master model to gain time in your classroom handbook for flipping the...
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MASTER MODEL TO GAIN TIME
IN YOUR CLASSROOM
HANDBOOK FOR FLIPPING
THE CLASSROOM
Project Number 2014-1-ES01-KA201-004401
www.gaintime.eu
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
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Partners:
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
Content Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 6
Creative Classroom ..................................................................................................................... 7
Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 7
Content ..................................................................................................................................... 7
How could a teacher facilitate creativity among pupils? ................................................ 7
How can a teacher develop creative thinking on the students? .................................... 9
Key elements to be addressed in order to innovate and modernize education ......... 11
Key dimensions of Creative Classroom .......................................................................... 11
Open Educational Resources........................................................................................... 12
Conclusion ............................................................................................................................. 13
References/Bibliography/Links ............................................................................................ 13
Teachers Innovators ................................................................................................................. 16
Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 16
Content ................................................................................................................................... 16
Leading discussion groups and other methodologies ..................................................... 19
Conclusion ............................................................................................................................. 20
References/Bibliography/Links ............................................................................................ 21
Flipped methodology ................................................................................................................ 23
Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 23
Content ................................................................................................................................... 23
What it is? ........................................................................................................................... 23
Which are the reasons to flip? ......................................................................................... 24
When flipping these students? ........................................................................................ 24
How to start to flip? ........................................................................................................... 24
A SWOT analysis ................................................................................................................... 27
Conclusion ............................................................................................................................. 29
References/Bibliography/Links ............................................................................................ 29
Design of the Flipped Lesson .................................................................................................. 31
Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 31
Content ................................................................................................................................... 31
Conclusion ............................................................................................................................. 37
References/Bibliography/Links ............................................................................................ 38
Development of the didactic contents in the flipped ............................................................. 39
Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 39
Content ................................................................................................................................... 39
The videos .............................................................................................................................. 39
In-class activities ............................................................................................................... 40
How departments can use the flipped model ................................................................. 40
The flipped-mastery classroom ....................................................................................... 40
The SCORM (Shareable Content Object Reference Model) .......................................... 41
Points for further research ............................................................................................... 42
Teacher feedback .............................................................................................................. 42
Parent feedback ................................................................................................................. 42
Student feedback ............................................................................................................... 43
Conclusion ............................................................................................................................. 43
References/Bibliography/Links ........................................................................................ 43
Flipped methodology videos .................................................................................................... 45
Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 45
Content ................................................................................................................................... 45
Different types of videos ................................................................................................... 45
Video production. Things you should be aware of ........................................................ 45
Practical tips for making a video lecture ........................................................................ 46
Conclusion ............................................................................................................................. 49
References/Bibliography/Links ............................................................................................ 49
Educational game ...................................................................................................................... 51
Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 51
Content ................................................................................................................................... 51
Identifying the purpose ..................................................................................................... 52
Game structure .................................................................................................................. 52
Timing ................................................................................................................................. 54
Debriefing ........................................................................................................................... 55
Assessing effectiveness ................................................................................................... 56
Conclusion ............................................................................................................................. 56
References/Bibliography/Links ............................................................................................ 56
Digital Channels ........................................................................................................................ 58
Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 58
Content ................................................................................................................................... 58
General classification of digital education channels .................................................... 58
List of recommended digital channels ................................................................................ 60
Conclusion ............................................................................................................................. 67
References/Bibliography/Links ............................................................................................ 67
Conclusions ............................................................................................................................... 68
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Introduction
This handbook is a part of the European project named Master Model to Gain Time in your Classroom
- “GainTime” (2014-1-ES01-KA201-004401) and intends to present a basic theoretical background
and practices on educational issues related to flipped classroom. This handbook is mainly useful to
who intends to develop a creative classroom or educational games in a flipped classroom.
The first chapter, “Creative Classrooms”, presents a brief description of creative lessons. It describes
the main techniques, strategies and methods used in creative classrooms, including the integration of
ICT (Information and Communication Technology) and OER (Open Educational Resources) in
traditional teaching.
The second chapter, “Teacher-Innovators”, presents a brief description of how innovative teachers, in
a creative classroom, can prevent and tack early school dropout and enhance the empowerment of
youth. It focuses on the specific role that teachers have to play in managing a creative classroom.
The “Flipped Methodology” chapter presents an analysis of the points of strength, weaknesses,
threats and opportunities related to different contexts when teachers are using this methodology.
The fourth chapter, “Design of the Flipped Lesson”, is a very practical document that describes how
teachers can design a flipped lesson. It presents an operative view of implementing the flipped
methodology in traditional teaching, thus personalizing the lesson according to the time and the
technological resources available.
The implementation of a flipped classroom is supported by the use of didactic contents and videos.
Therefore, the fifth and sixth chapters present reflection on these specific themes.
The “Development of the Didactic Contents in the Flipped Classroom” chapter is a guide for teachers
that want to create a learning object (namely the smallest unit of competence) that contains an
objective, a learning activity and an evaluation. The chapter explains how to develop and manage a
learning object through the SCORM (Shareable Content Object Reference Model). The “Flipped
Methodology Videos” chapter focuses on how to produce and direct a didactic video (pre-production,
production and post-production) and upload it in an e-learning platform or in an open source channel.
The “Flipped Methodology Videos” chapter presents a guide on how to create a video in order to be
used in a flipped classroom.
The “Educational Games” chapter presents the grammar of educational games, detailing how to
create a debriefing of the games, with focus on the techniques for group management and
moderation.
The last chapter “Digital Channels” presents reflection on the potential that digital channels offer
teachers and how teachers can take advantage of them in order to participate actively in learning
communities based on social learning, at national and European levels by sharing experiences, data
and didactic tools.
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CHAPTER I
Creative Classroom
Introduction
A creative classroom can be defined as “an innovative learning environment that fully embeds the
potential of ICT to innovate and modernize learning and teaching practices” (Bocconi, Kampylis, &
Punie, 2013).
To better understand, we must define the concept of Creative Classrooms. Whereas the word
“creative” refers to innovative practices, such as collaboration, personalization, active learning,
fostering creative learning, the term “classroom” is used in its widest sense as including all types of
learning environments, in formal and informal settings.
Let’s approach to both terms:
“Creative”: if involves the use of skills and the imagination to produce something new or a work of art
(Oxford Dictionary); it is a process for generating ideas, based on previous knowledge and
experiences.
“Classroom”: the use of the technology is essential as a tool, as an instrument to implement the
Flipped Classroom; it should never be the aim. As a tool it facilitates the use of the classroom for
developing activities, self-learning, cooperative learning, etc. The classroom concept includes formal
and non-formal learning as well as blended learning.
Teachers need to facilitate an environment, also mental one, full of opportunities for students to act as
leaders of their educational process, creation, communication, learning …
Content
How could a teacher facilitate creativity among pupils?
Children generally have outstanding creative and innovative abilities. Not just some, but most of them
have these skills enhanced during their childhood. Teachers should take special attention to 'discover'
those talents and develop each of them individually.
Development of ideas: you need to promote the association of ideas and changes of point of
view/perspective (changes in perspective based on play will change the way of looking at things. A
useful way to make the changes in the students’ perspective is to ask the question: "What would
happen if ...?"
What is an idea? What is your idea? How to reach your idea? (Action Plan)
Ask the students open questions: what do you see, smell, hear… What do these things suggest to
you?
A core aspect of the implementation of the Creative Classroom is that students develop their own
learning process, critical thinking, collaborative learning and project based learning.
Collaborative Learning
It is based on the approach of activities in which the students have to work together and interact to
achieve a common goal. Its advantages are many: students become the protagonists of their own
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learning, develop their skills and abilities, strengthen their relationships and develop a significant
learning.
To implement collaborative learning in the classroom, teachers should:
Set goals and objectives of the activity, so that students feel motivated and committed when it
comes to work for it.
Organize teams of students and make them into small working groups of four to five people,
who will be responsible for fulfilling various tasks or functions. You should have into account
the diversity in each working group, the balance of the number of boys and girls and the
different sensitivities in each group to enrich the experience.
Promote communication and respect among students. They should be open to share ideas
and knowledge with others, with confidence and without fear. You should always open their
minds to the ideas of others. If you consider necessary, you could establish rules of dialogue
or even the frequency and means of communication to learn to collaborate.
Serve as a guide and driver of the activity at first, and then let them take the responsibility
gradually, so they can develop their own ideas and projects. Remember what processes they
need to follow to complete their tasks, their plan, …
Use different methodologies and activities. Collaborative learning supports different
educational methods such as project based learning (PBL) or the flipped classroom and can
be used in very different educational activities, such as projects, web quests, debates,
laboratory experiments, activities focused on problem solving, team presentations, etc.
Provide time to generate debate and contrast of ideas. Teachers can do it from a reading, a
video and others resources...
Structure the process in several phases and several programmer milestones to check how the
students are developing their work. So, you can talk with your students if they are on track or
not, and why.
Facilitate self-assessment tools and peer assessment to students. In this way they know the
criteria to be taken into account when assessing their work.
Take hold of ICT. The new technologies multiply the possibilities of collaborative learning and
encourage communication, interaction and exchange of ideas among group members.
Choose secure collaborative environments: e-mail or instant messaging – Google Drive1, to
share documents. – Word Press2 or Blogger3 to create classroom blogs …
encourage creativity and ask the students to use different tools to present their interactive
presentations (Slide Share4 or Prezi5) and to create digital murals (Glogster6, Mural.ly7)
From a simple idea, the students are able to create a story, write, tell and/or draw it. The “leader” of
each group presents the idea, with the action plan, to the classmates. The teacher and the classmates
provide feedback, evaluation, conclusions in a flip chart, using different colors, depending on the
criteria adopted.
Project Based Learning
It is a method that face up to students to become protagonists of their own learning by developing
projects that respond to real-life problems/situations
1 Google Drive: https://www.google.com/drive/
2 Word Press: https://wordpress.org/
3 Blogger: https://www.blogger.com
4 Slide Share: www.slideshare.net
5 Prezi: https://prezi.com
6 Glogster: www.glogster.com
7 Mural.ly: https://mural.ly
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To implement a collaborative learning in the classroom, teachers should:
Motivate students to learn. The teacher stimulates curiosity linked to the student through the
reality that encourages research and learning elements.
Develop the students’ autonomy. Students are the protagonists of the process: planning the
project, distributing tasks, putting ideas together, making their own decisions and developing
the product.
Encourage the students’ self-criticism. You should encourage students to evaluate their own
work and detect errors in their work process in order to learn from their mistakes and to
improve outcomes in the future.
Reinforce the students’ social skills through the exchange of ideas and collaboration. Through
collaborative learning, they support each other to learn and achieve a common goal.
Facilitate the students’ ability to search, select, compare and analyses information.
Promote creativity. Students should implement the strategies and ideas to make a product that
answers the question.
Figure 1: Doing Projects vs. Project-Based Learning
Mind diversity. As a teacher you need to encourage students with learning disabilities and also
the most advanced students.
How can a teacher develop creative thinking on the students?
The students need to develop the creative (generate ideas) and critical thinking (analyses and
evaluate ideas) and do all this in a rigorous and careful manner (think "carefully"). All this, moreover,
are preliminary steps to allow the making of any right decision. The teachers need to consider both of
them as a transversal activity.
Learn/teach to think is an aim. Our students have to be prepared to implement the critical thinking and
creative thinking in order to collect, evaluate and use the information to solve problems and make
decisions effectively in their jobs and lives. To reach the aim, the teacher needs to provide occasions,
opportunities to do it. The ordinary thinking well done is what the teacher pursues when “teaching
thinking”.
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Table 1: Teaching Thinking
Infusion, term developed by Robert Swartz (1998), points at the integration of teaching thinking skills
in teaching content. Thinking skills should be present in the routine life of the everyday life classroom.
Content should be introduced as a whole, but the relation among the parts needs to be determined,
defined, delimited, to convey a global idea.
For it, the teacher needs to ask questions to facilitate a better process of thinking
Which parts make this whole? How does this part work? What is the function of each
part? What happens if a part is missing?
Why is this needed? What are the options? (Make decisions)
Students work in groups (socialization, think in a positive way)
Example:
The curriculum contains within itself many contexts for teaching thinking. When, for example, during a
History class, the teacher explains not only the facts, but also presents to the students a situation from
which they can deduce the need to compare the sources of the information, he is teaching History in a
deeper sense and also developing in them a capacity which can be implemented in many other
contexts of the ordinary life.
What situation can that be? The teacher can project a scene of a movie and ask them to draw up what
they have seen. Or ask them to describe a fact that everyone has devolved and make a common
discussion. The teacher can even perform a figurative class discussion.
As a result, they learn to reflect on the need to compare the information sources, and the fact that
there are some more reliable than others. They will acquire some critical perspective that they will
benefit from, not only in terms of History, but in their life as well.
Such activities can be developed from the earliest stages, adapted to the content, vocabulary and
knowledge of the students. Ideally, pupils reach Secondary level familiarized with this type of work and
having already acquired these basic skills.
Such skills can be taught, developed and strengthened in many contexts and subjects. For example,
when looking for information to make a work about a particular topic, the students can compare books
and articles about it and a set of parameters to determine their reliability: the date on which they were
written, the environment, the kind of author, whether the source is primary or secondary, whether they
are fiction or non-fiction, etc. These parameters can be written and organized to serve at other times,
staying as a method or process for the future.
CORRECT THINKING APPLICATION
DEEP Make decisions carefully
SLOW Solve problems
OPEN MINDED Make predictions. Look for causes and alternatives
CLEAR Argue
ORGANISED Compare and contrast
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“Innovation is the selection, organization and creative use of human and material
resources for new and own ways that result in the achievement of a higher level of the
goals and objectives previously planned” (Bacconi, S. et. al., 2013).
Key elements to be addressed in order to innovate and modernize
education
When we decide to build an innovative educational experience to apply in the learning process these
four phases must be taken into account:
Processes – it could be any type of training or logistics methodology.
Technologies – it could be either hardware (computers, tablets, projectors,
whiteboard …) or software (e-learning platforms, blogs, wikis, videos ...).
Knowledge – by this we not only mean the contents, but also useful information for
the learning process (content, resources, web, case studies, projects, general
information about the subject, tips ...).
People – mainly teachers and students, educative innovation should include both
groups.
Key dimensions of Creative Classroom
Figure 2: Key dimensions of Creative Classroom (Bocconi, S. et. al., 2013)
We are going to introduce the concept of the main key dimensions:
Content – resources for innovative teaching.
Curricula – the subjects that are included in a course of study or taught in a school, college,
etc. Learning objectives and framework for developing activities.
Assessment – it provides valuable close to the student’s learning, and has into account the
student’s progress. Teachers and students are engaged in the process.
Learning practices – learning by doing. It focuses on the experience of learning, formal and
non-formal, and how students connect with it.
Teaching practices – the teacher play a new role; he/she should now be a mentor, a facilitator of learning, an ICT’s expert, an innovative worker and should have the students’
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emotions into consideration. A big amount of resources is needed, although the most important one are the attitude and the engagement of the teachers.
Leadership and values – the headmaster’s role is to lead, to mentor the innovation, to
support the teachers for acquiring the needed skills, to provide the resources. Without
implication of the headmaster it would not be possible to implement Creative Classrooms.
Connectedness – social and emotional factors that influence the relationships among all the
members involved in the educational system; it influences the educational atmosphere, as well
as the commitment and motivation of the students.
Infrastructure – physical learning space, necessary technologies. The classroom needs to be
adaptable to the different methodologies that are going to be used.
