5 ways to flip out

When flipping things like lids, pancakes, classrooms and the occasional desk it should be remembered that some things are more appropriate to flip than others. Basic info, anything that students could look up on Wikipedia is arguably better outside the classroom where students can engage with it in their own time leaving the more valuable time, in a room with an expert, to be devoted to higher order thinking skills. It is also worth noting that there is no formula for flipping a classroom, you should do whatever works for you and the ideas I have written here can be mixed up and used in any way that you feel is relevant.

1.     Low tech (flip a lid)

Before your face-to-face session ask your students to read part of a paper (keep it short or they won’t do it) and give them a couple of questions to answer – make sure you warn them you will be checking answers (see previous parentheses). Begin the session by asking your questions. Multiple choice questions can be answered by showing the relevant number of fingers and keeping hands close allows a level of anonymity. Alternatively get the students to bring the answers on a bit of paper and ask them to discuss with each other.

You can then assess how many got it right and react accordingly. If they all got it… move on to something more advanced. If they didn’t give them an explanation. Then instead of lecturing to them give them a task, one that requires them to use the information they were given in the paper.                 Class flipped, students engaged, no tech needed.

2.     Tech it up a tad (flip a table)

That is great, your lesson has been flipped and your students are engaged. Unfortunately you are in trouble with estates because of the 300 tiny pieces of paper on the floor and there were a few students who didn’t really get involved because they were shy or they hadn’t done the reading. Using mentimeter.com you can do the same again but without the paper. In addition it also allows you to see how many have answered, the students see their peers answers (if you want them to) and anonymity is preserved. Plus they get to play with their beloved smartphones. But why bother when I could do it with paper? Because with no extra effort you can ask the same question again in the middle or at the end of your lecture and see if they have changed their minds. Then you can get the data… who doesn’t love data!

Plus it is all reusable.

3.     Cooking on gas (flip a pancake)

Fine, but all they are really doing is engaging with their reading list, shouldn’t they be doing that anyway? Well probably yes, but you didn’t concept check before so it’s a start! But what if you could give them something a bit different? There is a whole internet full of information out there and it doesn’t even have to be very good as long as you teach students to be critical. TED talks are generally very good but often too long. YouTube can be shorter but of questionable providence. Newspapers, well who knows… but all of this information can be used for effective flipping if it is presented alongside the right questions and can be a great way to inform a session. I know, I know, you have used Mentimeter and it was fun but they are getting tired of it. Yes it is indeed time to up your game. Create an online quiz to concept check your information and you can track how many have done it, what answers they have got right and wrong and then you can frame your session accordingly. That is a good plan but I am not using Blackboard!!! OK, OK, I know you hate it and even if it is the most reliable way to collect information there are others. Google Forms, Qualtrics, and a host of other free web based offerings. Most of which I will admit are prettier and easier to use than our beloved Blackboard.

4.     Olympic flipping (double tuck)

We are on a roll now, classrooms are being flipped left, right and centre but I hear a cry of frustration because you just can’t find the information that you want on the internet. That is ok, we can make our own and it is really quite simple.

• Make a talking head video.
• Record a voice over for your slides.
• Record yourself annotating a diagram on a visualizer.
• Do a screen cast of yourself using some specific software.
• Take camera into your lab and film an experiment.

Most of this can be done quite simply on Panopto using college equipment but as always there are other options, some free, some not. Plus once you have made you video it is there to be used for as long as it is relevant (things that go out of date very quickly are probably not worth the bother).

5.     Flying away (loop the loop)

Let’s go fully interactive! Number 5 is probably only for those of you with a learning technologist available or a very large budget but there is nothing wrong with being a little aspirational. There is software out there that can roll all of the above into 1 neat little interactive online package which will give students a guided learning experience before they even reach a classroom. This isn’t as daft as it sounds. If you have been doing this for a while and you have information and resources that work for you and your students enjoy using there is a case for developing something more professional, particularly if it can be used for other purposes, internal or external, or across multiple courses. Cost benefit sometimes works out in your favour and fortune favours the bold so I you have an idea… ask!