time spent in the classroom more effectively. With students becoming familiar with the topic at home, class time is converted into a great opportunity to promote open discussion, develop critical thinking skills, and build team-working capabilities with students. Provide projects for students that encourage collaboration and share their knowledge and viewpoints, offer practice work and samples so students can refine their knowledge, and engage the students with questions and opportunities for critical analysis and deep thinking to ensure that students are comfortable with the information and confident in their understanding of the course work.

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