Bringing together the best of both worlds, the Flipped Classroom is a revolution in its own right. It is not a new pedagogy on its own entirely, but rather an approach to education which marries online learning with interactive experiential learning.So why “flipped”? Instead of being lectured on a subject and reviewing that content at home, the subject is studied at home, before class – and the classroom becomes the space in which the content is reviewed . However, it is not merely reviewed – time and space in the interactive classroom environment is now solely allocated to discussions, debates and the practise of applying newly acquired knowledge. 
“Class becomes the place to work through problems, advance concepts, and engage in collaborative learning.” (Gerstein, The Flipped Classroom: The Full Picture, 2012)
What happens in this “modern” classroom?
“…the scarcest learning resource— time.” (Gerstein, 2012)
The “modern” classroom cherishes the learner’s time – and therefore focusses on spending these sessions in ways that are most effective to the learning process. Learners are given the opportunity to engage in topics. Pre-studied materials are discussed on group level. Learners are challenged to practically apply their acquired knowledge to problem solving and various other skill developing scenarios. Hands-on experiences, strategically organised by tutors, gives learners a “reality-check”; bringing conceptual ideas and theories into the physical and practical world.
One’s opinions, ideas and perceptions develop into cognitive and emotive skills in such sessions.
Where does study material fit into the picture?
Content remains as important as ever, and the deliverance thereof more important than ever. Content presentation technologies pose an opportunity for great creative influence, and thereby, stimulation. Learning management systems can support the diverse needs and interests of students in a truly advanced way. It can feed them with information of various subjects through various communication mediums.
“Almost all content-related knowledge can be found online through videos, podcasts, and online interactives, and is often better conveyed through these media than by classroom teachers.” (Gerstein, 2012)
Online learning offers a truly effective and enriching learning experience for thousands of learners worldwide. For more information on the manifold perks and trends of ELearning see:
The content : classroom ratio
Content and experience are equally important as these who elements combined equates to understanding and insight. How to comprehend, analyse, interpret, apply, solve and infer on any given subject is explored. The content : classroom ratio is the inspiration behind the Flipped Classroom approach – emphasis is being equally divided across the areas that make for a successful educational experience.
Before the class begins…
When the learner steps into the classroom, he needs to be well familiar with the content. Opinions are nothing more than egotistical rants if they are uninformed opinions.
Learning material becomes the property of the learner and the consumption thereof, the responsibility of the learner. Why is this a good thing? They can study it, review it, access it from anywhere with an internet connection and study in the environment of choice, whether it be at home at a desk or lounging in a coffee bar. Video and audio can be viewed or played over and over again whenever they choose. How silly it seems now to sit in a lecture theatre – with your hand going into a spasm from trying to write down every significant thing that the lecturer says – when that very lecture can be watched, paused, rewinded etc. at home.
Where does this leave tutors/teachers/lecturers?
Not necessarily lost and in the dark. A challenge is that teachers need to re-educate themselves on the new approach – yet this should not be a great problem. The Flipped Classroom for teachers are more of a perspective-shift that anything else. That which would usually be handed out for students to complete on their own – are now being instead of written down – discussed as a group that can raise opinions and questions. The teacher is challenged to create knowledge applying experiences, which can easily be done by letting learners explore professional environments. This phenomenon is currently endorsed on university level – this is what tutorials are for; a space in which to engage with the topic covered in the lecture theatre.
“The educator becomes a facilitator and tour guide of learning possibilities – offering these possibilities to the learners and then getting out of the way.” (Gerstein, 2012)
In my personal opinion – good teachers are those approaching the classroom in this manner; provided they are granted enough time to engage such methods after they have gone through heaps of content with the class. A great teacher will not feed you with content until you collapse and then leave you suffering underneath the load. A great teacher won’t teach you what to think at all – he or she will teach you how to think… how to think for yourself!
And how is knowledge absorption measured?
It is measured through testing comprehension and understanding. Exams? No!
“You wrote a history exam in July of the 10th Grade. How much of what you studied for that exam can you remember?...We know that factors such as anxiety, fatigue, pressure and time constraints in classroom and exam situations are all elements that can, and do, affect our performance. We might even get marked down because an examiner cannot decipher our hand writing...." eLearning Explodes!
Data gathered through tools in the learning management system plays a role in making data available for interpretation of a learner’s progress. Furthermore, learners are tasked to express their comprehension of content and experience through the medium that they feel comfortable using or the one that is easiest available to them. Learners are tasked to express their knowledge as they please, provided that a specific criterion is met. The tutor must carefully design the frame of this test for to allow the learner to become the artist depicting their own learning experience within it.
Sound Idea Digital specialises in Learning Management Systems and eLearning developments | soundidealearningmanagement.co.za
Carla van Straten is a Writer for Sound Idea Digital | Carla@soundidea.co.za
This article was inspired by the book The Flipped Classroom: The Full Picture, (2012) by Jackie Gerstein.
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