Flippin' Assessment

Inevitably, when a new teaching method is brought into the fold, the concept of assessment is questioned alongside it.  It is no different with the flipped classroom method.  I had those same questions.  If I was to flip my classroom, would that mean that my assessment methods would need to change as well.  The short answer is yes as suggested by Lovvorn and Timmerman (2019).  In their research paper “The Flipped Assessment: Aligning Evaluation of Student Success With the Flipped Classroom”, the pair claim that “the changing goals (increasing student engagement and self-responsibility for class preparation) and styles of instruction require a change in the nature of assessment because different qualities are being evaluated.”

If the goal of flipped classrooms is to increase inclass time for more interactive learning and application of knowledge and acquiring the strengths within a discipline/culture, then we need to make sure that those are the concepts that we are assessing.  The authors make the case that if we are going to be teaching differently and expecting higher level thinking, then that is the way they should be tested/assessed.  If we don’t do this, the authors parrot that it “will lead to dissonance and likely result in students’ dissatisfaction” (Rotellar and Cain 2016).  Instead we don’t want to always be testing for the proof of knowing/regurgitating the knowledge, but instead for the application/usability of the information.  If we want students to “conduct insightful analysis, make prudent choices and solve problems effectively,” we have to teach them how to do that and then assess them in those skills.

The pair go on to suggest a method for moving away from traditional assessments to those more conducive to the FC environment.  I don’t find that what they speak of is actually revolutionary or anything new to most of us.  They say that FC calls for backward design...this is not new.  The cycle proposed constitutes these steps:

• Establish Instructional Objectives  *What can the student DO, not what should they KNOW or REMEMBER?
• Determine Evidence of Attainment  *How will students show use of their knowledge, not mere knowers of it?
• Generate Pre-Activity (Summative) Gate-Checks  *Used to determine a base level of preparedness needed to engage with others later effectively
• Collaboratively Compose Assessment Rubric  *Joint teacher/student effort; should be designed to assess “real world” tasks (report writing, presentation, designing research, making decisions) 
• Select/Construct Formative Activities  *These are low stakes assessments that help students get to the end results/application of material
• Collaboratively Assess Results  *Evaluate the work using the rubric...suggested to be done with the students’ involvement
• Debrief and Incorporate Improvements

What I have continued to struggle with throughout this investigation of FC is thinking about how to incorporate and coordinate the time I would have gained in the classroom with students.  If I’m not lecturing and discussing, what am I doing?  This article suggests the following ideas that are supposed to be “peer-assisted collaborative examples” situating students in authentic experiences.  These are the types of activities that should be assessed.

• Discussion board forums -- While I can see the use of these, I wonder about the amount of “training” that would be needed in order to get students (I teach 6th grade) to do this well...and ideally NOT need too much monitoring for appropriateness.  I also wonder about time constraints regarding posts...in a truly flipped situation, students have up until class to get the work done.  How does that impact the usefulness/seriousness of the assignment?  How do other students who post early affected?
• Case analysis -- though I’ve never used these, I am tempted to.  The trouble going into 2020-21 is the virtualness of this assignment.  The way they are described in the article merits students working together to finalize a defense.  Though I know it CAN be done virtually, I wonder if that is the best use of time and tools?
• Pro and Con Grid -- I really liked this idea of students developing their own individual pro/con list to a situation or issue and then working together in class to develop a finalized list post discussion.  Whole class discussion can follow as well.
• Critical Debates -- I really like this idea.  The past 2 years I have held a very informal debate about Christopher Columbus being a hero or villain.  Students read essays that past students wrote, identify the use of logos, ethos, and pathos, then take a stand and debate in class.  Of all the activities I do throughout the year, this is the one that gets cited as the most exciting and one they’d like to do more of.  
• Dyadic Essays -- This was a new activity for me (I don’t even know the word dyadic).  Students are supposed to develop their own essay question, answer it themselves outside of class.  Then upon returning to class, an exchange happens with classmates who write their own answer to the question.  A discussion follows where students compare their answers, ideally leading to the defense of their thinking/position.  An opportunity to change their position can also occur. 
• Simulation-Based Instruction -- I used to do a simulation on the American Revolution, but it was just too time consuming...too many things to copy, cut out, and steps to follow.  Maybe there are some new ones out there that would be more manageable.  Also, digital simulations could be an option.  I’m thinking of icivics.org.  These are relatively short, self-paced simulations that can be some individually or collaboratively.  

