The flipped classroom in further education: literature review and case study

Abstract

The flipped classroom seeks to remove didactic instruction from the classroom and deliver it via electronic videos outside of the classroom, leaving contact time free for more interactive and engaging teaching and learning activities. This paper has two distinct aims: (1) to conduct a literature review of published UK-based 'flipped classroom' studies and (2) to contribute to this field of study. The paper will show that there have been many published scholarly pieces on the flipped classroom in countries such as the USA, detailing flipped studies in both compulsory schooling and higher education. However, at the time of writing there have been no published papers concerning an implementation of the flipped classroom in the UK further education sector. In order to contribute to this gap in the field, the findings from a small-scale flipped classroom project based in a further education college will be presented and discussed. The study was conducted in the 2012/13 academic year whilst the author was undertaking initial teacher training. This case study yielded significant benefits to learners through adopting this approach. In addition to charting the effects of a flipped classroom upon attainment and engagement, the paper will discuss the often under-represented staff experience of flipping the classroom. IntroductionThe flipped classroom (FC) is an instructional methodology that means to reverse the traditional order of events in mainstream educational teaching delivery. Traditionally, the classroom has been reserved for instructional content, with work set to apply said content outside of the classroom, usually referred to as homework. The FC reverses this strategy and uses recorded lectures and videos to deliver instructional content outside of the classroom, enabling completion of homework during classroom time (Bergmann and Sams 2012, 13). Additionally, the flipped approach can, in some cases, lend itself positively towards a mastery-based approach. Here, the teacher is involved in facilitating classes where learners may be studying different parts of a syllabus at the same time. The FC has also been referred to as an inverted classroom (IC). However, for the purposes of clarity, this paper will consider the FC and IC one and the same. Throughout the paper, any reference to and discussion of the FC will include the IC.

An analysis of using flipped learning in Higher Education: ‘How flipping difficult can it be?’

“…The literature in this area sets out that engagement is improved in particular by the fact that the students have the ability to re-listen to the screencasts as many times as desirable (Little, C. 2015). It would be useful to ask the cohort in future years how many times they viewed the screencasts, or what their favourite features of the screencasts were.…”

“…Again, this reflects what others have commented on in relation to flipped learning. Flipped learning allows for the in-class time to focus on higher order cognitive skills (Little, C. 2015) i.e. it allows students to apply the higher levels of Bloom"s Taxonomy (Bloom, 1956), such as the skills of analysis and evaluation, rather than not progressing past comprehension and knowledge.…”

“…The Khan Academy. However, Bergmann and Samms and many others have sought to focus on the pedagogical benefits of flipped learning, in particular the importance of "in class time" (Little, C. 2015).…”

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“…It is also important to note that the flipped model does not exclude teachers from the learning process; it simply restructures the contact time spent with students in the classroom. According to Little (2015), teachers have "a prominent role in helping learners apply taught content, ensuring this application is done correctly" (p. 267).Furthermore, teachers are crucial to maintain the pace of learning, and their content knowledge is essential to the success of students. Hamdan et al (2013) argues that the flipped model allows teachers to "break the lecturecentered instructional model by shifting the focus from the curriculum pacing guide to students learning needs" (p. 3).…”

“…By shifting the lecture out of the classroom, the use of in-class time is more effective and efficient as well as more active and engaging (Bergmann & Sams, 2012;Hung, 2015;Little, 2015;Strayer, 2007;Tucker, 2012). The flipped model frees up class time for more meaningful in-class activities and creates more opportunity for one-on-one time with the instructor, which focuses on students" higher level cognitive processes (Little, 2015;Westermann, 2014). By incorporating the flipped model in EAP writing courses, students review the language elements via online instructional videos outside the classroom and have more class time to practice key concepts of writing in collaborative and interactive ways.…”