Eileen Field is Head of Education Services with Fleet Tutors, having worked extensively in the US and UK in virtual and blended learning schools and alternative provision centres, she is one of the few Headteachers in the UK who received her NPQH whilst leading a Virtual School. Here, she shares some thoughts on flipped learning.
During the summer, I found a pool of water behind the washing machine. I voted to hold off on calling a plumber. Husband raised an eyebrow: “You know how to fix that?” but I stood my ground: “No, but I have YouTube. I’ll learn.” And I did. After some online research, I propped my laptop on the counter surface and followed along as a professional showed me step-by-step how to remove the washer case, diagnose the problem, and ultimately, replace a hose clamp. Most kids probably aren’t interested in learning how to fix a washer. But they’re flocking to online spaces for a chance to learn on their own terms and in their own time. From guitar lessons to video game design, kids are taking advantage of the growing collection of tutorials and hands-on learning experiences available through digital media.
Today’s students are used to having constant access to technology and digital resources in their personal lives. If you can harness the engaging power of such resources in your classroom, evidence suggests that you can boost learning success and help your students create and thrive. A quick literature review indicates that teachers, all over the world, are struggling with the challenge of how to reach the learners we have in today’s schools. The goal is to ensure a learner-centred, stimulating, personalised, learning climate with a string of challenging and successful learning opportunities in each and every lesson.
“Teachers use well-judged and often inspirational teaching strategies, including setting appropriate homework that, together with sharply focused and timely support and intervention, match individual needs accurately. Consequently, pupils learn exceptionally well across the curriculum.” [School Inspection Handbook (Ofsted, April 2014)]
Creating a blended environment powered in combination with digital learning AND teachers doing what they do well; “delivering … sharply focused … timely support and intervention”, is one way of meeting this challenge. When done well, you will be astonished at the impact on your students – often the most unlikely candidates respond to the ‘personalised learning environment’ and make incredible leaps in progress. Whilst your usual talented suspects can leave you gasping for air, as you try to keep up with their quest for answers.
So, some hints:
The simplest model is that of the ‘flipped classroom 1.0’ – get this sorted first before considering anything more creative!
The idea in a nutshell is: Students learn foundation content in their own time and at their own pace, often at home using a computer – prior to your lesson – and then practise and apply that learning when they return to your classroom, under your expert guidance.
It’s ‘flipped’, because the ‘direct instruction’ [normally the first 10 – 15 minutes of your teaching time, which evidence suggests only 1 in 4 of your class actually take in!] takes place at home, and the stuff you would normally set for ‘homework’ is done in the classroom. Where the subject expert is on hand to help – oh yeah, that’s you!
Evidence suggests youngsters get through the instruction in half the time it would take you to deliver it in class, and of course, they can replay it, rework it, and review it over and over again, according to their unique needs.
In the classroom, therefore, you now can use those 10-15 mins, maybe over a few lessons, to develop conceptual and collaborative learning, and intervene in a responsive manner to meet individual or small group needs. Those 10 – 15 mins could be used to manage the class for acceleration, remediation or differentiation as required. If the home delivered instructional materials have in-built assessment, you could pre-select the individuals or small groups who haven’t mastered the learning objectives and target them directly. You might experiment with the flip materials and ask them to pick out 5 key points or produce some guided notes or prepare some answers to bring with them. Ideally there should be some quick multiple choice to give you a feel for AfL and more importantly “AfPlanning” purposes.
It’s about less marking and more assessment; maximising the use of your time with individuals; achieving personalised teaching and learning; and focusing more on creative, conceptual, collaborative, project-based, learning and building learning power skills. You know, those attributes that universities and employers are forever demanding…
Oh yes, the youngsters who won’t do it – ok, you may have to introduce something “pour encourager les autres” but what about making them do the elearning in class, whilst their pals are obviously having much more fun! It’s amazing how peer pressure can work.
I accept the “digital divide” is a trickier problem; but school libraries have kit, you might make some time in the day for youngsters to access tech in and around your teaching department. Be careful about students accessing on a mobile phone unless they can hook into school wifi … otherwise data charges can rack up.
Utopia? Well, actually, no; because flipped classrooms are already in action here and in the US. In Ohio, for example, urban public high school drop-outs – youngsters with enormously complicated and chaotic backgrounds – are being re-engaged with their learning and accelerating through to their high school graduation (recognised in the UK as equivalent to 5 A* to C inc E&m) in Magic Johnson Bridgescape Academies, which are totally flipped.
As mad as it sounds, each Bridgescape Academy houses 100 students, aged 14 through to 21, in a single learning space with four subject specialist teachers. Their eCourse programmes delivered almost like a “playlist”, drive the instructional learning and supply assessment for every learning objective covered. Teachers follow the data dynamically; celebrating the progress achieved and delivering focused teaching for any gaps by a learning appointment. Timetabled large group conceptual teaching sessions run each day, with some student-led, project-based, learning that varies between subject, cross-curricular or community facing activities each week. Add in some MFL, PE, Creative Art, Tech or vocationally orientated options as electives and you’ve got a broad, balanced curriculum. Bingo! It’s development of 21st century skills and well-rounded individuals. It meets statutory provision, it’s raising attainment and it’s delivered in a cost and time effective manner. Moreover, the teachers are not on their knees by the end of the week. They’re using the technology to work smarter not harder.
It’s happening here in the UK, too. There’s evidence of ‘normal’ year 9s using the same materials in genetics and turning in the best in-school assessments the school has ever seen.
Yes, you have to create good elearning materials and my advice here is to stick to the simple stuff – it doesn’t have to be all whizzy, singing and dancing. You don’t need to make videos! Although the odd one here and there will catch your students … particularly if you drop in the usual banter. In any case, resources are at your fingertips with Smart Science. You just need to be a little creative and clever in how you use the content. Networking across a couple of schools and bingo; you could have KS3 covered in no time at all. BUT remember – the flipped materials should ONLY cover the foundation learning … all the conceptual learning needs YOU! YOU are the expert, you need to work with your classes to link the challenging schema together to develop the “higher order thinking” skills. The flipped is just the basic content that never changes … once you’ve created the package; it might get cookie cut with curriculum changes but, in itself it doesn’t change.
Need three minutes of inspiration? Try this:
Now tell me you don’t fancy having a go?
By Eileen Field for Smart Learning