Overall, I glean that assessment in a FC needs to reflect the type of work that is expected of the students.  If application of knowledge is what is being practiced and honed, then assessing that application needs to happen as well, not simply the knowledge gained.

Article Used:

Lovvorn, Al S, and John E Timmerman. “The Flipped Assessment: Aligning Evaluation of Student Success With the Flipped Classroom.” Journal of Excellence in College Teaching, vol. 30, no. 2, 2019, pp. 109–131. ERIC, celt.muohio.edu.mutex.gmu.edu/ject/issue.php?v=30&n=2.

Flippin' History in Action

I started this journey looking for examples of flipped classrooms working effectively in an upper elementary social studies class.  I was able to find one study that I thought might help make my case.  Conducted by Vasiliki Aidinopoulou and Demetrios G. Sampson, the duo looked to perform “An Action Research Study from Implementing the Flipped Classroom Model in Primary School History Teaching and Learning.”  The two completed the work in 2017, so I like the currentness of the work.  Their argument began with the idea that the traditional classroom does not allow enough time for the historical/critical thinking skills that need developing in young minds.  Instead, the traditional classroom focuses on the memorization of content.  They hoped to investigate how flipping a classroom would impact the addressing of “common misconceptions about historical knowledge, primary sources, human motivation and historical change” by using digital technologies and the inclass time created (redirected) by the flip.  The subject of the historical study was 5th grade “Roman and Byzantine history from 146 BC - 1453 AD.”

The study wanted to prove/disprove two different things:

1. Does the implementation of the FC model in a primary school history course lead to the use of classroom time for more student-centered activities?
2. Does this contribute to better students’ learning outcomes compared to traditional teaching strategies?

Overall, they were wanting to determine how well FC made a difference in the history classroom, if at all. The study identified a “real design problem” as studied in DDLS.  Basically, how can a classroom utilize the FC method to cultivate HTS (historical thinking skills), in an engaging way?  The research team followed the ADDIE model (Analysis phase, Design phase, Development phase, Implementation phase, and Evaluation phase). They identified the problem, defined the learning goals, activities, and assessments, developed the needed materials, implemented the plan, and then evaluated the results.

One takeaway for me is the way the FC instructors required the asynchronous interaction.  Students interacted in the Moodle LMS by publishing questions, comments, or answering their classmates’ questions, taking quizzes, and accessing optional material if they chose.  I did wonder how the questions were asked/answered.  Did all questions need to be supplied by a given time?  Did the teacher promise to check the questions in advance of class?  Were the posed questions made available in class in person the next day?  How did the teacher decide which ones to share?  Did the teacher herself respond to questions posted?  If so, in what time?  The concept of assessment was discussed and I forgot that assessment can be informal.  In this case, the assessment was the teachers just asking questions of the students of the “historical memorization stuff”.  I’m curious how the teacher tracked this for all students?  Is that something that has to be considered?

One of the ideas I appreciated about the study was it’s connection to the cultivation of historical thinking skills.  I think the cultivation of such could easily go hand in hand with the “making thinking visible routines” that I wanted to explore more this year as part of my personal professional development.  I also was thankful they focused on these HTS because I typically don’t think of doing it specifically.  I am a memorization type person...I want students to follow the train of events (timeline) that involve important historical people.  I need to do more in the way of developing HTS in my classroom.  The results of the study indicate that “FC model had a significant positive impact on developing HTS, but not so regarding historical content memorization capacity.”  This makes sense because generally speaking, the FC allowed for more analysis, evaluation, and creation (higher Bloom’s skills) because of the time gained in the classroom to focus on such and differentiate as needed among the students.  As my students generally don’t have trouble with the historical memorization aspect of learning, this doesn’t concern me too much and in fact excites me that I would be able to advance their thinking skills instead.

Toward the end of the paper, the authors suggest that parents really need to be enlightened on the concept of FC as “the family has an important role in student’s learning and can contribute to or obstruct the model’s efficiency.”  I wanted more about this.  How do they suggest teachers involve parents and how have parents sabotaged the model in the past?  I’d like to know more so I know what to look out for.