Open Educational Resources There is not yet a common definition of Open Education Resources (OER). However some entities
have already contributed to its definition and characterization. According to UNESCO (2009 – 2014)
OERs are any type of educational materials that are in the public domain or introduced with an open
license. The nature of these open materials means that anyone can legally and freely copy, use, adapt
and re-share them. Although some people consider the use of an open file format to be an essential
characteristic of OER, this is not a universally acknowledged requirement.
For the OER commons, OERs are teaching and learning materials that are freely available online for
everyone to use, whether the user is an instructor, student or self-learner. Examples of OER include:
textbooks, curricula, syllabi, lecture notes, tests, projects, audio, video, animation. full courses, course
modules, homework assignments, quizzes, lab and classroom activities, pedagogical materials,
games, simulations, and many more resources contained in digital media collections from around the
world (Higher Education Academy, 2013). Specifically, OER refers to (D’Antoni, 2008):
Content— materials for learning or reference
Tools—software for development or delivery of resources
Standards—shared conventions for digital publishing of open resources.
The tensions that exist concerning the definition of OER are related with (OECD and CERI,
2007; Higher Education Academy, 2013; CC, 2015):
Nature of the resource: Some definitions limit the definition of OER to digital resources, while
others consider that any educational resource can be included in the definition.
Source of the resource: Some definitions require a resource to be produced with an explicit
educational aim in mind, while others broaden this to include any resource which may
potentially be used for learning
Level of openness: Some definitions require that a resource be placed in the public domain.
Others require for use to be granted merely for educational purposes, or exclude commercial
uses.
During the OER congress, held in Paris in 2012, at UNESCO headquarters, a declaration was issued
and it was considered the first step for the development of policies supporting OER. The Declaration
aimed at encouraging governments to contribute to the awareness and the use of OER and to develop
strategies and policies to integrate OER in education (UNESCO, 2009 – 2014). The objective of the
OER initiative is to provide open access to high-quality education resources on a global scale. From
large institution-based or institution-supported initiatives to numerous small-scale activities, the
number of OER related programmes and projects have been growing quickly within the past few
years. As a consequence, according to OECD in 2007, there were materials from more than 3000
open access courses (open courseware) currently available from over 300 universities worldwide. And
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it is expected that these figures would grow in the future (Higher Education Academy, 2013). The site
of the OER presents a list of search engines that look for OER (Higher Education Academy, 2014).
In parallel with the OER, UNESCO is also promoting Open Access, with particular emphasis on
scientific information (journal articles, conference papers and datasets of various kinds) emanating
from publicly funded research. Working with partners, UNESCO works to improve awareness about
the benefits of OA among policy makers, researchers and knowledge managers (UNESCO, 2009 –
2014).
One can say that more than developing materials, no matter its support or type, OER are about
developing a culture of sharing (D’Antoni, 2008). However if we want to increase access to knowledge
worldwide, we need to raise awareness of OER potential and build and support a community that
would be willing to create, adapt, re-use and share their knowledge.
Conclusion
Each teacher is the expert with ability to make small changes into the classroom, so into education –
society. The technology system and the structure do not change anything. Technology never replaces
a teacher. Technology allows individualizing the learning process. Most of the teachers need to think
and act in a different way.
Education is different from instructions. Education develops the human being. It facilitates the
relationship among the educational community members. Teachers need to focus in students. To
create the conditions for learning. Not to be afraid of ubiquitous technologies: they are a tool to be
used to help in the educational process, they are a challenge.
Thinking is a process, as analysis, comparison, identification, creation, deduction, summarizes, which
are skills and when we execute these processes consciously, we can consider that there is a real
thinking.
To promote the creativity, the teacher needs to facilitate many options and choices, so that the
students can follow their interest. The teacher is more like a mentor, to guide the pupil. She/he
promotes collaborative thinking through teamwork.
The student is the focus of the education and also the responsible for his/her learning and
development. He / She develop confidence. He / She prepare for a diverse world. He / She are open-
minded.
The evaluation is a tool for teaching and learning, but the key is to focus more on how the students
have used the possibilities of learning, have developed their aptitudes, characteristics, qualities … and
less in the summary evaluation forms.
References/Bibliography/Links
The "Case of Creativity in Schools" is an excellent video that educators can watch to see how
creativity can play a role in the classroom. This school has adopted an approach to recognize the
efforts of students.
“Finding ways to incorporate and integrate art, music and culture” is a recent report prepared for the
European Commission believes that creativity is a central force that shapes our culture. This report
suggests that society is enriched buy creativity based on its culture. For instance: a web of musical
games, or a music teacher’s blog (Spanish).
Bjerede, M., & Bondi, T. (2012). Personal Stories of Android Tablet Use in the 5th Grade. Retrieved
from http://www.learninguntethered.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Learning-is-Personal.pdf
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Bocconi, S., Kampylis, P. G., & Punie, Y. (2013). Innovating Teaching and Learning Practices: Key
Elements for Developing Creative Classrooms in Europe. ELearning Papers (Vol. special ed).
doi:10.2791/90566
Elliott, S. (2013). What educational benefits do touch-screen portable computing devices offer to
students with Asperger’s Syndrome and Autistic Spectrum Disorders ? Retrieved from
http://thefreemac.com/The_Free_Mac/iPadDeployment_files/iPads and Autism Elliott 2013.pdf
Robinson, K. (2006). Do schools kill creativity? Retrieved from
http://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity?language=en
Swartz, Robert; Reagan, R. (1996). Staff Development Training for Teacher Trainers. Infusion Critical
and Creative Thinking into Content Instruction. Retrieved from
https://repository.nie.edu.sg/bitstream/10497/3681/8/SCTT1-5a.pdf
Concept Resources Link
Creativity
Video https://goo.gl/GV3Orm. Accessed on:
10 June 2015.
Video https://goo.gl/fcQ8Lg. Accessed at: 10
June 2015.
Problem Based Learning Video https://goo.gl/jgJGJg. Accessed at: 10
June 2015.
Problem Based Learning. Primary Video https://goo.gl/pXwSyc. Accessed at: 10
June 2015.
Project Based Learning Video https://goo.gl/bt0qxC. Accessed at: 10
June 2015.
Creative classroom: Remake
your classroom Video
https://goo.gl/dKq0my. Accessed at: 10
June 2015.
Critical Thinking Video https://goo.gl/j6WukB. Accessed at: 10
June 2015.
Critical Thinking: integrate in
classroom Video
https://goo.gl/8rmS9b. Accessed at: 10
June 2015.
Creative Classroom: EU project Website http://creative.eun.org/about. Accessed
at: 10 June 2015.
Apps for Good is an open-source
technology education movement Website
http://goo.gl/aKIFnE. Accessed at: 10
June 2015.
Future Classroom Toolkit Website http://fcl.eun.org/toolkit. Accessed at:
10 June 2015.
Using ICT to improve
communication skills Video
https://goo.gl/zorQKr. Accessed at: 10
June 2015.
Collaborative schools Guide for Website http://goo.gl/Dbm4u8. Accessed at: 10
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Teachers. Training June 2015.
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CHAPTER II
Teachers Innovators
Introduction
It’s common opinion that teaching consists of lectures and assignments that cover topics listed in
syllabus, give exams on these topics, and move on. In reality, respect to this more traditional model,
educational techniques and strategies keep on evolving. The teacher’ role has changed, too. He / She
is no longer a subject that has to transmit information but also an educator that tries to facilitate the
student learning using the most suitable instruments. It’s a change of perspective necessary for the
wide spreading of new technologies and pedagogical approaches that insist on the necessity to
engage students in their own learning.
The educational success of students is the result of a combination of favourable/positive factors and,
among these, the teacher, his way of teaching and the dynamics that he can create within the group
class, plays a prominent role. It is generally thought that the educator does work by rote learning; but
it is not true, thus, every day, he/she confronts students who, in many cases, require individual
educational interventions; therefore he should possess strong disciplinary skills, flexibility, creativity
and pedagogical expertise. The understanding of the students’ specific needs, especially those who
are disadvantaged - and the social context in which they live setup complete the starting point for
planning specific interventions, adapting each curriculum and overcoming the rigidity of the
standardized testing, that can contribute to a genuine inclusive practice. This means, in practice, a
continuous work to develop the lessons plan, introducing new topics and teaching methods in the
awareness that doing new things or doing the same things but in different way, involves the risk of
making mistakes.
In the next paragraph, we are going to show some examples of innovating practices.
Content
The innovative teacher is, first, curious and creative, and continuously researches new and useful
strategies to transfer adequately knowledge and skills that students must have at the end of their
studies. On the other hand, creativity can be represented by the way, in which students solve
problems submitted to them through activities in the classroom or during specific laboratories.
Without creativity, innovation is not possible. But what are the conditions which favour innovation?
First, you must identify some stages:
Figure 3: Stages of Educational Innovation
The preparation
The first experiment
Making arrangements
Dissemination
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This means, in practice, that the educational innovation in an optical system cannot rescind from a careful analysis of current conditions in the feasibility, sustainability and transferability of the innovative project that needs continuity, in time and resources, to be effective. As for the teacher, it is necessary to ensure certain elements, such as:
Teacher empowerment – because an innovation project to be successful needs the
educator to have strong self-esteem and motivation. This means to believe in the educational proposal that is offered to students and to be aware of your own decision-making autonomy, authority and responsibility.
Teacher qualifications – teaching is done, by its very nature, of theory and practice:
if the teacher is comfortable with the matter that he/she teaches, he will be more aware of how to teach it better. At the same time, however, theory and practice are two fields in constant evolution and, for this reason, you need to increase your knowledge and continually interact with other educational subjects in order to improve your skills. Education courses should be a valuable opportunity to transform concrete subject content into an instruction practice based on the teaching-learning and subject to continuous monitoring and critical reflection based on self-assessment.
Strengthening the institutional framework in which he/she works – there must
be, at the institutional level, some assumptions that can facilitate the work of teachers: there can be no innovation without the belief that the school, as learning community, has the specific purpose to produce graduates through effective learning based on quality pedagogical processes.
If the teacher is primarily responsible for the learning of the students, and not a passive person only,
he needs to be educated on what and how to teach; we must ask ourselves what are the innovative
practices can that facilitate this task within the class, starting from three key questions: What do you
want to achieve? How do you want to achieve? How can you evaluate it? Among the many possible
interventions, the educator can make in class, we focus mainly on:
1. Production of materials
The teacher, who is aware of the importance of he/she role and he/she function, cannot dispense with
producing educational materials of diverse kinds, from the simplest to the most sophisticated,
according to the available resources, the needs of he/she students, the educational goals to achieve.
What matters, in fact, is to ensure children's effective learning through quality pedagogical processes it
is important to engage students in their own learning through critical and constructive thinking.
Among the most interesting experiments in this direction, we can underline the development of a new
generation of schoolbooks, the access to which may occur on open platforms, and which involves the
collaboration of all actors of the participatory process - teachers, students and publishers. The
teachers’ experience, with this mode, complete autonomy, both in the selection of the topics and in the
choice of times and ways in which to use them. Through collaborative approach, teachers, organized
in national networks, compare their professional experiences and, starting from the analysis of
concrete situations and the difficulties encountered, process manuals that allow them to vary, based
on the educational and teaching needs, contents to be transmitted using language adapted to the
times and taking into account not only those who excel, but also those who need to improve – this is a
tiring experience that requires a huge effort and critical, continued and rigorous reflection, but
rewarding at the same time, because it leads to the creation of a versatile instrument, changeable
from year to year, adaptable to the needs of the didactic planning, constantly updated, revised,
improved by the teacher, finally representing, the occasion of a fruitful exchange between colleagues
who teach the same subject.
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The book is no longer conceived as a closed text, but as a work in progress that receives all the inputs
coming from the work in class, from the dialogue between teachers and students. It is available in
printed format, e-book and e-pub, so it is readable on any mobile and fixed devices. It can be
integrated with video lessons and online support by teachers, according to a fixed timetable, through
the web platform, to provide assistance to scholars during their training in extracurricular hours. It is
not simply a product, but a working method which aims to ensure more effective learning through
technological tools used with awareness.
It is an innovation that, considering the results obtained, deserves to be widespread: it enhances the
teaching function; it enables the personalization of training, allowing significant saving to families on
the purchase of books. What remains problematic, in this experiment, concerns the validation of
pupils’ knowledge for the final assessments, an issue that requires a serious discussion, able to
conciliate the demands of the law with those of pedagogy.
2. Use of ICT
The development of electronics has led to the production of tools able to meet the demands of a
consumer with diversified needs. Conferences, seminars, websites, forums, blogs and social
networks are now used to achieve different purposes. Also, for educational purposes, there are
teachers who use these resources to enable an immediate sharing of useful learning materials. The
development does not focus exclusively on the web; there are, in fact, many other tools available on
personal computers. All these resources are meant to engage and create a work environment that
facilitates the learning of all curricular subjects.
This is the focus from which the school must educate, train, make the students real digital citizens in a
competitive and globalized world; in addition, all the tools help to produce a more effective learning.
Each innovation has to contribute to a new teaching way, allowing the students to confront articulated
and complex problems, involving their knowledge, prompting to measure themselves in the real world
in which they can demonstrate their acquired skills. To this purpose, the web leads to connective
learning, to know that it grows and changes, if the teacher is able to build a suitable environment,
interacting either with the pupils or with other teachers, both from his own school and from other ones,
too.
There is no need to fill schools with computers without a proper and widespread growth of
technological culture. Technology is not only a "special effect": it must be integrated into the teaching
strategies, and organizational methodologies that are implemented by teachers. Only this "integration"
is a guarantee of success. It is a long process that needs training, reflection on the methodologies,
sharing of experiences, systematic evaluation, as well as technical assistance and administrative
support by the leaders of the school.
The use of technology in a consistent instructional design has the advantage to shift the focus from
the teacher to the student, from abstract teaching to learning “by doing”, from the individual learning to
the collaborative one, and it is able to increase the student’s interest. The teacher becomes,
according to the situation, the "facilitator" or "coordinator" of the group; moreover, the emphasis on
acting in a situation makes it "active" even though knowledge is traditionally acquired through books.
The creation of multimedia products that integrate a plurality of codes allows students to examine the
same input through a diverse type of mediators, surpassing the power of the spoken and written word.
Students are in the center of all, they feel welcome and supported in their path and in the building of
their personal project. Being the "digital natives" respected in their way of being and acting, as well as
"recognized" and understood, they participate with interest.
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Leading discussion groups and other methodologies
Innovation can be also introduced in more traditional learning practices provided that the teacher
encourages creative thinking with inventive approaches to learning that are challenging and thought-
provoking. Debates in class can be an important instrument because they help to develop the
student’s awareness about knowledge already acquired and improve their competences in critical
thinking and analysis.
How can a teacher lead these discussions in order to reinforce knowledge but also to build a true
learning community? They are not improvised meetings but include parts of the course. For this
reason, they must be led and planned in order to reach goals that are coherent to those of the course.
First of all, the teacher, as the leader of the class, must guarantee the conditions, a climate of mutual
confidence. Everyone should feel free to express their own opinions without fear of being judged or
ridicules: interruptions, laughter, offensive or aggressive interventions should not be tolerated. The
teacher can define with the students the rules to follow, the methods of intervention and participation,
based on respect and responsibility. He/She will have to bring shy persons into the discussion while
respecting their privacy. To help, you can use:
Discussion lists,
Threaded discussion
Each class has its own characteristics and, consequently, the teacher must be ready to use the most
suitable style of driving the discussion to the characteristics of the group. The organization of space
can be crucial to the success of the dialogue: the position of the chairs, the use or not of the tables,
any division into groups, and the position of the teacher in the group are all factors to be taken into
account in work organization.
To encourage discussion you can start from arguments known to the students and then restrict more
and more attention to the idea of the central course content. Students’ interests are a great place to
start thinking on what drives their own tank and a good teacher should try to find inspiration from this
world.
