Flipped Learning

What is Flipped Learning?

Flipped learning is a methodology that helps teachers to prioritize active learning during class time by assigning students lecture materials and presentations to be viewed at home or outside of class

The Power of Flipped Learning

Flipped learning has garnered significant buzz, but how can we determine whether it’s actually effective?

A number of studies have sought to answer this question. One survey by Faculty Focus evaluated 1,089 educators to better understand current opinions on flipped learning (and whether or not it improves student performance). In the findings, 74.9 percent of respondents saw greater student engagement with flipped learning, and 54.66 percent noticed evidence of improved student learning.

Additionally, 80 percent of those surveyed said students were more collaborative with flipped learning, and 76.61 percent said that students asked more questions.

Another survey of teachers and students by Jarod Bormann revealed that the flipped classroom model positively impacted student achievement and better prepared them for 21st Century learning. These findings also found that flipped learning engaged students more directly in higher levels of thinking and problem solving, which helped them perceive the quality of learning as much greater.

How Is It Applied?

Technology allows teachers to make the most of classroom time and foster student-driven learning. Currently, high schools and institutions of higher education are leading the charge in adopting the flipped learning model. For more than a decade, the National Center for Academic Transformation has helped colleges try out flipped learning methods “across math, science, English, and many other disciplines,” according to industry journal Education Next.

According to an online survey by the Flipped Learning Network and Sophia Learning, the flipped learning method is most frequently used in science and math classrooms because of the close relationship between STEM subjects. In fact, 33 percent of teachers surveyed taught math and 38 percent taught science. There was, in addition, a significant increase in language arts teachers who were flipping classrooms: an increase of 11 percent from 2012 to 2014.

Flipped learning is also most frequently practiced by experienced educators: On average, eight out of 10 flipped teachers have more than six years of education experience, and 42 percent have been teaching for 16 years or more, Extension of a Review of Flipped Learning explains.