Article Used:

Aidinopoulou, Vasiliki, and Demetrios G Sampson. “An Action Research Study from Implementing the Flipped Classroom Model in Primary School History Teaching and Learning.” Journal of Educational Technology & Society, vol. 20, no. 1, 2017, pp. 237–247., http://mutex.gmu.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx? direct=true&db=eric&AN=EJ1125835&site=ehost-live 

Those Flippin' Guidelines

Well folks, I had planned on researching different video platforms that hosted lots of pre-recorded videos available to teachers, as well as recording software that could be used in creating videos, but alas, vacation happened.  Instead, I poured over four more articles looking for tidbits of information that might help me implement flipped classroom.  (Although, I can’t find one that explains how to do it in a COVID environment!)

I came across an informative paper that was trying to synthesize 15 other journal publications regarding FC.  The paper discusses the trouble in truly analyzing the numbers, especially for elementary classrooms, as there just aren’t many studies that have been done on that level.  I can appreciate the way the researchers hunted down information though.  (Peer-reviewed journals only, written in English, January 1994-September 2016, empirical research reporting, must satisfy a particular definition) Its overall findings suggest that there is a neutral or positive impact on student achievement when compared to traditional classrooms, but mixed results about student attitude toward FC.  The most important information I gleaned from the article regarded 10 guidelines to address challenges that kept popping up in these 15 other journal publications.  These guidelines are very much worth consideration before attempting the FC.

Guideline 1: Opening Up Teacher-Student Communication Before Flipping – teachers have to have discussions with students in advance of implementation so that students understand the reasoning behind the method and the role that they as students would play

Guideline 2: Demonstrating to Students How to Learn Through FC – teachers have to make sure to have demonstrational practice session about HOW to interact with the at home material to work “productively and maximize the benefits of this new learning model”.  Suggestions included viewing/working through videos together in class, incorporating note-taking strategies, etc.  Attention should also be paid to the in-class activities that will serve as more “making meaning” opportunities

Guideline 3: Using Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning to Guide Video Production – there were 12 design principles encapsulated here suggesting that teachers keep videos short (6 min), use a conversational style of talking, and highlighting essential materials.

Guideline 4: Retaining the Workload When Flipping a Course – keep the out-of-class time similar to the pre-FC time spent at home doing work, that is, make sure that just because you flip your classroom, that doesn’t mean to increase the amount of time needed at home to do work

Guideline 5: Providing Students with Communication Platforms Outside of the Classroom --  teachers need to create a forum for question asking since watching videos, etc at home does not intuitively provide that ability

Guideline 6:   Enriching Teachers’ Knowledge of FC Approach – schools that have teachers attempting FC need to provide support and collegial feedback in addition to technology support

Guideline 7:  Preparing Flipped Learning Materials Progressively – because this process can be so daunting, the suggestion is to take things slowly and to catalogue resources as you go so they can be reused; collaboration could be done thoughtfully

Guideline 8:  Supporting the Students who are Limited by Technology Resources – teachers need to consider the access that ALL of their students have and try to create unique opportunities if necessary to make the technology need available; flash drives and DVD’s we also suggested, but I find that out of date and TOO time consuming…some other alternative seems more manageable

Guideline 9:  Using LMS with Gamification to Monitor and Motivate Student Learning – in trying to address the idea that it is hard to prove students had actually watched the videos, etc, the authors suggest using follow-up quizzes.  To do this, they suggest a LMS to monitor and record the data.  Gamification was suggested as a way to motivate students, but little was offered in how to make that happen.

Guideline 10:  Providing Institutional Supports of Operating Flipped Classroom – IT staff may be needed and thus schools need to be willing to throw some extra manpower that direction; help from schedule coordinators could be used to create times for collaborative work for video production of teams or for a time to share/group students with similar abilities/understanding of materials.

Upon retrospection, I think that guidelines 1,2, and 5 will be the most difficult for me, but I look forward to thinking about how to properly put these guidelines into place as I see the value in addressing them.  What about you?  What guidelines do you feel you are most prepared to face?  The least?  What ideas do you have for combating these concerns?  I’d love to hear your flippin’ awesome ideas.

Article Used:

Lo, Chung Kwan, and Khe Foon Hew. “A Critical Review of Flipped Classroom Challenges in K-12 Education: Possible Solutions and Recommendations for Future Research.” Research and Practice in Technology Enhanced Learning, vol. 12, no. 1, 2017, doi:10.1186/s41039-016-0044-2.