Questions must be posed clearly, using, if necessary, concrete examples: the participants must feel
that the teacher does not act as supreme authority but in the spirit of inquiry and that everyone's
contribution is needed to achieve the aim of the discussion. In a safe environment discussion, the
teacher can gradually pull back from being the controller of all discussions and students can respond
to each other’s opinions more effectively - and on their own.
To enhance student interaction during the classroom discussion it is also possible to use technology
such as electronic discussion board, mobile device (smartphone, tablets and notebook computers) or
response ware classroom: a choice that is especially useful if in the group there are students with
learning disorders.
Among the various activities that can be done in class, discussions can help to enhance both
divergent and convergent thinking of students. For this purpose it can be used the Osborne-Parnes
model (Osborn, 1963), in which each step of divergent thinking patterns are involved to challenge
ideas, and then convergent thinking to narrow down exploration.
It has six steps:
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Heightening Anticipation:
•The teacher makes connections between the classroom and
student’s real lives. He “creates the desire to know”.
Deepen Expectations:
•The teacher engages the curriculum in new ways. He uses techniques for creative
thinking (brainstorming, concept mapping, role-playing,
storyboarding, questioning activity, decision tree, laddering) and creates
opportunities to solve a novel problem.
Keep it going:
•The teacher continues the thinking beyond the lesson or classroom. He finds ways to
extend learning opportunities at home or even in the
community.
Figure 4: Adapted from Osborne-Parnes Model (Osborn, 1963)
Regardless of the format used, by comparison with their peers and responding to the various
pressures that can intervene in a discussion, students learn the value of recurrently challenging their
own preconceptions, notions, understanding and conclusions and they can grow more confident in
their own skills.
Conclusion
As we have seen, innovation at school is not a “to do thing” but a way of thinking that can be
expressed in many educational interventions. Typical elements of this approach are the:
Creation of conditions for a "congenial environment". The class, as a place of learning, must
be a place where they feel safe to share ideas. The teacher has the responsibility to foster
creative and critical approaches.
methodological approach, according to Paul Torrance's Incubation Model (Torrance & Safter,
1990), that involves 3 stages:
Figure 5: Adapted from Paul Torrance’s Incubation Model (Torrance & Safter, 1990)
Encouraging of students’ curiosity and initiative. According to Collard in (Clifford, 2013), "Creative skills are not just about good ideas, they are about having the skills to make good ideas happen".
Mess-finding. Identify a goal
or objective
Fact-finding. Gathering
data
Problem-finding.
Clarifying the problem
Idea-finding. Generating
Ideas
Solution finding.
Strengthening and evaluating
ideas.
Acceptance-finding. Plan of action for
implementing ideas.
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He suggests creative skills should include five major areas:
Figure 6: Areas from Creative Skills, adapted from Collard (Clifford, 2013)
References/Bibliography/Links
Clifford, M. (2013). 30 Ways to Promote Creativity in Your Classroom. Retrieved October 3, 2015,
from http://www.innovationexcellence.com/blog/2013/01/10/30-ways-to-promote-creativity-in-your-
classroom/
Osborn, A. F. (1963). Applied Imagination: principles and procedures of creative problem-solving. New
York: Scribner.
Torrance, E. P. P., & Safter, H. T. (1990). The Incubation Model of Teaching: Getting beyond the AHA!
Bearly, Limited.
M.J. Prince and R.M. Felder, “Inductive Teaching and Learning Methods: Definitions, Comparisons,
and Research Bases”, J. Engr. Education, 95 (2), 123-138 (2006), www.ncsu.edu/felderpublic/
Papers/InductiveTeaching.pdf
M. Prince, “Does Active Learning Work? A Review of the Research”, J. Engr. Education, 93 (3), 223-
231 (2004), www.ncsu.edu/felder-public/Papers/Prince_AL.pdf
R.M. Felder and R. Brent, “Learning by Doing”, Chem. Engr. Education, 37 (4), 282-283 (2003),
www.ncsu.edu/felder-public/Columns/Active.pdf
R.M. Felder and R. Brent, “Death by PowerPoint”, Chem. Engr. Education, 39 (1), 28-29 (2005),
www.ncsu.edu/felder-public/Columns/PowerPoint.pdf
R.M. Felder and R. Brent, “Cooperative Learning,” in P.A. Mabrouk, ed., Active Learning: Models from
the Analytical Sciences, ACS Symposium Series 970, and Chapter 4. Washington, DC: American
Chemical Society, 2007, www.ncsu.edu/felder-public/Papers/CLChapter.pdf
www.youtube.com/user/indirericerca
Imagination Being disciplined or
self-motivated. Resiliency
Collaboration
Giving responsibility to students, allowing them to develop their
own projects.
Find ways to integrate art, music and culture in the
lessons
Project multidisciplinary
lessons
Enhance multiple intelligences
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www.insegnantiduepuntozero.wordpress.com/2013/08/27/didattica-itc-e-ambienti-dapprendimento
www.scuolachannel.it
www.solotablet.it
www.schrockguide.net
www.teachingwithipad.org
www.edtechteacher.org
www.teachhub.com
www.edudemic.com
www.edtechmagazine.com
www.guide2digitallearning.com
www.educatorstechnology.com
www.fractuslearning.com
www.eduscol.education.fr
www.teachthought.com
www.scientix.eu
www.celt.iastate.edu/teaching-resources/classroom-practice/teaching-techniques-strategies
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CHAPTER III
Flipped methodology
Introduction
The flipped classroom is a pedagogical model which was created in 2004 by Jonathan Bergmann and
Aaron Sams, two Chemistry teachers who worked together at Woodland Park High School in
Woodland Park, Colorado. It was thought as a means of helping those students who could not attend
classes at school not to miss the learning that was taught at school. The initial idea was to record the
classes so students could watch the lessons at their own pace. This concept has grown and the aim of
this chapter is to analyses the way it has happened and how it has changed.
Content
What it is?
The flipped classroom is a way of teaching completely different from the traditional in-class lecture as
all the elements of the traditional class are reversed. If we want to make the definition of the flipped
class simple we should consider the definition of Lage (Lage et. al., 2000) “Inverting the classroom
means that events that have traditionally taken place inside the classroom now take place outside the
classroom and vice versa”. When reading this definition we may think that a flipped classroom is
simply to change the activities in class and doing them at home and this is not the aim. A flipped
classroom could be better defined as that methodology which has two parts, on the one hand learning
activities in class and as the other hand a sort of different activities at home or outside the classroom.
But there is still not a single model for the flipped classroom. Content delivery is moved outside of the
classroom, for example, through videos, or pre-class readings. But still there are no defined and clear
formulas. For example, a model of a flipped classroom can be that of a teacher that gives the students
some readings in a training session before to read them at home and later to discuss them in class, so
he/she saves time in the following training session because the students have already an idea of what
is going to be taught in the next session.
But, for most, the term is mostly understood as a way of offering the students pre-recorded lectures
made by teachers before a lesson is taught followed by in-class exercises. That is, teachers prepare
their lessons first by creating video lectures with explanations and exercises, projects, discussions.
These recordings are given or sent to the students before the in-class formal lecture takes place, so
they can watch it outside the class, or at home, at their own pace and as often as needed till they get a
clear idea of the subject.
Most of the recordings offer different lectures of around five to seven minutes each because if they are
longer the student may lose attention. While watching, students have also access to online quizzes
and activities that check the progress in their earning process as well as their feedback. All this will
help the teacher once in class to make clear all the points that were not understood while watching the
recorded activities outside the class.
Later on, when the students meet in class with their peers and teachers and lessons are taught, they
will have a time to clarify those concepts which were not clearly understood and will have enough time
in class to do more exercises, projects or to take part in open discussions.
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As we can see, the teacher is no longer the one that leads the class alone; he/she becomes a mentor,
an advisor a coach and the students become active learners testing their skills learnt when watching
the video, applying their knowledge and interacting and taking part in active discussions with other
students.
Which are the reasons to flip?
The reasons are simple: first, to get the educational profits of collaborative learning and active
learning. Research in pedagogical methodologies has shown that educational experiences that involve
collaborative learning are active, involve social skills, engaged the student and help to get better
academic learning and personal outcomes.
When flipping these students?
Develop better skills in oral communication, self-management, self-esteem and sense of responsibility
as well as their leadership skills.
Moreover understanding of different perspectives, opinions increase as students become more open
minded and consequently are better prepared for daily social and professional situations.
Second it is important to mention that it is a fact that every day more and more we have a better and
easier access to technology and the advantages that it brings so to deliver educational content has
become easier and more dynamic. Students can have access to online lecture captures, videos,
podcasts and any online information. The lecture inside the class has become less essential to deliver
content. And moreover, students love new technologies so it is easier to get to them if we use them to
teach them too.
How to start to flip?
First of all, it is very important to explain the students how it works if they have never experienced a
flipped classroom before. Once they understand the positive points of this methodology, they will be
ready to start.
The second important thing is that the teacher has to think about the content that he/she wants to
teach and which part of it is better taught in class and which one can be delivered outside.
Then we can decide the methodology to use as there are different ways of presenting a flipped
classroom. Some teachers may think just in giving some papers with exercises to students so they
can read at home previously to the unit that will be taught in class or to use the most common
methodology which is associated to a flipped classroom that is the creation of videos, podcasts or any
online material.
Videos or online visual presentations, if used in the right way, offer many advantages in the learning
process as they can present some ideas, concepts, definitions that cannot be easily presented in
class, such as an expert’s lecture, the presentation and development of an experiment, accessing
places, museums, attending concerts, analyzing parts of a movie so students are definitely much more
engaged in the process of learning and play a more dynamic role.
When we add instructions, guidelines, activities, topics for discussion to these videos we are making
the students think critically, listen in an active way, open their mind, think about other perspectives and
feel much more motivated to learn much more about the topic being taught and to share what has
been learnt with their peers and teachers.
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So, it is very important always to add the instructional directions to the videos or we fail in our main
goal and students will not consider the recorded presentation as relevant.
A key point in our topic now is to define or to decide how to present a video that is really relevant and
in all the parts of it.
We should think about what should be done, before, during and after the video, to make it really
useful, and the length of it. Videos should not be long if we want students to watch all of them so
usually the length of a maximum of three minutes is recommended. Then we can start to create our
videos or to use selected online video resources.
Here we show some links that could be very useful if we choose this option (using videos):
Academicearth.org9
Merlot: 10
Multimedia Educational Resource for Learning and Online Teaching
Library of Congress11
Creative Commons12
The Futures Channel13
Internet Archive14
National Geographic15
Hulu16
TED Talks17
YouTube18
YouTube University19
Vimeo20
Khan Academy21
Open Yale Courses22
iTunes U23
MIT OpenCourseWare24
Videolectures.net25
Webcast.berkeley26
8 [email protected]: http://eclips.cornell.edu/
9 Academicearth.org: http://academicearth.org/
10 Merlot: https://www.merlot.org/merlot/index.htm
11 Library of Congress: https://www.loc.gov/
12 Creative Commons: http://creativecommons.org/
13 The Futures Channel: http://thefutureschannel.com/
14 Internet Archive: https://archive.org/
15 National Geographic: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/
16 Hulu: http://www.hulu.com/
17 TED Talks: https://www.ted.com/
18 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/
19 YouTube University:
20 Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/
21 Khan Academy: https://www.khanacademy.org/
22 Open Yale Courses: http://oyc.yale.edu/
23 iTunes U: https://www.apple.com/itunes/
24 MIT OpenCourseWare: http://ocw.mit.edu/
25 Videolectures.net: http://videolectures.net/
26 Webcast. Berkeley: http://webcast.berkeley.edu/
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If you are going to use a video already made by others it is very important to take into account
copyright matters. For more information, in the reference section you can find some useful links.
Or you can start shooting your own videos. In the reference section we present some links that can be
useful for the creation of educational videos with or without using any specific software.
But, before shooting them we need to take some advice into account. There are many pieces of
advice available online. You can access them using the reference list.
When using a video made by others or created by ourselves we should add quizzes or any sort of
activity that will allow us to motivate the students, to engage them and to evaluate them. To create and
to add this content we can use different tools:
Jing: https://www.techsmith.com/jing.html (to capture screen video).
Camtasia: https://www.techsmith.com/camtasia-education.html (record and edit,
low cost).
Record Unit http://www.irecord.com/ (record off of your TV, DVD, etc.).
Keepvid http://keepvid.com/ (keep and save video from YouTube).
QuickTime Pro http://www.apple.com/quicktime/ (record, convert and edit video).
Tube Sock http://stinkbot.com/index.html (save and share YouTube video).
Tube Chop http://www.tubechop.com/ (chop and share YouTube video).
Animoto https://animoto.com/features (turn photos and videos into a video
slideshow)
When creating this video and while students watch it at home, they can take an active part if we ask
them to contribute to the material we have produced or used for the class, so we can ask them to find
connections to the subject and to post them.
After all this is done, you should prepare and plan the face to face class. Once you have recorded
the presentation you have prepared about a subject and that you have shared with your students,
before the advance for students to watch, it is very important that all the face-to-face time is used in
the most effective way. Tell students to come to class with some questions prepared about what they
have watched and start a discussion between you and their peers. This will allow the teacher not only
to check the concepts that have not been understood and to take the needed time to clarify them, but
also to start topics of discussion which will help to broaden the concepts learnt in class in a clear way
and to stop and be ready with the questions they have from the pre-lesson viewings and hold an
interactive discussion session. This is the moment to help the students to develop higher level of
thinking, to help them increase their communication skills and to develop the students’ leadership and
social skills. Teachers should make sure that everyone participates and is included. Because at this
step the leaders may be the only players, it is essential to identify the students that might need more
support or encouragement to present their views. To make this task easier, it is good to start by doing
this activity in pairs, so that the shy ones may feel more comfortable and always praise their efforts or
ideas; later, it is good to gradually start enlarging the group and combine pairs. After this step, a quiz
could be used during class time, based on the students’ feedback and discussions after watching the
videos. It is also good to encourage students to prepare their own presentations so that they can
share them with the rest of their peers, thus developing group activities.
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A SWOT analysis
A SWOT analysis of the flipped methodology will help us identify and analyses the internal and
external factors that can have an impact on the viability of implementing a flipped class.
Figure 7: Strengths – SWOT Analysis of the flipped methodology
•Flipped classroom methodology allows students to learn when and where and as often they want and at their own pace;
•A flipped classroom allows students to have time to reflect and think about the topic that is being taught and to think about questions to ask their peers or the teacher once in class, that is how social and team skills are developed;
•Having a video recording of the lessons allows the students to review them as often they need when they have to prepare an exam;
•Absence of the student or the teacher is not a problem anymore, as students have the information recorded so the risk of dropping out is reduced. Moreover, in case a teacher cannot attend school, students do not have worries about the substitute teacher, as the unit material has been recorded and he/she has only to answer questions about doubts or review the unit by doing exercises;
•Teachers that teach the same course can prepare common materials and shared them with all the students so it can be better for students as they can have access to different teachers‘contents and the teachers’ workload can be reduced.
Strengths
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Figure 8: Weaknesses – SWOT Analysis of the flipped methodology
Figure 9: Opportunities – SWOT Analysis of the flipped methodology
•Trust in the student and maturity of the students are a key factors in this methodology. This methodology depends on students' participation: if they do not watch the recorded materials at home previously to the in-class explanations the results of the methodology will not be achieved completely;
• It adds a lot of workload, and in some cases, stress, to those teachers who do not have the required IT skills or to those who feel insecure when using them. Designing the content, recording and editing it and the exercises require additional time and effort from the teachers. Some teachers, that feel secure and like the ‘traditional model of teaching‘, may be afraid of losing control in the class as students have to look for content too, compare it and be more critical about what is taught in class;
•More time spent in front of a computer is needed. Some people can think that, if teachers flip their classes, students will spend more time in front of a computer watching the lessons and that the students’ learning process may be affected;
•The assessing and evaluation process may not be complete as computers can evaluate a quiz or a multiple-choice test but not a complete essay.
