Holding the Universe in Your Hands

                                      Image via: http://thisisnthappiness.com/image/104185526234

The way I see flipped learning is complicated. So much so, in fact, that I find that the universe itself makes a good metaphor for it. Flipped learning is big. It's dynamic. It is ever-expanding (let's not get into the scientific debate over the topic at the moment- just roll with me for now). Flipped learning has the power to make or destroy a child's education, and we, as educators, must be careful in how we wield its power (I'm not saying teachers are deities, but again, just roll with me). In short, using the flipped classroom model in your classroom is a bit like holding a piece of the universe in your hands. 

It sees as though I'll be turning this into a bit of a metaphor for teacher as creator, too. Didn't see that one coming when I started.

As a teacher using the flipped classroom, you have the power to create new opportunities from existing knowledge. You can manipulate content so that it is available everywhere, all the time, to all learners. You have a tool of endless potential-- the internet-- that you can use to shape the learning experiences you want your students to have. You just have to decide how to shape it.

That's a lot of power. But with great power comes great responsibility (thank you Spiderman, for giving me a line to remember that actually has utility). It's up to the teacher in charge to make sure that he or she has developed a model of flipped learning that provides a quality educational experience for all students, and that is where things get tricky. There are a ton of questions to consider: Do you make your own videos or use those of others? Do all students have sufficient access to technology to be able to complete the video-watching to prepare for class? Do your students really know how to learn from videos? Besides the practical questions, there are some philosophical questions that bear thinking about, too. Will the flipped-learning model open the way to getting rid of teachers who are masters of their subject and allow us to be replaced by a core of videos and reasonably knowledgeable (but not expert) tutors? Does the flipped model place an excessive burden on students who struggle to access technology, and is it fair for all students? 

If you check out the #flipclass hashtag on Twitter, you come face-to-face with a wall of resources for any teacher considering flipping. 

Jon Bergmann is one of my favorite resources. He is largely credited as one of the pioneers of the flipped classroom, and he is an incredibly valuable resource to anyone considering flipping. In addition to following him on Twitter and benefiting from his own ongoing learning and philosophical discussions, you can go to YouTube and watch videos like this one, where he talks about flipping the classroom.

One of my favorite things about Jon Bergmann is that by spending some time looking at his resources, particularly YouTube videos about the flipped classroom (you can also find his chemistry lectures), you can see the evolution of his own flipped classroom. You can watch it progress from a good idea for improving student:teacher time to a system that invites mastery. While he may not go about explaining every step of the process, I think the public availability of his process is valuable for one very important reason: it demonstrates that flipping the classroom and finding a model that works is a process, and it requires a thoughtful practitioner who is willing always see a better way to do things.

I had the benefit of sitting in a small-group session with Jon at conference that my own school district put on, and the time to pick his brain and listen to the way he responded to the questions of teachers who want to challenge flipped learning was incredible. I was already a fan of his videos about flipping before I attended our conference, but I had a whole new level of respect for his process afterward.

While Jon Bergmann is a well-known name at this point, it has taken him quite a few years to see flipped learning really take off. There are many other teachers, working hard and learning as they go, who are willing to share their experiences (whether or not they end up making a name for themselves in the process).

Cara Johnson is another teacher sharing her experiences on Twitter. She is an anatomy teacher, and it's easy to tell that she has a fun and engaging class. You can read about her flipped classroom experiences in a number of places, including here, and watch her reflections about the process over several years of implementation. She has participated in PDs, she has written papers, and she has allowed her name and experience to be a learning tool for anyone who stumble upon her name. One of the things I really appreciate about her is that she is helping other teachers learn how to make videos that are both relevant and engaging to learners (as opposed to using the videos of others).

...which brings me to a final thought on flipping.

I work in a school where several teachers have adopted a flipped class model. All have adopted the "watch it at home, then come to class and work on it" model. Some have opted to use videos made by others, sometimes made by other subject-matter teachers who are flipping, and other times from resources like Khan Academy. Others have opted to make a limited number of their own videos, largely through recording traditional lectures in one year, then putting them online for review and use in other years.

I have noticed through observations, discussions with students, and by overhearing comments from students (let's be honest-- the overheard comments are the most honest about student experiences) that students with teachers who use the videos of others are having a harder time "getting it" than students who are watching videos made my their own teachers. There seems to be a disconnect, even when the videos are high-quality videos like the Khan Academy provides.

Although I'm still working on understanding the source of the disconnect, I can speculate about a couple of reasons:

• When teachers create their own videos, they know exactly the content they want to cover, and they can custom-tailor their video to their own approach to teaching that particular topic. Pre-made videos are made through the lens and experiences of other teachers, and the video version of instruction may not quite line up with the classroom experiences, and this seems to leave students somewhat confused.
• Videos made by the teacher in the classroom continue the student/teacher relationship outside of the classroom and provide a sense that the teacher is with them, even at home. I read somewhere early in my research on flipping that making your face visible in the videos is an essential element in flipped class videos (I can't find it now, but I'm pretty sure it was Jon Bergmann). This makes sense, since students develop relationships with their teachers and they trust them, so they are open to learning from them. Videos made by someone else may be good with content, but they lack the personal touch of seeing your own teacher talking to you about class.

So, after careful thought and consideration, I'd say this about flipping the classroom. If you're going to do it, prepare to invest yourself in the process. Do research and learn from others. Figure out how your students will benefit from it in your own classroom, and work to meet that objective with every class. Understand that it is a process that will be ever-changing and evolving (back to the universe metaphor), and you will never be "done." Finally, prepare to invest the time in making your own videos. Your students will appreciate hearing your voice and seeing your face as you teach them what you want them to know (even if it makes you cringe, like it does me).

I'd love to hear about anyone else's experiences in flipping classrooms, making occasional flipped videos, or testing out a blended classroom (the approach I'm experimenting with myself).