Just Keep Flippin' On

Some fear that the idea of flipping a classroom takes the expertise away from the teacher.  Why would one need a teacher if all content is already available online?  On the contrary, the teacher and the design of  lessons is still integral.  Flipping has to be purposeful and deliberate.  The teachers job is not only to engage the students through 10-15 minute long videos (or some other method...video doesn’t always work), but to also design engaging activities for use upon the students’ return to the class the next day.  To feel comfortable flipping my classroom, I wanted ideas for ways for students to first interact with the asynchronous materials I assigned for out of class work to ensure interaction with the material I was going to be presenting.  Students would need to prove their interaction in some way.  These are ideas I discovered:

·         Worksheets

·         Answer questions as they read/watch a video (embedded edpuzzle questions could be used)

·         Write their own questions (open-ended ideally)

·         identify/define words

·         Sind supportive picture/meme/emoji

·         Interactive challenges

·         Formative quizzes

·         Graphic organizers

·         Sentence frames

·         Note taking

·         Highlight key points

·         Emails/online discussion boards/blogs

·         Other active, participatory teaching techniques (Top 10’s, What’s Hot/What’s Not, Found Poems)

Then, as someone who is used to commanding the room for 40 minutes in lecture format, I also started to search for ideas for use upon students returning to class.  I found the following ideas:

·         Review previous work

·         Answer student questions

·         Hands-on activities 

·         Primary source document analysis

·         Thinking routines

·         Problem based learning

·         Simulations*

·         Debates*

The articles also wanted to warn others to show caution when considering the flipped classroom concept.  One can not just throw technology at curriculum and hope it sticks.  You have to walk kids through HOW to interact with the content and use the flipped methodology so they understand how the method is supposed to benefit them.  Kids are going to need to understand their specific role in this partnership.  I think this idea is very important to remember and I can see it as a step that many might forgo or forget.  Just with anything else, at times we need to do some front-loaded hand holding that will make the process more effective in the long run.  

Other concerns would be that there are areas of the country that have limited wifi access.  Some teachers may feel that the video watching could be too passive, citing that hands-on is the way that students learn.  In truth, everything isn’t flippable...debates and simulations listed above need audiences.  There are concerns that the videos (or whatever modality is used) is a one-size-fits-all idea and that there would be no differentiation in the delivery of content.  (In a mastery flipped classroom environment, the opposite is the case.) For some teachers, the in-class activity and student collaboration can be too noisy.  And even though it is best practices, it is not always practical to make personal videos.

These articles helped me brainstorm some ideas for implementation in my classroom.  I still want to see it in action however.  In my next blog I hope to have watched a class in action as well as investigate some of the online tools that can help flip one’s class like Educreations, Explain Everything, Khanacademy.com, and Sophia.org. And though I have some experience with Edpuzzle, I’d like to explore more there as well.

Until then, keep flippin’ out!

Articles Used:

Schmidt, S. M. P., & Ralph, D. L. (2016). The Flipped Classroom: A Twist on Teaching. Contemporary Issues in Education Research, 9(1), 1–6.

Papadakis, S., Gariou-Papalexiou, A., & Makrodimos, N. (2019). How to Design and Implement a Flipped Classroom Lesson: A Bottom up Procedure for More Effective Lessons. Open Journal for Educational Research, 3(2), 53–66.

Sammel, A., Townend, G., & Kanasa, H. (2018). Hidden Expectations behind the Promise of the Flipped Classroom. College Teaching, 66(2), 49–59.

Springen, Karen. “Flipping the Classroom: A Revolutionary Approach to Learning Presents Some Pros and Cons.” School Library Journal, 1 Apr. 2013, www.slj.com/?detailStory=flipping-the-classroom-a-revolutionary-approach-to-learning-presents-some-pros-and-cons.

Bergmann, Jon, et al. “The Flipped Class: Myths vs Reality.” The Daily Riff, 2013, www.thedailyriff.com/articles/the-flipped-class-conversation-689.php. 