Weaknesses
•Flipped methodologies allow teachers to design, create and implement their own methods and approaches;
•The methodology allows the teacher and the student to enrich their knowledge. A traditional teacher is the main centre of information. By changing the method to a flipped methodology, the teacher becomes the mentor and the student changes the role as he/she becomes the actor who can also explore the topics presented and later share the content found in class, so topics can be analysed with greater depth and learning opportunities are increased;
•Teaching becomes a motivating challenge. The teacher has to look for appealing ways of attracting the students’ attention when preparing content and has to be prepared to give students proper feedback when they also find content on their own;
• It can encourage the school to improve its technology and equipment as technology plays a key role in the flipped methodology.
Opportunities
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Figure 10: Threats – SWOT Analysis of the flipped methodology
Conclusion
A flipped methodology may not be the best one for some teachers. However, it is a way of reflecting
on the changes they should do to reach students and to motivate them to use technologies in their
classes and to use media tools as videos.
A flipped class is not a class without a teacher, it is not a class without lectures, instructions or exams
or a space. It is a methodology which aims to give teachers the possibility to reach students who are in
risk of dropping out because they cannot attend class for circumstances such as illness, sports
competitions, living in rural areas, social reasons. It is a way of spending more time with students and
motivating them to think, to reflect, to research and to share all their knowledge with their peers in a
collaborative way
References/Bibliography/Links
M.J. Lage, G.J. Platt, and M. Treglia. Inverting the classroom: A gateway to creating an inclusive
learning environment. The Journal of Economic Education, 31(1):30–43, 2000.
Copyright matters:
http://copyright.cornell.edu/
•Teachers that feel that do not have the required skills in IT and do not have the time or wish to learn about it may lose opportunities in their jobs;
•When starting to prepare materials, the load of work and the extra time needed, may lead some teachers to feel that they have already spent a lot of time in preparing traditional classes and assessing students ‘work so they may look at this method as a new threat in their professional and personal life;
• It is a fact that not all the students have the same learning style: some students may benefit from this methodology due to this but those who are kinaesthetic learners, always need the teacher to look at their reactions while the lesson is presented because the traditional way of teaching allows this methodology to be a real threat for these sorts of students who need the teacher's help and support before doing any sort of exercise or test;
•More competition for schools and editorials. Using this methodology, editorials can lose sales of their books as information will only be looked for in the web and there will be no need for more students’ books, moreover, if the teacher becomes just a tutor and the class is just a meeting point for discussions. Those schools who get a good brand-name using this methodology will be able to offer online courses without the need of spending a lot on tutoring facilities and will need less teachers.
Threats
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http://library.murdoch.edu.au/Copyright-matters/Copying-text-and-images-from-the-internet/
Creating your own videos:
http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2013/05/7-ways-teachers-can-create-videos.html
https://www.techsmith.com/camtasia-uses.html
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wc024
http://elearningindustry.com/the-top-6-animated-video-software-in-the-elearning-market
http://www.adobe.com/es/products/presenter/educationsoftware.html
Getting advice on how to create a video:
http://uwm.edu/education/academics/edtpa/video-recording-tips/
http://www.sitepoint.com/tips-for-recording-screencasts/
http://www.creativebloq.com/video-production/make-tutorial-video-2131915
http://www.videomaker.com/videonews/2012/10/how-to-videos-10-tips-to-making-more-effective-
training-videos
https://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/eli7081.pdf
http://blendedclassroom.blogspot.com.es/2011/05/history-of-flipped-class.html
https://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/eli7081.pdf
http://www.cte.cornell.edu/teaching-ideas/designing-your-course/flipping-the-classroom.html
http://www.flippedlearning.org/domain/36
http://www.flippedlearning.org/domain/41
http://emorywheel.com/flipped-teaching-an-inexact-solution/
http://coredogs.com/article/flipped-classes-threaten-universities-publishers
http://www.flippedlearning.org/review
http://www.teachthought.com/technology/5-digital-tools-for-the-flipped-classroom/
https://es.pinterest.com/techtators/flipped-class-presentation-tools/
http://jonathanwylie.com/2014/04/02/best-interactive-presentation-tools/
http://www.edudemic.com/web-tools-for-flipped-classrooms/
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CHAPTER IV
Design of the Flipped Lesson
Introduction
This chapter focuses on the design of a didactic unit using the flipped methodology. This section
explains the operative steps to implement the flipped methodology in traditional teaching, how to adapt
the lesson according to the time and to the technological resources available.
According to Oliveira (2002), the first step to plan a lesson is to think about what already exists, what
we want to achieve (the objectives of the lesson) and what it means if we want to act (the activities
that might be organized, prepared). This means that any educational planning needs to follow similar
procedures (be it traditional or using the flipped methodology). Furthermore, in order to achieve the
purposes of education, to recognize the current context and the different actors involved becomes
crucial.
The objective of the design of a flipped lesson is to maximize the students’ participation in online and
offline activities. It is important to analyses the context in which this will take place, set out the
objectives pursued and the methodologies to use. This should consider the development of activities
in the classroom and outside the classroom in order to encourage creativity in students as well as their
motivation, besides accepting the error as of the learning process.
The success of the design of a flipped classroom depends on the alignment of what we want for
students before, during, and after the class.
Defining the scope is also important in order to guide teachers and to make clear to students what we
expect from them.
Planning is crucial in order to determine what and how much of the subject can be taught within the
time frame (e.g. semester). It is important not to try teaching “everything” with lower development of
cognitive objectives (understanding and comprehension). It is better to have fewer contents and
develop deeper objectives such as a critical analysis or creativity. It is important to select only the
most important and relevant “contents” of sub-topics that will make up a lesson. Usually, outside the
class students develop lower levels of cognitive work, via reading or watching videos (gaining
knowledge and comprehension) and in-class they focus on higher forms of cognitive work, harder
work of assimilating knowledge, solving problems, debating or discussing some controversial issues
(application, analysis, synthesis, and/or evaluation), where they have the support of their peers and
instructor.
Content
A taxonomy (e.g. Bloom taxonomy) which defines learning objectives is a useful instrument. It is not
enough for students just to read, listen, watch, and take notes. They need to use “the knowledge”, to
apply it, to really and deeply learn it. It is important to promote the development of higher order skills
and to answer questions such as: What do you want your students to know and be able to do after the
flipped classroom? And how will you assess what they know or can do? Table 2 shows how a class
may be planned and the relation between the objectives of the lesson, the skills we want the student
to develop (for the same objective we can have more than one skill to develop), the contents and the
activities and resources matching the learning objectives.
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During the planning phase, each lesson should be built or connected to the next within the sequence
of the learning experience. For the flipped lesson, teachers should select just one small sub-topic of
the whole curriculum and focus on it during the lesson.
Table 2: Presentation of a possible relation between learning objectives, skills, content and activities
and resources.
LEARNING
OBJECTIVES
SKILLS TO BE
DEVELOPED CONTENT
ACTIVITIES
AND
RESOURCES
OBJ 1
SS1
SS2
SS3
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Activity 1
Activity 2
OBJ 2 SS1
SS4 Chapter 3
Activity 1
Activity 4
…
It is important to think in terms of the amount of time needed to cover the specific material and the
time needed for the students to really learn and achieve the learning objectives defined.
The learning objectives and outcomes should be aligned with the activities that students will do before,
during, and after the flipped classroom experience.
In the planning phase, all activities should be described in order to make clear how the learning
objective will be met (see Table 1). The activities may be the creation of a project, solving problems,
analyzing data, engaging in a debate, designing a product and so on. They should meet the desired
learning objectives.
When planning, it is important to prepare: the contextualization of the topic and prepare a document
that describes how the flipped classroom will fit into the overall existing course structure and explain
its relevance to real world applications. Students should know why they are doing something, how it
fits into the overall learning objectives, and how it is used beyond the class in their lifetime.
It is also important to plan and prepare all the instructional materials that students will use in the
flipped experience. The development of materials should take into account the best way to
communicate and present the material (e.g. video, text, animation, simulation, online multimedia
module, or other) for the specific target. Students should be able to follow all the materials effectively.
It is crucial to plan the activities that will be supported in the materials in order to motivate students.
The responsibility and ownership of learning should be transferred from the teacher to students
through participation in interactive activities. Flipped classrooms are learning environments and they
have the potential to promote a paradigm shift from the teacher-centered one to the learner-centered
one, as the learning tasks in flipped classrooms depend heavily on learner-driven preparation outside
formal class time. The activities to be developed in the first in-class session may include a
presentation about the topic, a question about the materials, solving some problems related to the
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topic or bringing to class an illustration of a solution, and so on. The plan should also include
evaluation activities.
When thinking about the activities to be developed it is also important to think on the technologies that
will support them. The idea of flipped classrooms is not new but it has recently gained prominence due
to the advancement in digital technologies which enable students to ubiquitously have access to
resources and build connections with their peers. In the digital age, flipped classrooms include
blended learning designs that use digital technologies to move passive learning tasks of knowledge
delivery beyond formal class time and use learning activities to move constructive learning tasks of
concept building within formal class time. All tools and materials to be used should be clearly
explained and its usage justified.
In sum, a flipped classroom activity should include the following main elements in its description:
Figure 11: Elements of a Learning Activity
Table 3: Planning of a lesson
Time Place Learning objectives and contents
Step 1 Outside class (pre class)
Objective (usually Knowledge and
comprehension levels of the Bloom
taxonomy)
Content 1
Step 2 In class
Objective (usually Application, Analysis,
Synthesis and Evaluation levels in the
Bloom taxonomy)
Activity name:
1. Cognitive Objectives: 2. Soft Skills: 3. Subject/Community: 4. General description (nature and type): 5. Tools: 6. E-contents: 7. Activity phases (preclass, in class, outside
class, in class):
Rules: Results:
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Content 2
Step 3 Outside class
Objective (usually Application, Analysis,
Synthesis and Evaluation levels in the
Bloom taxonomy)
Content 3
Step 4 In class Evaluation/assessment
At the end of the activities it is important to consider opportunities to evaluate the work done by
reflecting on the design of the class or course. It is important to answer questions such as:
Did it work?
How will I know if it worked?
Did I communicate the ideas effectively?
Did I provide enough opportunities for students to practice?
Was it challenging enough?
Feedback from students on what worked well and what didn’t should be collected. Results obtained
should be used in order to improve future practices.
In the next section, we will describe the implementation of each planned phase of a flipped lesson.
Step 1 – Tasks to develop outsider the classroom (pre-class)
The pre-class preparation activities should be developed at least within 7 days in advance of
the first class time.
Pre-class activities may include watching recorded video lectures or do some readings. The
recorded video lectures (video lectures) may include three to four short lecture videos
highlighting major concepts relating to the content area being studied (maximum length of
each should be 10-15 minutes). The required readings may include book chapters and
evidence-based journal articles of varying complexity. They should be presented to support
and expand upon the content of the recorded lecture video.
To complement, students may be invited to watch online videos and accessed some web
links. They can easily access a variety of demonstrating or procedural videos. They can also
take some short quizzes and be responsible for viewing other students’ answers posted to the
course website.
The instructions for the pre-class can be in a word, PowerPoint, podcast file, etc. It can also
be a video or a website. The explanation should not take more than 15 minutes to read and
understand. It should be presented in a clear language and it should be adequate to the
specific target, taking into consideration their previous knowledge. The teacher should clarify
the objectives with enough detail. If, even taking all these precautions, some doubts remain;
the teacher should be available to clarify the objectives.
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Step 2 – Introduction to the topic in the classroom
In the first in-class lesson, the teacher should give a brief introduction to the topic and explain all the
learning process. He / She should also clarify the expectations concerning results, the students’
participation and time needed to perform all the tasks.
As many students may not have any previous experience with flipped classroom and/or active
learning, it is important to explain all the activities that students will develop outside the classroom. It is
also important to explain how the new instructional material fits into the overall existing course
structure and present evidence supporting the reasons why flipped classroom is being used. The
students typically accept change once they understand the rationale behind the decision. Initially,
students may resist to the flipped classroom strategy since it may be a new learning experience and
cause them anxiety. However, when they understand that application, analysis, and synthesis of
course content is the desired outcome, rather than a memorization, their confidence in the flipped
classroom increases.
Usually, it is recommended to spend the first 10 minutes of the in-class time reviewing the pre-class
activities to identify common questions or gaps or developing a question and answer session with
students, influenced by the pre-class activity results. Teacher can promote the discussion of questions
submitted prior to class. This provides teacher and students with an opportunity to assess individual
student knowledge gaps.
The teacher can also provide a quick three-question review quiz (based on the basic learning
objectives) that can be graded or ungraded. The short quiz should assess the students’ initial
knowledge of the content area. Frequent quizzes provide the students and the teacher with immediate
feedback and help identify existing knowledge gaps. This can serve to review and focus the students
on the matter.
The remaining class time can be spent engaging in what are commonly referred to as active learning
strategies which can prepare students for the further process, such as: case studies, in which groups
are directed to examine specific aspects of the same or different case studies. Results should be
shared among all groups and answers should be critically reviewed. Using this strategy, students will
obtain practice in responding to corrective feedback and provide rationale for individual decisions.
Teachers can also encourage presentations in which groups present specific topics that are
extensions of preclass content. In this scenario the students’ writing skills and the ability to translate
evidence to practice are developed. It is also possible to develop a journal article review activity, in
which students review and criticize journal articles focusing on current course content. In this activity
the students’ writing skills and the ability to translate evidence into practice are developed. Many other
activities may be developed using strategies such as: collaboration with peers (to solve problems),
work on assignments, presentation of the students’ created content, discussion of examples or case
studies, debate on a topic, share and exchange knowledge between peers.
As previously mentioned, these activities should focus on high level cognitive activities. Students can
work individually in the classroom as the teacher walks around and provides help, or in groups to
solve problems. The activity chosen depends on the learning goals and objectives.
At the end of the first in-class activity it is important to prepare the continuation of the learning
experience from the in-class activity to the outside-of-class individual or collaborative practice.
Teachers should explain to students what they should do after the in-class activity to continue learning
or bridge to the next topic. We don’t learn something very effectively in one instance. Instead we learn
through practicing in different ways over an extended period of time. Teachers should explain to
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students how often they will need to practice or revise their thinking to really achieve learning
objectives, master the material and be successful.
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Step 3 – Activities of self-assessment performed outside the classroom
Before evaluation in the classroom, both the teacher and the students should ensure they are
prepared for the last session in the classroom. For this, some self-assessment activities should be
proposed. Activities may consist of small work or online questionnaires, with limited number of issues,
between 3-4. Questionnaires should consist of questions in which students are asked to apply the
acquired knowledge rather than memorized issues. The preparation of the questions should be in line
with the defined learning objectives and activities developed. The teacher should provide formative
evaluation of these answers and the questions raised by the students as an opportunity to help the
students to prepare themselves for the session in the classroom.
By reviewing their peers’ work, the students consolidate, reinforce and deepen both their own and
their peers’ understanding of the material learned. This can help the students to develop critical
analysis skills, become comfortable with receiving criticism and justifying their position in further in-
class discussions. This activity can be done by using an online discussion board or a group drop box
in which students have access to each other’s submissions. The instructor will be able to evaluate the
students’ critiques and their understanding of their peers’ work.
Step 4 – Peer assessment and teacher assessment in the classroom
The activities developed in the last in class session should promote peer evaluation and teacher’s
evaluation. The construction of knowledge should be developed based on the dialogue, active learning
and collaboration. The objectives of this session should be clearly defined and aligned with the course
objectives and evaluation.
