Should Your School Be Implementing Flipped Classrooms?

Flipped classrooms. Have you heard of them? They're not just about Khan Academy videos or doing homework during school and learning after school, they're more than that. 

What are they?

eSchool News explains, "Flipped class practitioners create a learning environment in which student work can be completed in class. This requires a change in the way a class (or school) is structured. Flipped classrooms may look more like “learning centers” where students are working on different tasks at the same time." 

MindShift shares an Infographic that states, "Educational technology and activity learning are two key components" of a flipped classroom.

Is it better?

Case studies show good results. AP Calcus teacher, Stacey Roshan , saw better test scores when she flipped her classroom. Cash-strapped Byron High School in MN used the flipped classrooms out of necessity and saw huge results. The high school didn't have money for new math textbooks so the teachers wrote their own curriculum, which flipped the classrooms. Their math test scores went from 29% to 73% in five years. Clintondale High, near Detroit, also found that the flipped classroom made a dramatic difference in learning and failure rate.   

Plus, education research shows that the experiential model in a flipped classroom is the way children learn best.

Critics are concerned about the emphasis on technology and that it will leave out low-income students. But, advocates say that it's not all about videos, it's about using classroom time to help learners 1:1, in small groups, and with activities and the home learning isn't only videos. 

Learn more about flipped classrooms: 

The Flipped Classroom Network

ScoopIt Flipped Classroom

Teaching With Ted

Multimedia Resources for Flipped Classrooms 

Do you think your school should be flipping?