This past week, Aaron Sams and I had the privilege of spending the week sharing about the Flipped Learning in Western Europe.  We spent two days in the Netherlands conducting workshops and meeting with Dutch Education leaders.  We then had two days in London at the BETT conference where we were had the privilege being keynote speakers.  We spoke in the BETT arena, a 750 seat stadium they built just for the conference.  BETT is the largest Educational Technology event in Europe with an attendance of about 30,000 people.  It is mostly a trade show–however they are starting to make it more of a learning conference where good ideas about education can be shared.  

Aaron and I rarely get any time face to face with each other anymore since he is in Pittsburg and I am in Chicago, so it was a good time for us to catch up contemplate what Flipped Learning has become.  One thing we tried to analyze this question:

  • Has Flipped Learning gone mainstream?

In our keynote we had a slide where we stated that indeed, Flipped Learning has gone mainstream.  As we contemplated this question we asked:  why has it struck such a strong chord with so many educators across the globe?  I think one of the reasons is that it allows for teachers to maximize face to face time with students.  This is important because, in my opinion, good teaching (regardless of whether or not you are using flipped learning) has always been about the relationship between the teacher and her students.  And Flipped Learning creates an environment where teachers can get to know their students better, can know their strengths, weaknesses, passions, and struggles.  

I feel, with our overemphasis on standardized tests, that we have lost the human element to teaching.  Kids are not numbers–they are people–and when we treat people like…well…people, then learning will occur.

So my questions for you:  

  1. Has Flipped Learning gone mainstream?
  2. If so:  Why do you think it has struck such a strong chord with so many?

I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this.
 

12 thoughts on “Has Flipped Learning Gone Mainstream?

  1. Absolutely! I have teachers using this now and they started because they were bored with traditional teaching and saw they were not getting the results they desired…they flipped and had a renewed passion for teaching…they feel needed again…they feel successful…that is a pretty powerful drug!

    1. Carol:  I have heard this over and over from teachers:  how flipped learning has transformed them personally and professionally.  It certainly did it for me.  Though I think the biggest impact is on students, I am so glad that it is helping so many teachers–teachers who have lately been vilified in the media…

  2. I think that anytime, always accessible content has gone mainstream, and education is finally catching up with flipped learning. I think it a few years it won’t be called “Flipped Learning” but just learning.

  3. I taught my 5th flipped learning lesson on Tuesday. I’m flipping slowly but surely. It was so successful that the students were so excited and so was I. So much learning occured the next day that the students left class smiling and so did I. My 4th flipped lesson was such a dud, due to the fact that very few students did the flip. I was so disappointed and ready to quit flipping. I am so glad I didn’t. With the success of Tuesday, my students now understand why being prepared for the next day’s lesson is so important and they are PROUD to know they are ready for class. They will tell me they did the flip as they pass me in the hallway. YES, on flipped day, I feel like a REAL teacher! After the 4th flipped lesson, I had all students pull out their cell phones (not allowed at my school) and we signed up for Remind101 together. Now, they get a reminder of when the next flipped lesson is due. This made Lesson 5 such a success and now the students are more responsible towards their learning and they love it! They also earn badges on Edmodo.com for every completed flip lesson…another great incentive. Flipping takes a lot of teacher time to prepare, but so worthwhile for all involved.

    1. Judy:  I really like this idea–have one flipped day per week.  This sounds like a perfect idea for elementary students.  If you don’t mind I will share this.  Plus using the Remind101 is a great idea as well…

  4. I started teaching a “flipped” dual credit/advanced placement American History curriculum for high schoolers this year. I have found that most of my students are excelling beyond my imagination. They go so deeply into the subject matter that they get into territory that is unfamiliar for me. My classroom has become a collaborative laboratory for studying history. Outside of class, students listen to lectures from the top historians in the nation, read journal and magazine articles, and use a digital text and other on-line materials instead of a traditional textbook. I pick and choose those items that will best enhance our laboratory work in class, and my students actually analyze and write history … rather than just having a teacher tell them what they should know. As for me, I have found a renewed excitement for teaching and learning!

  5. The interesting challenge for me is if this can be used to engage students in UK university, will the model work for HE. My underlying belief is yes as the sage on a stage delivery method is losing relevance to learners of today. The challenge now is to enthuse educators and empower them to make the shift with support in CPD, technology and learning space design.

    I was certainly not disappointed by your keynote at BETT, it enthused and reinforced my belief and passion for the part flipped learning can play in university teaching. Time to help educators make the shift.

  6. Some weeks I flipp twice, just depends on what I am teaching. Teachers are always looking for ways to make lessons better or to fix some part of one that didn’t work…share away. Check out Edmodo.com, this would be a great place to put your flipped lessons for elementary students.

  7. I am so happy to see so many of you successfully using flipped classrooms. As a concept it excites me. Alas, I no longer teach in face to face classes or else I could try this mode in my class. My feeling is that in future virtual classrooms like http://www.wiziq.com/Virtual_Classroom.aspx will play a major role in this model of education where in the teachers can record their classes which the students will view before they meet their teacher.

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