Conclusion
As described, flipped methodology, although not new, has gained a lot of popularity in the last years
since students are more involved in the learning process thus obtaining better results at the end
(reaching the learning objectives in a more effective way). Of course that presenting a new and
different way to prepare a lesson or approach the learning process may represent some challenges for
all the actors involved – the teacher and the students. Besides, flipped methodology is also a
technique meaning that it is necessary that the teacher knows how to design it to make sure that his /
her objectives are met.
Another challenge of this methodology is that the role of the teacher changes. He / She is no longer
the one that possesses the knowledge but the one that facilitates learning. This means that the focus
of learning is now cantered in the student. All the effort is made by him/her. The teacher now needs to
create and promote the environment where learning will take place. He / She will select the materials
(no matter the format or support); create the environment and activities from which learning will take
place. Students are now invited to actively participate in this process. They are the centre, the focus of
learning. And since this paradigm shift is new, all the process needs to be prepared carefully.
Moreover, since in some schools, classes may be large, the application of this methodology may
require some adaptations to facilitate its effectiveness. Sometimes it is not easy to have group
discussions in class. Or even to allow all the students to express their voice. Or do some practical
exercises in class. In this case the effectiveness may require some adaptations. As mentioned above,
the use of technology and its adaptation to certain situations may be a solution.
Finally, this kind of approach may face some resistance from the students. After all, it is much easier
to be passively in a class listening to the teacher and taking notes. So it is necessary to prepare it
carefully, to explain the objectives and the results expected. Nevertheless, the final result obtained
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and the involvement of students (when they stop resisting) is a reward that any teacher will not forget,
and learning effectively happens in a positive and cheerful environment.
References/Bibliography/Links
Adam, M., Boneh, D., Fisher, D., Klemmer, S., McFarland, D., Noor, M., Rixner, S., Warren, J.,
Sainani, K., Williams, A., Zelikow, P., Everett, S., Diamond, L., Booske, J., Campbell, J., Moses, G.
Flipped Classroom Field Guide.
http://www.cvm.umn.edu/facstaff/prod/groups/cvm/@pub/@cvm/@facstaff/documents/content/cvm_co
ntent_454476.pdf. Accessed at : 21 may 2015.
Bishop, J.L. and Verleger, M. (2013). The Flipped Classroom: a survey of the research
http://www.studiesuccesho.nl/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/flipped-classroom-artikel.pdf. Accessed in:
21 may 2015.
Bloom, B. S. (1968). Learning for mastery. Evaluation Comment, 1(2), 1-12. Retrieved from
http://ruby.fgcu.edu/courses/ikohn/summer/PDFfiles/LearnMastery2.pdf . Accessed at: 17 June 2015.
Brame, C., (2013). Flipping the classroom. Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching. Retrieved
Wednesday, April 8, 2015 from http://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/flipping-the-classroom/.
Accessed at : 21 may 2015.
Center for Teaching and Learning (s/d). What is different about a flipped classroom?
http://ctl.utexas.edu/teaching/flipping-a-class/different. Accessed at: 21 may 2015.
Kong, Siu Cheung (2014). Developing information literacy and critical thinking skills through domain
knowledge learning in digital classrooms: An experience of practicing flipped classroom strategy.
Computers & Education, 78, pages 160-173. http://ac.els-cdn.com/S0360131514001316/1-s2.0-
S0360131514001316-main.pdf?_tid=6df633b6-d0af-11e4-8810-
00000aacb362&acdnat=1427041441_6cd45bc33a0da442483b7de7ff8a95c8. Accessed at: 21 may
2015.
Oliveira, Dalila de Andrade (2002). Gestão Democrática da Educação: Desafios Contemporâneos. 7ª
edição. Petrópolis, RJ. Editora Vozes.
Pierce, R. and Fox, J. (2012). INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN AND ASSESSMENT - Vodcasts and Active-
Learning Exercises in a “Flipped Classroom” Model of a Renal Pharmacotherapy Module. American
Journal of Pharmaceutical Education; 76 (10). http://www.ajpe.org/doi/pdf/10.5688/ajpe7610196.
Accessed at : 21 may 2015.
Tucker, B. (2012). The Flipped Classroom. Education Next, 12(1). http://educationnext.org/the-flipped-
classroom/. Accessed at : 21 may 2015.
Hawks, J. (2014). The Flipped Classroom: Now or Never?.
http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?sid=dbd20880-cfff-4cd8-a54d-
6093cea55895%40sessionmgr113&vid=0&hid=115&bdata=Jmxhbmc9cHQtYnImc2l0ZT1laG9zdC1sa
XZlJnNjb3BlPXNpdGU%3d#db=ccm&AN=2012673240. Accessed at: 21 may 2015. Accessed at : 17
June 2015
Colombo, C. , et al (2014). A FERRAMENTA WINK E O MODELO “SALA DE AULA INVERTIDA”
APLICADOS AO ENSINO DE PROGRAMAÇÃO*
http://evidosol.textolivre.org/papers/2014/upload/33.pdf. Accessed at : 17 June 2015.
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CHAPTER V
Development of the didactic contents in the flipped
Introduction
In most flipped classroom models, short video lectures are viewed by students at home before the
class session, while class time is devoted to exercises, projects or discussions. The value of a flipped
classroom is in the repurposing of class time into a workshop where students can inquire about lecture
content, test their skills in applying knowledge, and interact with one another in hands-on activities.
During class sessions, teachers function as coaches or advisors, encouraging students in individual
inquiry and collaborative effort. At the same time, collaborative projects can encourage social
interaction, making it easier for students to learn from one another and for those of varying skill levels
to support their peers. This chapter is a guide to all teachers that want to create a learning object to
support flipped classroom activities.
Content
The videos
Firstly, teachers should consider whether a video is the best instructional tool for the desired
educational outcome (Bergmann & Sams, 2012). If not, then videos should not be used. If a video is
an appropriate instructional tool, then proceed with planning one. If you are comfortable with video-
recording technology, then creating your own video is probably the best choice. If not, then it may be
best to use videos produced by other teachers. With the explosion of YouTube27 and other video
sharing sites, the number of educational videos available is steadily increasing. It may be possible to
find appropriate videos by doing a simple search online. The Khan Academy28 also provides excellent
instructional video segments.
Teachers who choose to make their own videos may use any screen casting program that captures
what is on their computer screen, such as Screencast-O-Matic29. A microphone is required to capture
the instructor's audio, and a webcam can capture a small image of the instructor's face as they
proceed through the lesson. A digital pen is useful, especially for lessons that involve mathematical
problem solving (Bergmann & Sams, 2012). Other features, such as video clips and post-production
items can be added after the initial recording is complete to enhance the quality of the videos.
The easiest way to make the videos is to record live direct instruction for one unit, then use this the
following year to implement the flipped classroom teaching approach (Bergmann & Sams, 2012; Lage
et al., 2000). Alternatively, teachers can record videos in their own time outside of class. It is
particularly helpful when two instructors record videos together, as watching a conversation can be
more interesting than watching one person talk (Bergmann & Sams, 2012).
Here are some tips for creating high quality educational videos:
Keep it short (a good guideline is less than 10 minutes)
27
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/ 28
Khan Academy: https://www.khanacademy.org/ 29
Screencast-O-Matic: http://www.screencast-o-matic.com/
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Keep to your topic
Vary the inflection of your voice
Make the video a conversation between two teachers
Add humour/sense of teaching 'self' to make videos more engaging to watch
Digitally write on the screen for active engagement
Add callouts to draw attention to key elements
Zoom in or out to emphasize different points
Follow copyright laws
Consider making videos available to students whether a flipped model is used, or traditional
instructional methods (Lents & Cifuentes, 2009)
Be aware of the students’ perceptions around the use of videos as part of a new instructional
strategy; consider surveying the students beforehand to obtain a sense of the students'
impressions of the inverted methodology.
In-class activities
The greatest benefit to any flipped classroom is not the video. In fact, it is the additional in-class time
that can be used for hands-on, authentic learning experiences (Alvarez, 2011; Bergmann & Sams,
2012; Koller, 2011). Students can work collaboratively on problems while the teacher circulates,
allowing hearing and correct misunderstandings on the spot. Learning activities may include the use of
differentiated instruction and project-based learning (Alvarez, 2011). More time is spent in class on the
upper end of Bloom's taxonomy (Bloom, 1968) as students tackle difficult problems, work in groups,
research, and construct their own knowledge with the help of their peers and their instructor (Bennett
et al., 2011).
How departments can use the flipped model
In-class time can be used for a variety of different activities, depending on the subject matter. In
foreign language classes, teachers are recording grammar lessons and using the freed up class time
to increase conversation, write stories, and read literature in the target language (Bergmann & Sams,
2012). Math teachers report using the extra class time to actively help their students form a deeper
understanding of mathematical concepts, using math manipulative and emerging technologies
(Bergmann & Sams, 2012). Science classes under the flipped model have more time to engage
students in inquiry-based activities and conduct in-depth laboratory experiments (Bergmann & Sams,
2012; Sparks, 2011). Humanities instructors find more time for students to delve into original
document analysis, debate, give speeches, discuss current events, write, and analyses their peers'
writing (Bergmann & Sams, 2012). Physical Education teachers can use the flipped classroom
approach to explain the rules of games through instructional videos, freeing up class time for
increased physical activity (Bergmann & Sams, 2012). English teachers can use record mini grammar
lessons and use class time for active practice; upper level English classes can use instructional videos
to demonstrate annotation skills or outlining practice, allowing for increased hands-on practice in
lessons. Art teachers could record mini-lectures about skill development and technique, allowing for
more time to be spent in the art room in active practice, allowing the teacher to circulate and help
students develop key skills. Music teachers could use the flipped model to have students view or listen
to music at home so ideas could be processed in class.
The flipped-mastery classroom
The basic idea behind mastery learning is that students are independently capable of mastering
subject content under the appropriate learning conditions (Bloom, 1968). The assumption behind
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mastery learning is that students should have complete fluency with content and not just a schematic
understanding. It is the task of the instructor to determine what is meant by mastery of the topic and to
determine how individual differences can be accounted for in order to enable students to attain such
mastery (Bloom, 1968). The classroom environment is very important so mastery can occur. Students
must be able to work in a setting that is conducive to learning and supportive of individual learning
needs.
In the flipped-mastery classroom, students learn a series of objectives at their own pace.
Asynchronous activity occurs when students work at home. Within a flipped-mastery classroom, some
students may be conducting experiments or working on other inquiry activities, some students may be
watching instructional videos on class computers or on personal devices, some students may be
working collaboratively in groups, some students may be working on online simulations, and some
may be taking assessments on a class computer or personal device (Bergmann & Sams, 2012).
Instructors move around the room, interacting with students and providing remediation.
The benefit of this instructional model is that learners are able to proceed at the pace that is
appropriate for them. Students who struggle with a concept are given more time to work through it and
teachers offer necessary remediation, while students that excel are able to work ahead and master
other contents. Technology is leveraged to make mastery possible as students learn by watching the
appropriate instructional video for the outcome they are currently focused on, rather than all students
being required to learn the same objective at the same time through a live lecture. Learning becomes
more personalised and the classroom can be differentiated for all students (Bergmann & Sams, 2012).
The SCORM (Shareable Content Object Reference Model)
When we create the videos, the tests, flipped methodology, we need to track and report about what
the students are doing, if they have completed the courses and how they are doing in the tests. But
how can we do that?
We are able to do this through what is called SCORM.
What is SCORM?
Shareable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM) is an XML-based framework used to define and
access information about learning objects so they can be easily shared. SCORM is a set of technical
standards for e-learning software product which teaches programmers to write the content of the
courses in a way that they can be used too using different software.
And what is an Object?
When we think about programming, objects are those things you think about when you want to design
a programme. “Each object is an instance of a particular class or subclass with the class's own
methods or procedures and data variables. An object is what actually runs in the computer”.
searchsoa.techtarget.com/.../Shareable-Content-Object”
SCORM tells us how to create “shareable content objects” or “SCOs” and by doing so they will be able
to be used again using other systems that can be reused in different systems and contexts.
A Reference Model reflects that SCORM isn’t actually a standard. SCORM simply refers to these
existing standards and tells developers how to properly use them together.
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To create a SCORM you can use your software to develop educational contents and then save it as
SCORM file. The programme will generate a zip file, ready to be inserted in a communication channel.
SCORMS have some advantages such as: content portability, granularity (goals), interoperability of
content, sequencing courses and integration platforms (LMS). SCORMS have also some
disadvantages such as: practical difficulties in some cases (example: a flight simulator),
embarrassment of the pedagogical model (example: modules integration enable in a specific context),
scale of limitations (example: specify the orality training in a foreign language).
Points for further research
How do research results compare flipped model implementation in public and private school
systems?
What are the results from cross-cultural implementation?
Are there certain ages the flipped model approach works best with?
Do males and females work within a flipped model in similar ways?
How can schools best support the implementation of a flipped model approach to increase
teacher buy-in?
How can a flipped model be used to support inter-departmental projects?
How can students be incorporated into the video-making sequence?
Do class sizes impact results in a flipped model classroom?
Which subjects benefit the most from this approach?
Teacher feedback
"Some of the students that have struggled in the past (according to their parents) are doing much
better because of my ability to work with them ... one-on-one in class, helping with objectives they are
having trouble with" - Brett Willie, Dallas, Texas (as cited in Bergmann & Sams, 2012, p. 23).
"I was trying to figure out how to get students from the passive mode - 'you are responsible for
teaching me' - to the ownership mode - 'I am responsible for what I learn or refuse to learn'" - Jennifer
Douglass, Macon, Georgia (as cited in Bergmann & Sams, 2012, p. 61).
"Immediately, I noticed that this method of teaching was great for my high students and my low
students. The high students were able to use time in class to work through many more questions than
usual, and also solved more challenging questions. They got it, and really didn’t need to waste their
time waiting for other students to get it before starting on their work." - Jennifer, a teacher from an
international school in Switzerland, 2013 (as cited in Bergmann & Sams, 2012, p. 23).
Parent feedback
"The flipped classroom seems to be a much better use of the teacher's time. It also is less frustrating
for the student when they need extra help as the teacher is available during class time ending the
necessity of going in before/after school to get needed help" - Parent of a 12th grade Calculus student
(as cited in Fulton, 2012, p. 16).
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"Prior to the flipped classroom, we had to pay for a math tutor. Now our son is feeling more confident
and hasn't needed the tutor because he is able to get his questions answered on a daily basis" -
Parent of a 10th grade Geometry student (as cited in Fulton, 2012, p. 16).
Student feedback
"I like that we watched the concept at home, but then mastered the concept in class" - 10th grade
Algebra student (as cited in Fulton, 2012, p. 14).
"I liked this approach a lot because when we work on homework in the classroom, [the teacher is] here
to help us. Otherwise, I would be lost at home and wouldn't be able to finish my homework because I
would have no idea how to do it" - 11th grade Precalculus student (as cited in Fulton, 2012, p. 14).
"I liked how I could rewind and pause the lectures in case I didn't understand something" - 12th grade
Calculus student (as cited in Fulton, 2012, p. 14).
"Sometimes the video notes can become a little fast and hard to keep up with, but asking questions
the next day helps [me] to understand" - 11th grade Precalculus student (as cited in Fulton, 2012, p.
14).
"Well, I think like what he said. To a large extent it's just acting like an adult and putting value in your
own education to be motivated to care and like do it" - first year Biology student, 'Jenny' (as cited in
Strayer, 2012, p. 185).
