As technological advancements continue to revolutionize teaching, the use of technology in both college/university and K‐12 classrooms is making flipped learning a trending instructional model. “Flipping” the classroom reverses a traditional model of in‐class lecture followed by practice and homework. The roles and responsibilities of instructors and students often require a new or enhanced skill set where the instructor designs intentional learning experiences to engage students outside of the classroom. The learner is accountable for exploring materials outside of class in a self‐directed manner, attempting to gain foundational knowledge before class, and then actively applying it in the classroom. This review analyses the research on flipped learning and flipped classrooms in higher education from a variety of aspects including implementation, efficacy, and quality.

In this manuscript the authors propose a professional development model for teachers of students with autism spectrum disorder who are served in rural communities. The components of this four-tiered model include: (a) education through ongoing workshops, (b) coaching, (c) parent information meetings, and (d) ongoing data collection. After implementing the model for 1 year in three school districts, the researchers conducted qualitative interviews with educators to explore their perceptions and experiences with the training model. Data analysis indicated coaching was one of the most beneficial aspects of this model. Teacher perceptions of the successes and challenges with the model are presented, along with implications for meeting the needs of students with autism spectrum disorder through professional development in rural communities.

The ability to measure the results of professional development programs and activities remains an elusive goal for most educators in rural settings. While students in classrooms continue to face extensive assessment requirements related to the attainment of educational content outcomes, there has been little effort to assess the impact of professional development designed to enhance the effectiveness of educational professionals who carry the major responsibility for the facilitation of learning outcomes for all learners. These issues sometimes become more difficult to address in rural schools if there are limited resources and support services. To realize the benefits of effective professional development, assessment approaches that link the effectiveness of such efforts to increasing student achievement are described. In this article, the prevailing approaches to professional development in rural schools are identified with evidence about best practices also provided.

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