Flipping the classroom is esentially taking the lecture (or needed fundamental knowledge) component out of the classroom and making it homework. As a result, classtime can be effectively utilized for experimentation, active learning, and other collaborative learning activities.
As a laboratory teaching assistant, I feel like I've almost exclusively 'flipped the classroom'. Students must come into the labs prepared to perform experiments. Students work in groups to develop hypotheses, produce an experimental design, and carry out an experiment to answer a question. Without performing some amount of background research, students will likely be unable to handle the tasks assigned to them. This can be rewarding but frustrating. If students come unprepared (despite needing to complete a pre-laboratory assignment), they can hold up their teams and cause general frustration to the class.
I agree completely with everything you said and I understand how you can feel. Especially with the science labs, the teaching has really incorporated the "flipping the classroom" setup. I hate to say it though and unprepared students are more common than I'd like to admit. What do you think would make them become more engaged and more inclined to do the pre-class work?
ReplyDeleteGood question! I guess there's a lot that I don't know about student motivation - but I think that's the key to preparedness. As an undergraduate, I was hugely motivated by grades, although I wish I could lie and say I was motivated only by the desire to learn!
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