Conclusion
The flipped classroom approach is a growing trend in education, and it may prove particularly
appealing in the academic library setting. Improving student research skills is a rewarding experience,
but the opportunity to move beyond a basic introduction to library resources and to deepen or expand
students’ research skills and knowledge of information literacy processes merits the attention and
consideration of any librarian focused on instruction.
References/Bibliography/Links
Alvarez, B. (2011). Flipping the classroom: Homework in class, lessons at home. Education Digest:
Essential Readings Condensed For Quick Review, 77(8), 18-21. Retrieved from
http://neapriorityschools.org/successful-students/flipping-the-classroom-homework-in-class-lessons-at-
home-2
Baker, J. (2000). The 'classroom flip': Using web course management tools to become the guide by
the side. In J. A. Chambers (Ed.), Selected papers from the 11th International Conference on College
Teaching and Learning (pp. 9-17). Jacksonville, FL US: Florida Community College at Jacksonville.
Bennett, B., Spencer, D., Bergmann, J., Cockrum, T., Musallam, R., Sams, A., Fisch, K., & Overmyer,
J. (2013). The flipped classroom manifest. Retrieved from http://www.thedailyriff.com/articles/the-
flipped-class-manifest-823.php
Bergmann, J., & Sams, A. (2012). Flip your classroom: Talk to every student in every class every day.
Washington, DC: International Society for Technology in Education.
Bloom, B. S. (1968). Learning for mastery. Evaluation Comment, 1(2), 1-12. Retrieved from
http://ruby.fgcu.edu/courses/ikohn/summer/PDFfiles/LearnMastery2.pdf
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Brown, A. F. (2012). A phenomenological study of undergraduate instructors using the inverted or
flipped classroom model (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from ProQuest Dissertations and Theses
database. (1238015781)
Frederickson, N., Reed, P., & Clifford, V. (2005). Evaluating web-supported learning versus lecture-
based teaching: Quantitative and qualitative perspectives. Higher Education, 50(4), 645-664.
Fulton, K. (2012). Upside down and inside out: Flip your classroom to improve student learning.
Learning & Leading with Technology, 39(8), 12-17. Retrieved from http://education-
290.wikispaces.com/file/view/FLipped+Classroom.pdf
Khan, S. (2011). Let’s use video to reinvent education. Speech presented at TED2011. Retrieved from
http://www.ted.com/talks/salman_khan_let_s_use_video_to_reinvent_education.html
Koller, D. (2011). Death knell for the lecture: Technology as a passport to personalized education.
Retrieved from http://www.seas.upenn.edu/about-
seas/overseers/pdf/DaphneKoller_TechnologyasaPassporttoPersonalizedEducation_NYTimes.pdf
Lage, M. J., Platt, G. J., & Treglia, M. (2000). Inverting the classroom: A gateway to creating an
inclusive learning environment. Journal of Economic Education, 31(1), 30-43.
Lents, N., & Cifuentes, O. (2009). Web-based learning enhancements: Video lectures through voice-
over PowerPoint in a Majors-level Biology course. Journal of College Science Teaching, 39(2), 38-46.
Nielsen, L. (2012). Five reasons I'm not flipping over the flipped classroom. Retrieved from
http://theinnovativeeducator.blogspot.ca/2011/10/five-reasons-im-not-flipping-over.html
Ryback, D., & Sanders, J. (1980). Humanistic versus traditional teaching styles and student
satisfaction. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 20(87), 87-90.
Sadaghiani, H. R. (2012). Online prelectures: An alternative to textbook reading assignments. Physics
Teacher, 50(5), 301-303.
Sparks, S. D. (2011). Schools "flip" for lesson model promoted by Khan Academy. Education Week,
31(5), 1. Retrieved from http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2011/09/28/05khan_ep.h31.html
Strayer, J. F. (2012). How learning in an inverted classroom influences cooperation, innovation and
task orientation. Learning Environments Research, 15(2), 171-193
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„School work at home and home work at school”
(Chen, G. , 2015).
CHAPTER VI
Flipped methodology videos
Introduction
Nowadays publishing video tutorials on the Internet is becoming more and more popular. With just a
little willingness everyone can make and upload a video. The technology makes it very easy. All you
need is a computer and a camera with a microphone. This is a trend we can use in the learning
process. How do we make a good and effective video lecture? Let us take the issue of the Flipped
Methodology.
Content
Different types of videos
There are many types of videos that can be used in the Flipped Methodology. The simplest type is to
do a recording of the lesson. Another type is the so-called "talking head", where the teacher is sitting
in his office talking. It can also for example be a power point presentation in which the teacher can be
seen as a small "talking head" in the corner of the presentation. There is also a type of video which
shows the teacher when he is drawing and explaining the topic of the class.
Video production. Things you should be aware of
This is a list of the most important things in a video, in the Flipped Methodology:
The most important thing is that the quality of the sound is good;
The technical quality of the images should be good;
The video lectures should be short;
The students prefer to watch their own teachers instead of an extremely good teacher they don`t
know;
The communication ability of the teacher.
The Flipped Institute in their “Practical guide to creating the best learning videos30” advises also that
it’s important to make sure the sound in your video is captured effectively. In their opinion it is useful to
record a short test video, and play it back to a colleague. The Flipped Institute recommends using
illustrations and demonstrations in the flipped video. It is convenient and helpful to use a whiteboard
and draw diagrams or publish images from the web.
30 http://flippedinstitute.org/files/practical-guide.pdf, accessed at: 17 June 2015.
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Guo, Kim and Rubin (2014) conclude that the students prefer to watch short videos which last
maximum 6 minutes. They also show that the students are more engaged by the video if it includes
the teacher talking, like for instance a "talking head". The students would rather watch a personal
video made with simple remedies than an impersonal professional video made in a studio. In the
opinion of the students it was a great advantage to have the videos easily available and by using them
they got more motivated to study. Two of the studies also reported that students liked the flexibility of
using a video, because they could choose the time, place, and their own pace of learning. Technical
problems that students experienced, were the data size of the videos, lack of access to mobile
devices, the video format their inability to play the videos.
Koller (2013), Guo, et al (2014), Bergmann and Sams (2012), show that the students watch the video
for a longer period of time if there is a person talking in the corner of the screen, and even longer if the
person talking is their own teacher. It is also shown that the motivation increases by using videos.
Videos should be interactive. It`s important to activate the students with interactive tasks after they
have watched the videos (quiz, questions etc.). The students also skip parts of the video if they have
already understood the topic. Many students use the videos as a repetition before exams. It is
important for students to be able to pause the videos and to rewind if they don`t understand the topic.
Practical tips for making a video lecture
There are many academics and teachers, such as the educator Joe Hirsch and the History teacher
Keith Hughes, who work in the field of the flipped classroom methodology. Keith Hughes is a big
enthusiast of the flipped classroom model. He records flipped History classes and publishes them into
his YouTube channel called Hip Hughes History31. In one of his videos “I Flip, You Flip, and We All
Flip: Setting up a Flipped Classroom32” Hughes is explaining the concept of the flipped class and is
sharing his experience in making videos with other users. Joe Hirsch33, a PhD student of Akiba
Academy of Dallas and educator on his blog on the platform “Edutopia.org” also pays attention to the
flipped learning34. According to them, we can make a list of the best practical tips for making an
informative and effective video lecture. Bergmann and Sams (2012) name four steps of making a
video: planning, recording, editing and publishing.
31
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCErKUCncCyBgEdxWAtrj5hg, accessed at 21.04.2015 32
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRvmjjeZ9CA, accessed at 21.04.2015 33
https://www.edutopia.org/users/joe-hirsch, accessed at 21.04.2015 34
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/4-tips-for-flipped-learning-joe-hirsch, accessed at 21.04.2015
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Figure 14: Editing phase of making a video, adapted from Bergman and Sams
(2012)
Figure 15: Publishing phase of making a video, adapted from Bergman
and Sams (2012)
Pla
nn
ing
•Plan your video;
•Think about the topic you want to show, which problem you want to solve in your lecture video;
•Make sure that you understand your content and you know your audience.
•Write a script.;
•Don’t make your video too long and avoid long monologues. It’s better to make a short and effective video. Remember that you are going to talk to students and they are going to be at home. You must engage them. Be direct, be creative, be authentic, be yourself. Use direct simple language. Make a video as if it were your lesson. Choose the right vocabulary but don’t be too academic. Make your video class easy to understand;
•Prepare visual materials for your video: images, diagrams, notes which you will add to your presentation. Think about the design of your video and music;
•Find an easy program to create your video (for example iMovie, Office Mix);
•Find the right equipment and a video scenery.
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Re
cord
ing
•Your basic equipment is: camera, microphone, lights, computer and a program for video edition;
• If you don’t have a professional camera, make your video with a simple camera or smartphone;
• If you want to replace the regular background with a picture – use a green screen;
•Record the video in a good quality. Your words must be clear;
• If you don’t have professional lights, you can sit in front of a window and use natural light.
Edit
ing
•Download your video and edit it. If you made a mistake, you can cut this part away;
•Design your video. The visual side of your video is important;
•Begin your video with the title of the lecture and music;
•Choose a type of background (change the green screen into a picture if needed);
•Choose size, color and a font type;
•Add sound effects;
•Add pictures, video clips, diagrams, definitions, important phrases, key words, comments, questions. You can create them in flashcards and place them on the side of your video. You can make a demonstration or draw a diagram while making the video;
• It is also a good idea to make your video interactive and prepare a short online test on the topic of the lecture. This way the students learn more.
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Office Mix - An example of an easy tool to use
Now Microsoft has come with a new addition to Power Point – Office Mix35. This can be downloaded
for free. This tool makes a video of the slides in your power point, and you can easily record yourself
as a "talking head" in the corner of the video.
This tool also enables you to make quizzes and polls as a part of the video. This way the students get
activated while watching the videos. This tool is very easy for teachers to use, because most teachers
already use Power Point. Office Mix has only added the recording and the interactive elements, thus
making it easier to implement Flipped Learning. In Office Mix it is also possible for the teacher to see
who has viewed the video and the students' answers to a quiz. This way the teacher can prepare
better for the next class, knowing if the students have understood the topic.
Conclusion
By using video lectures you will have more time for other activities during the class. Your students can
choose the way of watching your videos. They can make a break when they want and they can watch
the whole video or separate parts of it many times. Then they will come to school with new knowledge,
questions and ideas. You don’t need advanced technology to make your video lecture. You can also
use your smartphone.
Do not forget to avoid long monologues and try to make your language simple and your voice
interesting and clear. Keep films short and entertaining. Experience shows that students prefer to
watch videos that last 6 minutes, so this is the ideal length of a video. Feel free to use humour and to
be yourself. It is not important for students that the video is perfect. They prefer to watch their own
teacher on video, because they know their teacher and can relate better to the topic explained by their
own teacher. Make the structure of your lecture video clear. Several studies indicate that the students
are motivated for using videos and that they think the videos are helpful and effective in their learning
process. The students who watch the most videos get better grades, and the students who do the
online tests after watching the videos get the best grades.
Upload your video and make your flipped class real.
References/Bibliography/Links
Bergmann, J., Sams, A. (2012): Flip Your Classroom: Reach Every Student in Every Class Every Day.
Eugene, or: International Society for Technology in Education.
Chen, G., et al (2015). Lecture Notes in Educational Technology, Emerging Issues in Smart Learning,
Springer Heidelberg New York Dordrecht London, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2015.
http://www.researchgate.net/publication/264516668_Learning_through_instant-
messaging_chat_logs_A_tool_for_adults_to_address_the_communication_norms_in_the_new_workpl
ace
Guo, P. J., Kim, J., Rubin, R. 2014): How video production affects student engagement: an empirical
study of MOOC videos. Paper presented at the Proceedings of the first ACM conference on Learning
@ scale conference, Atlanta, Georgia, USA 2014. http://groups.csail.mit.edu/uid/other-pubs/las2014-
pguo-engagement.pdf
Johansson, M., Nohr, M. (2014).: Hvordan opplever studenter lærerens egenproduserte video som
læringsressurs? Masterstudium IKT-støttet læring Høgskolen i Oslo og Akershus, Fakultet for
35
PowerPoint Mix: https://mix.office.com/
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lærerutdanning og internasjonale studier; mai 2014.
http://www.fag.hiof.no/~magnusn/div/Masteroppgave-Nohr-Johansson.pdf
Kay, R. H.(2012) :Exploring the use of video podcasts in education, A comprehensive review of the
literature, 2012. https://elearntechjustin.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/kay-2012-comprehensive-review-
of-literature-on-video-podcasts-in-education.pdf
https://mix.office.com/Accessed at: 21 may 2015.
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/4-tips-for-flipped-learning-joe-hirsch
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCErKUCncCyBgEdxWAtrj5hg
https://www.edutopia.org/users/joe-hirsch
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRvmjjeZ9CA
http://flippedinstitute.org/files/practical-guide.pdf
http://www.tceaconvention.org/2015/handouts/Session-150191.pdf
http://youtu.be/oC1_U5orWKE
http://youtu.be/BMiI6RdlNQs
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CHAPTER VII
Educational game
Introduction
The educational games are an extra tool for teachers to plan and to reinforce curriculum, because
they are particularly relevant in guiding, supporting and integrating people at risk of early school
leaving. In this way, special attention can be paid to verify the need of weaker users, who can end up
being marginalised from the collective growth processes. In fact, it is necessary to look at the
fundamental aspect of educational planning consisting of a careful observation and evaluation of
situations and, consequently, of a setting of activities in which interventions are surely personalised.
This allows to organize a common purpose, which is perceived as such by all the students involved,
albeit at different levels.
In order to keep the students’ interest up, it is important to be able to motivate them. Motivating
students means creating working conditions which encourage them to work together. The most
important action is to take on an individual approach towards students, to know their needs and the
factors increasing their well-being and their efficiency at study. Motivating participants also means
motivating them to study. The word ‘motivation’ contains two basic elements: motive and action. The
motive is the factor determining the action, it is a goal set at the beginning of the path. The moment of
setting the goal, or motive, is particularly important to start the action. It may not be too small, but it
must be achievable and clearly defined, so that undertaking actions is a natural transition from
determining the goal to implementing it. Choosing to insert games in a training course is definitely a
good strategy to motivate one's own students, to ensure that their "motive" and their "actions" are at
the center of their educational path. Educational games have in fact the goal of making both the class
group and the individual student the protagonists of learning. And it is for this reason that educational
games can be a winning move to prevent school discomfort; as a matter of fact, workshop activities
awaken students' creativity, which is too often left under textbooks, and allow them to put themselves
into play, without being afraid of making mistakes or being judged, leaving plenty of room to active
learning.
Content
There are some requirements to design an educational game correctly:
Identifying the purpose
Game structure
Timing Debriefing Assessing
effectiveness
Figure 8: Requirements to design an educational game
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Identifying the purpose
Since the basic rule to set up an educational game is to focus on its purposes within a training path, it
is essential to begin with an analysis of the goals to be achieved. The first step will therefore be a
search for knowledge-skills to be developed during the training and in particular what the game wants
to highlight. It must be then determined how the game or games can connect with the training and
what added value they can add to the training experience. The research will therefore be the starting
point to focus the target point to reach, in order to define the different stages of the game. It is
essential to start from a theme, a skill, a specific topic of the course to build the game. Once the
macro-theme is identified you can proceed to set the game structure and the activities to be offered to
learners.
Game structure
The second stage for the creation of a game is the definition of activities that will compose a game,
that is to say the definition of the game structure, roles, rules and activities.
It is essential to start from an initial situation which identifies a possible reality with which participants
can identify. Game scenario must be defined in all the details so that participants can understand
exactly what the starting point of the activity is. The scenario can be a real life situation adapted to the
classroom with all the variables of the case, a situation participant know well because it is part of their
daily lives. For example, if the game has the goal of increasing participants 'problem-solving skills, we
may simulate a work situation, to deal with in a team, reflecting the real problems of the sector. The
scenario may also represent a situation participants have never experienced but can imagine because
properly prepared: if the game aims to raise a class of teenagers’ awareness on the difficulties their
peers in Bolivia face, it will be necessary to prepare detailed materials to let them know the
adolescents’ living conditions in South America.
