Is your inability to be creative to get kids access that limited?

Ouch! Did he just ask me that?  I respond with, Uhm…well…ahhh…oh look a cat!

So I recently posted about the flipped classroom, which is a new twist on the traditional classroom model. The post was more a response to something I read than a downplaying of the flipped classroom (although I may have been flipant in presenting the buzzword “flipped classroom” while wearing flip-flops). I subsequently received a comment that was longer than my post. Not fair. That’s like breaking the pinata at someone else’s birthday party 😦

In all seriousness though the comment was quite lengthy with some very good points and I just figured I’d post it to share Scott Meech’s perspective because he defends the concept well (a concept I am not at all against…my post was a pros and cons look at video lessons). Thanks Scott for your comment. I have made it a post in and of itself to present your side more openly than a comment would

So, click for more to read his response in its entirety

Scott Meech’s Response to My Post

begin –
1. The videos should be the direct instruction the current teacher would have provided previously to flipping. 2. Supplement these videos with other experts who have done it well. 3. The entire class inside of school is now available for the expert teacher to differentiate. Teachers assess students and provide instruction based on the individual student instead of the entire class as a whole. 4. We have all kinds of work arounds available for students who do not have access. Is your inability to be creative to get kids access that limited? 5. Reflection and problem solving can now be done in conjunction with the expert teacher if needed and fellow students working through the same content. 6. Who said a flipped class has to solely provide videos. Why is it an all or nothing concept for everything in this world? Also, the videos done by the teacher can include information related to readings by highlighting concepts in them, etc. Who said that flipped classroom wouldn’t require reading?

The flipped classroom was started by teachers. It really began to take off when two science teachers in Colorado started doing this full time with huge gains in learning. One of those two teachers, Jon Bergmann, recently took a new technology integration position in Kenilworth, Illinois. I share this because this isn’t about packaging new textbook company stuff. It is about a strategy to reach students more effectively, improve the conditions for learning in the home, and provide more student-centered pedagogy in the classroom. The best part of the flipped classroom is the ability to take advantage of the best conditions in all of those environments. Effective flipping is not possible without good teachers. Providing the best instructional videos comes from the flipping teacher directly along with the ability to provid e connections in learning during a differentiated classroom.

I think my response is somewhat more irritated by the fact that I continue to read posts by people who take educational concepts that are making huge gains in classes and then rip them apart through their form of a logical argument? Take a closer look at the history of the concept and how others are doing this. For example, writing teachers are taking advantage of this instruction with a much more personal response. When they are grading the students papers, they do it under a document camera or on the computer and they record their grading through a screencast. Record themselves marking the paper, talking through everything that they traditionally did. Instead of having to now conference with every student, many students can take that video and run with it. Students who are not getting enough from the video, the teacher can now take more time with them individually. Teachers are finding their time is much more valuable as a result.

I suggest you check out everything we are talking about on EdReach.us regarding the Flipped classroom. Example: http://edreach.us/2011/03/15/khan-academy-great-idea-with-one-glaring-hole/

The flipped classroom is not about replacing teachers with video. The flipped classroom is about teachers providing more intimate one-to-one direct instruction with an amazing, pause, play, stop button! Allow teachers to have more possibilities for providing hands-on one-to-one instruction in the classrooms as well.

Here is the general search for all our posts regarding Khan: http://edreach.us/?s=khan.

Once again, I apologize for coming across negatively as I do have the best intentions for positive discussions. The problem is that an article like yours is very logical but misses the boat and that can then provide misinformation for too many others to just ban the idea of a flipped classroom. I do not want to see that happen. I want people to understand what a true flipped classroom means. Providing videos at home is only a fraction of what it truly means! –end

My final thoughts

I think Scott jumped the gun a little. In my post, I mention pros and cons and that teachers cannot be replaced (at least not the good ones). I also stated in our podcast that I actually really do believe the concept of the flipped classroom has a great deal of merit (some of the reasons that Scott actually mentions).

Scott asked me to do research – so I did. I searched for infographics. In actuality I had found one such infographic by Knewton just after posting. It mentioned a case study in Detroit boasting a significant reduction in failures for English and Math after the change to flipped classrooms. Could the three 5-7 minute videos a week really have caused this drastic turnaround? Awesome! I’m all for video learning – but it has to be good video.