After defining the situation, we will be able to define the roles of participants. For the game to be
successful each student must participate and everyone must have an active role, no one can stand
aside and watch. To define roles it is necessary to determine which people or groups have a
significant position in the situation that is being defined. For example, if the game is set in a court of
law, the protagonists will be the accused, the defence, the courts and the involved parties. The roles
that participants will have to play can be defined, whether they are single individuals or groups.
Participants may in fact be divided into teams, in small groups or may act individually. That is to say:
the ones who play. The roles as well have to be described in detail, but always trying to leave some
space for the imagination of participants, who need to understand the mandate but also make it theirs
in order to play an active role.
After defining the components of our game we can structure the game, that is to say establish what
will the protagonists of our game do in a given scenario to achieve a specific goal, what activities will
take place during the game, what is to be produced and how and at which stages. That is to say: what
should the protagonists do to achieve a goal. During this phase, you must determine how the initial
scenario is modified, what factors and what changes transform the initial situation. A game can be
composed of many activities making the group grow up and reach the goal. While planning the
activities it’s necessary to focus on the mode of learning that the game is meant to work on. To this
aim, it’s important to determine which are the characterising elements of the game, and frame them
into a pedagogical paradigm, in order to set the game within a specific model of teaching-learning
process. It is then appropriate to remember that there are 5 models of learning, and each educational
game must have at least one prevalent model of learning.
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Figure 97: Models of Learning
Acquisition:
• In this model, learning is a transfer of information from the teacher, possessor of the knowledge, to a recipient, who passively receives the information. Since learning is a personal mental process consisting in memorizing and reproducing concepts, the person acting as a learner and his/her preferences about how to learn, are not relevant factors
Imitation:
•Learning by imitation - also known as vicarious learning (from the latin terms vicarium - vice ) occurs when the learned actions are the outcome deriving from the observation and imitation of others
Experimentation:
• It is the active process of “learning by doing” in a specific context, and it consists in developing new skills by carrying out practical activities. It’s generally an individual model of learning, but it can also be applied in social contexts (for instance in team games)
Participation:
•This model of learning is based on the social aspect of learning, on how learners can build new meanings and new ways of learning by means of the interaction
Discovery:
•The term discovery is referred to accidental acquisitions of knowledge, due to the involvement of the learner in a learning context. Discovery can be both an individual or social process, whereas its distinctive characteristic is the active involvement of the learner
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It’s possible to take the most from the learning experience in term of education, by considering the
learning model while planning the educational game. In this way it’s possible to overcome the
traditional teaching and introduce innovative and creative models in the daily practice.
Having established the scenario, the characters and the activities, we have to establish the rules of the
game, what criteria the players must comply with during the game, namely how they have to play.
Rules must be accurate and detailed, contain everything players can or cannot do. The aim of defining
rules must be that of defining a border and help players achieve their goal. Rules can be written or
orally explained by the teacher.
The last step of this stage is the preparation of materials. A game, in fact, requires a few basic
elements that are essential to the conduct of activities: mandates, directions to the players, and the
"script" for the teacher.
The mandate is the tool determining who the characters of the game are and what goal they have to
achieve, it allows to understand the key elements the participants need to know in order to be able to
identify with the character or to play. The mandate can be considered as the participant's passport and
as the boarding passes for a flight: it indicates the role to be taken by the player and what is their
destination during the game. Mandates are personal: they belong to the individual player or the team.
Directions are the different steps explaining to players what they have to do during the game, they tell
about the scenario and provide practical guidance to the whole group. These two tools (mandate and
directions) must be written with particular attention, without neglecting any step and in a language that
must be adapted to target players.
The other key tool is the "trainer's script", that is to say directions on how to manage the game, which
activities learners have to perform and in what order, practical advice and suggestions. Teaching
notes will be the essential tool which will help the trainer to manage the game.
Timing
The time available is never too much, especially if the game is well organized. So when you have to
design a game one of the first questions to ask is: "how much time do I have? How can I use it in the
best possible way? ".
The average length of a game ranges from 2 to around 4 hours, the ideal time to address a topic, to
grab participants' attention and not to lose concentration. Obviously, more time is available, most
activities can be carried out within the game. It is also possible to design full time games in order to be
able to increase participants’ perception of being in a real and captivating situation.
Moreover, in the scheduling experiential training timing, it is crucial to know how much time is needed
for movements, equipment management, different side activities, incident management, and group
dynamics.
Each mandate should contain its instructions on delivery timing. The more the task for the group is
complex, the more participants will need time. However, to orientate on the time scheduling it can be
considered that any activity of a group game should not exceed 30 minutes. If the group is made up of
few (less than 4) people, it will need less time.
The duration of the workshop and the game it should be defined according to the time available and
according to the needs of participants. However, it is necessary to consider that some activities
require a minimum timing to reach a certain goal; for example, assuming you have a group of eight
people, in the design phase you should consider a maximum of 30-40 minutes for the start-up, warm
up and briefing activities and a maximum of 20-30 minutes for final debriefing.
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Phase 1: description:
• the teacher invites everyone to express their opinions without the fear to be judged. It is important to create an environment of respect and that the impressions are shared in a collective tale
Phase 2: the analogy – analysis:
• the teacher and the whole class accurately examine the game model and the historical meaning of some playful elements. They identify possible analogies with the real world. If the game includes a trick ( for instance some groups are favoured to the detriment of some others), this is the moment to stress it and analyze the reasons all together
Phase 3: the implementation:
• the participants think about the learnings: which important discoveries they made? These discoveries may be useful for the study of other topics or further researches? “Throughout the game narration the students are already dealing with the contents and the history concepts we wanted make them know through the direct practice of the game. It will be interesting for the students discover how much they learned from the game
Time is a tool used by the teacher: he is the one who will determine during the game when an activity
begins and when it should end. The teacher will have to adapt activities timing to the group by
evaluating from time to time if learners need more or less time to achieve the goal.
Debriefing
To realize a good debriefing means to go from the micro-world in which the game has catapulted us
with certain awareness: the teacher has to lead the group with wisdom in this path, respecting the will
of the players to tell the experiences and at the same time giving to this experience its historical
contextualization.
If it is the teacher who has the role of Master, he has to give particular attention to: during the
debriefing, it is possible that he has a similar function to his usual one, but that is not exactly the same.
The students don’t have to feel under examination, or the spirit of the game will be ruined. This
moment has to coincide with a professorial lecture during which the teacher explains neither, other
way, the students what they should have learnt during the ludic phase. He has to be more a facilitator,
the one who stimulates the dialogue, the circulation of the ideas and the reflection on themselves. For
what it is concerned regarding the curricular concepts, he should lead the pupils toward their
negotiation, comprehension and sharing, above all when the game contained them in an implicit way.
This is the hardest moment for a teacher who has decided to conduct the game in its class: he/she
must be careful not to give in to the dynamics of everyday life. He / She has an excellent opportunity
to explore different aspects of his/her students, even those who normally participate less in lessons.
He / She has to pay attention to everybody and give time to reflect and express themselves.
He / She has to try to listen to everyone and to give everybody the necessary time to meditate and
themselves express. It is important not to give the floor always to the same people and take a real
encouraging attitude towards who usually keeps aside or has difficulties in expressing himself.
At the time of the debriefing it is necessary that the players realize that the game is over: the act of put
back the equipment and organize the chairs in a circle helps in this operation. In order to totally come
out of the playful moment, the teacher has to keep in mind the phases of the debriefing:
Figure 108: Phases of the debriefing
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Assessing effectiveness
Implementing a teaching workshop, which contains educational games, becomes a necessity if you
want achieved learning to be significant, that is to say, able to permanently modify, even minimally, the
cultural background of the learner. In fact, learning can be significant if it:
is the product of an active construction by the subject;
is closely connected to the concrete situation in which learning takes place;
arises from social collaboration and interpersonal communication.
Conclusion
The game is not a filler to simplify the lesson but a methodology with specific characteristics. The
application of techniques aimed to include playful elements in the curricular didactic is pretty
widespread, while it is less common a practice, whereas the game is the focal point on which to build
the didactics. By playing, people come into contact with the world and, in the case group games, they
come into contact with other people on the basis of a need that becomes the execution of the game:
having fun, carrying out a pleasing activity and at the same time, often, and learning. People learn
because they assimilate or improve a technique; they learn to know themselves better; they learn to
improve their ability to connect to the others, to interact in a group. In a scholastic framework the game
leads to deepen the relationship not only with the schoolmates, but also with the teacher. The game
has potentialities which are precious for the learning process.
The reasons of this playful methodology are numerous: first of all, the engaging situation created by
the game that makes the individual sympathetic from an emotional and neuropsychological point of
view; it is also important to stress that the game has a strong operational value: the participants have
to act by following and implementing defined rules. This is related to one of the main principles of the
didactics: people learn, first of all, by doing. The implementation of a game leads to focus both on the
process to arrive at the correct development of the activity (through the respect of the rules for
instance) and on the result: the success is one of the reasons which push to play and keep the
motivation high, but, more generally, people play because they search for entertainment.
Moreover, the game enables to create a standard of engagement that allows the fulfilment of the rule
of forgetting, according to which an important condition in the teaching is the loss of awareness during
the process: there is a better acquisition if the student forgets that he is learning during an activity and
he just focuses on the practical purpose, on the aim of the game underway in this case. The innate
characteristic of the game leads to promote learning based on case study and problem solving. The
game in its collective dimension allows developing social and cooperative ways of learning and at the
same time to create chances of real linguistic interaction. Ultimately, the game stimulates and fosters
the creativity and so the ability to find solutions for the problems it places. The linguistic
implementation of the identified solutions and of the process that leads to them takes advantage from
the positive creativity aimed to a specific purpose, such as the correct implementation of the game,
which often is insufficient or not activated in non – playful didactic situations.
References/Bibliography/Links
Baars B. J., (1997) In the Theater of Consciousness. The Workspace of the Mind, New York, Oxford,
Oxford University Press.
Baldwin J. D. e Baldwin J. I., (1973) The Role of Play in Social Organization: Comparative
Observation of Squirrel Monkeys (Saimiri), in «Primates», 14.
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Barkow J. H., Cosmides L. e Tooby J. (1992 - a cura di), The Adapted Mind: Evoltionary Psychology
and the Generation of Culture, New York: Oxford University Press.
Barros, B., Read, T. & Verdejo, M. F. (2008) Virtual collaborative experimentation: an approach
combining remote and local labs. IEEE Transactions on Education, June 2010
Bateson G., (1955) A Theory of Play and Fantasy: A Report on Theoretical Aspects of the Project for
Study of the Role of Paradoxes of Abstractions in Communication, in «American Psychiatric
Association. Psychiatric Research Reports», 2, trad. it. in G. Bateson, Verso un’ecologia della mente,
Milano, Adelphi, 1976.
Bateson G., (1956) The Message “This Is Play”, Princeton, N.J., Josia Macy Jr. Foundation, trad.
it.“Questo è un gioco”, Milano, Cortina, 1996.
Bekoff M. e Allen C., (2002) The Evolution of Social Play: Interdisciplinary Analyses of Cognitive
Processes, in M. Bekoff, C. Allen e G. M. Burghardt (a cura di), The Cognitive Animal: Empirical and
Theoretical Perspectives on Animal Cognition, Cambridge MA: MIT Press
Bjorklund D. F. e Pellegrini A. D., (2000) Child Development and Evolutionary Psychology, in «Child
Development», 71.
Blurton Jones, N., (1972) Ethological Studies of Child Behavior, Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press.
Gallistel C. R., (1990) The Organization of Learning, Cambridge MA: MIT Press
Visalberghi E., Insight from Capuchin Monkey Studies: Ingredients of, Recipes for, and Flaws in
Capuchins’ success, (2002) in M. Bekoff, C. Allen e G. M. Burghardt (a cura di), The Cognitive Animal:
Empirical and Theoretical Perspectives on Animal Cognition, Cambridge MA: MIT Press
Watson D. M., Kangaroos at Play: Play Behaviour in the Macropodoidea, in M. Bekoff e J. A. Byers (a
cura di), (1998) Animal Play: Evolutionary, Comparative and Ecological Approaches, New York:
Cambridge University Press
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CHAPTER VIII
Digital Channels
Introduction
Digital channels are all the channels for the transmission of information in the web. These include all
forms of web presence: web media, corporate websites, blogs, portals, social networks, forums, chat
and calls software like Skype and Windows Live Messenger, etc. (source: Internet dictionary)
Educational technologies are an important feature of the flipped classroom as they can be used to:
capture key content for students to access at their own convenience and to suit their pace of
learning (e.g. lecture material, readings, interactive multimedia),
present learning materials in a variety of formats to suit different learner styles and multimodal
learning (e.g. text, videos, audio, multimedia),
provide opportunities for discourse and interaction in and out of class (e.g. polling tools,
discussion tools, content creation tools),
convey timely information, updates and reminders for students (e.g. micro-blogging,
announcement tools),
provide immediate and anonymous feedback for teachers and students (e.g. quizzes, polls) to
signal revision points,
capture data about students to analyses their progress and identify ‘at risk’ students (e.g.
analytics).
Effective use of technology can improve the quality of education but this can only happen if teachers
know its characteristics and competently apply technology into practice. The dynamics development of
technology is a challenge to today's educators which requires their continuous self-improvement in the
form of training, self-study and collaboration.
In this chapter, we will try to review digital channels that can help teachers learn about new trends in
the training, offer ways for self-improvement and progress, will enable cooperation and study of
successful teaching experiences.
Content
General classification of digital education channels We can divide the digital channels into several types, depending on the environment, services and
their purpose.
a) Environments for collaboration and exchanging experiences
These are digital spaces where there are organized professional communities whose goal is
partnership and exchange of experience. In these environments teachers are able to communicate
among themselves, lead discussions, share their ideas and practice and receive professional support
and training.
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In the web there are specially designed platforms such as e-Twinning36
, ePals37
, Classroom 2.038
, and
others, whose main goal is for teachers to collaborate among themselves, exchange experiences and
thus enhance their professional skills. These environments are protected and well organized areas but
unfortunately access to some features has certain restrictions and is not accessible from all devices,
which slows down communication.
Increasingly popular lately become spontaneously created communities in social networks and hash
tags. The opportunities offered by these environments for fast connection and exchange of information
makes them more and more attractive for professional communication. In networks like Facebook39
and Twitter40
there are organized groups, lists and quick chats that reveal new opportunities for
education. The activity in these communities is much higher due to their natural links with mobile
devices and fast access from anywhere. Popular hash tags in those two largest social networks are:
#edtech, #edchat, #edu, #Flipped, #gaming, #blendedclassrooms, #Classroom and other.
Also increasingly popular there are platforms that allow the creation of visual lists and collections like
Pinterest, Evernote, and others. They are extremely convenient place for communication and sharing
of resources because the information is easily recognizable and practically presented.
Another type of channels are video hosting platforms as school tube41
and teacher tube42
, both
channels have a safe environment to share educational videos. These are organized by category and
keywords. There can be found video tutorials and also good pedagogical practices.
The disadvantage of these environments is related to the somewhat chaotic upload of information and
the inability of this information to be better structured and organized.
b) Environments for organizing digital training and professional development of teachers
These are so called digital learning platforms that represent an educational series of products
designed to work in the real and virtual space.
These environments offer opportunities for professional training of teachers and organization of their
own training courses. The platforms are designed to function as instructional environments and
provide digital curriculum tools for planning, organizing of educational content, tracking and evaluating
the progress of students. These platforms are based on the theory of social constructivism. They offer
opportunities for differentiated teaching and learning at one´s pace, supporting cooperative learning
and application of interdisciplinary methods.
In recent years there has been a boom in the creation of such environments. However, they must be
approached critically and carefully, taking into account the quality of the training and the legitimacy of
certification.
Proved useful in this regard are e-Twinning Learning Labs where you can find a large number of
training events on specific topics and European School net Academy 43
which offers free courses for
36
e-Twinning: https://www.etwinning.net/ 37
ePals: http://www.epals.com/ 38
Classroom 2.0: http://www.classroom20.com/ 39
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ 40
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ 41
School Tube: http://www.schooltube.com/ 42
Teacher Tube: http://www.teachertube.com/
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teachers in primary and secondary schools. Both channels offer certification of teachers which is a
great opportunity for career growth.
Large software companies such as Microsoft, Intel and Google also offer opportunities for
development, training and certification. They have special sections for education which offer courses
for working with their products, possibilities exchanging experience and finding career opportunities.
The policy of these software giants is undoubtedly commercialized but this is a good opportunity for
teachers to set their clocks on the new trends in education.
Teachers who want to organize their own training courses for students or colleagues can take
advantage of the opportunities offered by blog platforms, wikis, software learning management such
as Moodle and cloud computing. Many of these channels offer mobile applications for quick access.
c) Real time sharing environments
The rapid developments of mobile technologies in recent years provide new training opportunities for
cooperation and exchange of experience in real time.
Products such as Skype, Hangouts, Messenger and others allow the organization of videoconference
links and channels. This removes the limits and gives participants the opportunity to present real-time
training events from any place and on any device. Events can be viewed live or on record and shared
and distributed in the network.
Real-time communication can be achieved through platforms for web-conference links like webinars
and webcasts. Communication services allow real-time point-to-point and multicast communications
from one sender to many receivers. They offer data streams of text messaging, voice and video
conversation that can be shared simultaneously from different geographical locations. More and more
organizations are using the capabilities of these platforms to organize their own events as they
significantly expand the audience.
Top 18 of the best tools can be found in this article by Charnita Fance (2015). These products are a
great opportunity to connect classrooms and conduct joint lessons.
List of recommended digital channels
In this section a list of some of the most popular platforms is given with a description of the tools
provided and opportunities for cooperation, training and professional development.
43
European School net Academy: http://www.europeanschoolnetacademy.eu/
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A “star” rating of the channels described further in the chapter is proposed. The meaning of the rating
is the following:
- low relevance
- average relevance
- high relevance
Table 4: Digital Channels Rates
Digital Channel Training Collaboration
https://www.sophia.org/
http://flippedinstitute.org/
http://flippedclass.com/
http://www.epals.com/#!/main
http://www.educatornetwork.com/
https://engage.intel.com/welcome
http://www.classroom20.com/
https://www.teachingchannel.org/
http://www.etwinning.net/bg/pub/index.htm
http://learninglab.etwinning.net/web/guest/home
http://www.schooleducationgateway.eu/bg/pub/index.htm
https://www.google.com/edu/
https://education.skype.com/
http://www.europeanschoolnetacademy.eu/web/guest/home
http://edex.adobe.com/
http://flippedclassroom.org/
The suggested rating reflects only our opinion about the usefulness of channels in two important areas
of professional development - training and cooperation. Teachers can choose those or other channels
according to their preference and relevance to their needs.
The channels listed in the table below are just a few of the opportunities that the Internet offers
professionals to enhance their qualifications and professional development. Each teacher can find
himself/herself and choose his supportive environment in which to educate himself, colleagues and
students together.
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Table 5: Digital Channels
Logo, address Name, Description
https://www.sophia.org/
SOPHIA
This is an active learning environment. It offers a group
creation, quizzes and seminars and also has the ability to
track students’ progress. In addition, the platform provides
an opportunity for professional development – courses and
credits and an opportunity for certification.
http://flippedinstitute.org/
Flipped Institute
The Flipped Institute serves as an online resource to
provide self-help and other assistance to benefit teachers
moving from a traditional classroom lecture model to a
flipped model. The channel has a lot of tutorials
demonstrating successful methods of “flipping” the
traditional classroom.
http://flippedclass.com/
FlippedClass.com
This channel was created by Jon Bergmann and Aaron
Sams to promote the method of Flipped Classroom and to
encourage and assist educators when they use it. Creators
offer consulting, webinars, seminars and workshops to
teachers. Every year they organize a conference about
flipped training called “FlippCon”, which can be watched
online.
http://www.epals.com/#!/main
ePals
ePals is an environment that provides education with
innovative web-based tools. It enables teachers to engage
in a global classroom where they can search for partners,
projects, research, and to work together on exciting topics.
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At ePals’ ToolsforSchool.com, teachers can access the
very best in classroom-tested curriculum and lesson plans
created by educators and publishers from around the world.
ePals Clubhouse is a safe place for kids to connect with
one another; share and read their favorite books; write and
publish their own stories; play fun and educative games;
and create their own art. School administrators can rest at
ease by knowing that.
ePals SchoolMail365™ is a safe and protected space for
student interactions. Educators can manage and monitor
what students see, whom they communicate with and how
they interact.
http://www.educatornetwork.com/
Microsoft Educator Network
Microsoft Educator Network is specifically designed for
teachers in all areas of education. The channel offers
opportunities for cooperation and discussion of professional
issues. It gives the opportunity for career development,
thereby stimulating teachers to use innovative methods in
the classroom. Microsoft offers free tools for classroom and
provides an opportunity for schools to organize their
learning process by using new cloud services of “Office
365”.
https://engage.intel.com/welcome
Intel Engage
Intel Engage community, allows teachers to collaborate by
including themselves in professional groups or self-creating
groups according to their needs and demands. Teachers
can both attend and make their own webinars. They have
the opportunity to look for interesting and useful resources
for their classroom. Intel also offers opportunities for
professional development and certification.
http://www.classroom20.com/
Classroom 2.0
Classroom 2.0 is a social network for teachers who are
interested in the use of social media and Web 2.0 in their
classroom. The network is free of charge but requires
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registration and approval by an administrator. Members can
participate in groups and online events, discuss issues of
their interest in forums or write their own blogs. This
network offers free of charge opportunities for self-
education and professional support.
https://www.teachingchannel.org/
Teaching Channel
Teaching Channel is a thriving online community where
teachers can watch, share and learn diverse techniques to
help every student grow.
The channel allows teachers to share, discuss and get
support in their work. This is a place where professionals
are able to gain opportunity for self-improvement by
tracking the experience of others and sharing their own
experience in the classroom.
http://www.etwinning.net/bg/pub/index.h
tm
eTwinning
eTwinning is a free secured community for the schools in
Europe. It allows teachers and students to connect and
collaborate with each other and develop joint projects. The
platform offers a tool for partners to host their products on
it, as well as many "teaching rooms" where each teacher
can discuss topics of education policies, search for support
and partners or share their own experience.
http://learninglab.etwinning.net/web/gue
st/home
eTwinning Learning Labs
In 2014 a laboratory to e-Twinning was introduced in
which teachers can join free educational events to enhance
their professional competence. The platform offers product
certification and courses. It organizes events through which
teachers of Europe meet to exchange experiences, support
and training.
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http://www.schooleducationgateway.eu/
bg/pub/index.htm
School Education Gateway
New website which is funded by Erasmus + European
programme in the area of education, training, youth and
sport. The site is an initiative of the Directorate General
"Education and Culture" of the European Commission and
managed by European School net - an international
partnership of 31 European ministries of education which
develops training for schools, teachers and students from
all over Europe.
School Education Gateway’s website is connected with
eTwinning - the largest school community in Europe. The
site is translated in 23 European languages and is the
single point of reference for teachers, schools, experts and
other specialists in the area of school education. It provides
European educational policies, news, trends, expert
articles, national initiatives, activities for schools,
opportunities for collaboration, best practices for
educational projects and additional resources.
School Education Gateway is complemented by tools that
facilitate the access to Erasmus+ activities:
- Course catalogue for professional development of
teachers and school staff;
- Database with mobility opportunities;
- Requests for collaboration on strategic partnerships.
https://www.google.com/edu/
Google for Education
Google for Education is a programme for encouraging the
use of technology in the classroom. Google offers a range
of free of-charge educational tools for learning in and out of
the classroom. It organizes many programmers for
students and teachers and offers an opportunity to enhance
the competences of the teachers by organizing Teacher
Academy and skill certification.
Google released a new free of charge tool: "Google
classroom" in the summer of 2014. Teachers can use it to
organize their classes with colleagues and parents. Another
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great tool that can help student learning in and out of the
classroom is Hangouts. This application allows immediate
free video communication with students and colleagues
from all over the world. It allows broadcasting and
organizing its own channels and educational sessions on
YouTube.
Skype in the Classroom
Skype in the Classroom is a free global community of
teachers who are working together to create inspiring
Skype lessons. This community offers cooperation with
classes in real time wherever they are located, guest
speakers and virtual tours to all parts of the world.
Registered teachers in the community can create and
provide their own lessons to search for lessons, teachers or
instructors.
http://www.europeanschoolnetacademy.
eu/web/guest/home
European School net Academy
The Academy is a platform where you can learn about
innovation in the school and classroom through online
professional development courses for teachers in primary
and secondary schools.
The courses offered on this platform are completely free of
charge. They will offer you an introduction to key concepts
and ideas that are relevant to developing your practice and
will provide you with the opportunity to discuss these ideas
and share your experiences with your peers.
http://edex.adobe.com/
Educational community of Adobe provides access to
educational resources and opportunities for sharing. The
platform offers its users training for work with products from
Adobe, discussions in the field of vocational education and
technological training. It offers organizing of competitions,
conferences and seminars to all network users. And offers
professional development through participation in seminars
and workshops.
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http://flippedclassroom.org/
Professional learning community by sharing practices in
flipped training. The network offers its members a forum,
groups and video sharing. It requires registration and
approval.
All community members have the opportunity to join groups
and receive a newsletter to inform them of new materials
and discussions in the network. This is an excellent place in
which teachers can receive professional support and enrich
themselves with new ideas for their work.
Conclusion
Cooperation between teachers in professional learning communities is often mentioned as a key factor
in improving student performance and raising the prestige of the school. In the context of the 21st
century cooperation is seen in the context of the unlimited possibilities offered by new technologies. It
goes beyond a particular school community and gains global dimensions. Digital channels open new
perspectives for education, providing an opportunity for pedagogical community to seek joint solutions
to improve the quality of education.
References/Bibliography/Links
http://flippedinstitute.org/
http://flippedclass.com/
https://www.teachingchannel.org/
http://www.schooleducationgateway.eu/bg/pub/index.htm
http://www.europeanschoolnetacademy.eu/web/guest/home
https://www.google.com/edu/
http://www.etwinning.net/bg/pub/index.htm
http://learninglab.etwinning.net/web/guest/home
http://www.classroom20.com/
https://engage.intel.com/welcome
http://www.educatornetwork.com/
http://www.epals.com/#!/main
https://www.sophia.org/
http://flippedclassroom.org/
http://edex.adobe.com/
http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/online-meeting-tools/
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Conclusions
The flipped classroom describes a new way of teaching by which students are firstly exposed to new
material outside the class, usually by reading or watching videos, and then class time is used to
promote higher thinking skills through the use of strategies such as problem-solving, discussion or
debates.
This handbook presents the main elements that should be considered when developing a flipped
classroom, namely: Creative classes, Teachers-Innovators, Flipped Methodology, Design of the
Flipped Lesson, Development of the Didactic Contents in the Flipped, Videos in the Flipped
Methodology, Educational Games and Debriefing, Digital Channels.
Each teacher is the expert with the skill to make small changes in the classroom. The technology
system and the structure do not change anything. Technology never replaces a teacher. Technology
allows individualizing and customizing the learning process. Most teachers need to think and act in a
different way in a creative way.
To promote creativity, the teacher needs to facilitate many options and choices, so that the students
can follow their interest. The teacher is more like a mentor, and should guide the student. He should
promote collaborative thinking through teamwork.
Innovation at school is not a “to do thing” but a way of thinking that can be expressed in many
educational interventions. A flipped methodology may not be the best one for some teachers; however
it is a way of reflecting on the changes they should do to reach students, motivate them to use
technologies in their classes, and use media tools, such as videos.
A flipped class is not a class without a teacher, it is not a class without lectures, instructions or exams
or even a physical space. It is a methodology which aims to help teachers reach students who are at
risk of dropping out because they cannot attend classes due to circumstances such as illness, sports
competitions, living in rural areas, social reasons It is a way of spending more time with students and
motivating them to think, reflect, research and share all their knowledge with their peers in a
collaborative way
The teacher now needs to create and promote the environment where learning will take place. He /
She selects the materials (no matter the format or support), creates the environment and activities
where learning will take place. Students are now invited to actively participate in this process. They
are the centre, the focus of learning. And since this paradigm is new, all the process needs to be
prepared carefully.
Moreover, since in some schools classes may be large, the application of this methodology may
require some adaptations to facilitate its effectiveness. Sometimes it is not easy to have group
discussions in class. Or even to allow all students to express their voice. Or do some practical
exercises in class.
This kind of approach may face some resistance from the students. After all, it is much easier to be
passively in a class listening to the teacher and taking notes. So it is necessary to prepare it carefully,
to explain the objectives and the results expected. Nevertheless, the final result obtained and the
involvement of the students (when they stop resisting) is a reward that no teacher will forget. And
learning effectively happens in a positive and cheerful environment.
The flipped classroom approach is a growing trend in education and it may prove to be particularly
appealing in the academic library setting. Improving student research skills is a rewarding experience
but the opportunity to move beyond a basic introduction to library resources and to deepen or expand
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students’ research skills and knowledge of information literacy processes merits the attention and
consideration of any librarian focused on instruction.
By using video lectures you will have more time for other activities during the class. Your students can
choose the way of watching your videos. They can make a break when they want and they can watch
the whole video or separate parts of it many times. Then they will come to school with new knowledge,
questions and ideas. You don’t need advanced technology to make your video lecture. You can also
use your smartphone. Do not forget to avoid long monologues and try to make your language simple
and your voice interesting and clear. Keep films short and entertaining. Experience shows that
students prefer to watch videos that last 6 minutes, so this is the ideal length of a video. Feel free to
use humour and to be yourself. It is not important for students that the video is perfect. They prefer to
watch their own teacher on video, because they know their teacher and can relate better to the topic
explained by their own teacher. Make the structure of your lecture video clear. The students who
watch the most videos get better grades, and the students who do the online tests after watching the
videos get the best grades. Upload your video and make your flipped class real.
A flipped classroom may include some educational games. By playing people come into contact with
the world and, in the case of individual games, they come into contact with other people on the basis
of a need that becomes the execution of the game: having fun, carrying out a pleasant activity and, at
the same time, often, and learning. People learn because they assimilate or improve a technique; they
learn to know themselves better; they learn to improve their ability to connect to others, to interact in a
group. In a scholastic framework the game leads to deepen the relationship not only with the
schoolmates, but also with the teacher. Cooperation between teachers in professional learning
communities is often mentioned as a key factor in improving student performance and raising the
prestige of the school. The 21st century cooperation is seen in the context of the unlimited possibilities
offered by new technologies. It goes beyond a particular school community and gains global
dimensions. Digital channels open new perspectives for education, providing an opportunity for
pedagogical community to seek joint solutions to improve the quality of education.
At the end of this handbook, this team wishes you an enjoyable reading of this document as we
enjoyed preparing it for you
.
Project Number 2014-1-ES01-KA201-004401
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This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.