Grillin' With the Flip Masters

If we were talking about flipping steaks on a grill, I’d say leave me on the grill and flip me a couple more times; at this point I feel a little rare. This is how I feel having read Jonathan Bergmann and Aaron Sams’ Flipped Learning for Social Studies Instruction published by the International Society for Technology Education (ISTE) in 2015.  The short guide (one of at least five in a series) left me definitely wanting more time on the grill to establish more than just a quick sear, which just may be a good thing.  This subject-specific book of how-to’s and suggestions follows Bergmann and Sams’ previous books on flipped classroom titled Flip Your Classroom: Reach Every Student in Every Class Every Day (2012) and Flipped Learning: Gateway to Student Engagement (2014).  

The book opens with reasons why one should consider flipping, the constraints and suggestions for introducing the teaching method, and ideas for flipping a day, a week, or an entire year.  It continues by mentioning what resources one might use for flipping one’s class as well as rethinking how to use one’s newly found time in the classroom to engage more productively with students. The book finished by introducing how some have taken the concept of the flipped classroom even further (which is ideal) to “mastery flipped learning”, “inquiry in flipped classroom”, and finally the role of projects, PBL’s, and simulations in a flipped classroom.

From the start, Bergmann and Sams establish themselves as experts when it comes to flipped classroom, but they don’t claim to be grillmasters at the helm of the concept. The pair are quick to praise the combined efforts of other teachers in the development of the methodology.  In fact, Bergmann co-founded the Flipped Learning Network where flipped collaboration from all around the world is continuing. (If interested, check out flippedlearning.org) The two worked together to devise this innovative model while in the flames and flare ups of teaching, which always lends credibility.  

When looking critically at this book, as stated before, I was left wanting more.  The authors make a good case for flipping one’s class per the valuable class time that is gained NOT in direct instruction (because it was done at home), and the possibilities of addressing multiple learning styles virtually.  The authors give multiple examples of flipped classroom (and activities) in practice, I just wanted more ideas.  I wanted ideas from content that I specifically taught (American History pre-Reconstruction) so that I could connect with the standards/objectives in my own practice.  I for one, need concrete examples to grasp an idea and move forward with new thoughts.  I also wanted more examples from an elementary point of view.  I felt most given were middle and high school level.  There was a lack of ideas for engagement as well.  Successful flipped learning has students interact with the media assigned for homework and then engage in the classroom while continuing to process their learning.  I wanted the authors to give me more examples of ways to interact with the media at home, and then ideas of what to do with it when they returned to school.  Additionally, the authors talk through ideas for using the time one gains in the classroom. They mention a couple of history specific skills but again, I was looking for more...or at least more than one example for the skill being discussed.

To their credit, the authors included multiple resources worth checking out.  One was a social studies source for primary source documents called the Stanford History Education Group (http://sheg.stanford.edu)  This website (account needed to get the details) was full of already established lessons that could be used in a flipped situation.  Flippedlearning.org was already mentioned, and looks really promising for helpful hints, teacher motivational, and youtube channels/videos about history that could be used.  Unfortunately, the QR Code they print in the book, though a working link, hasn’t been updated since 2016 as far as I could tell...that, or no one commented on their tools page that was being chronicled. 

Honorably, Bergmann and Sams flat out state that they don’t have all the answers and that there is NO RIGHT WAY to flip one’s classroom...a teacher has to personalize the model for themselves.  “Flipping isn’t a destination, but a transition from direct instruction to getting more creative in your class.  It is an opportunity to change your teaching process.” (p. 88)  Above all, this was comforting as I read and contemplated the idea of flipping my class.  It does indeed seem like a structure/model/practice that I’d like to take on.  I think I will struggle with knowing what to do with the in-class face to face time.  However, as I’ve consistently struggled with (complained about) the concept of time and the lack of it to truly DESIGN really good lessons, this does seem like a partial answer.  It affords teachers time to be designers and implement an authentic problem that situates learners in a relevant culture to develop 21st century skills.  It affords teachers time to link living and learning (problem-solving, information using, community participation, knowledge development, ethical decision making) with appropriate technology to build background knowledge, construct activities, and share their learning.  It affords teachers the freedom to let kids discover their own meaningful outcomes.  Ideally, front loading the content-learning as homework, gives students time to go deeper in the classroom and collaborate with the “sage or guide on the side or stage” as needed in the classroom.  In this same breath,though, the authors would admit that developing this well for yourself, will take a time commitment outside of the school day, especially at the beginning.

The authors, in their informal style, also state that “the worst idea you could make is to try to replicate everything in this book to flip your class.” (p.97)  I want to thank them for giving me permission to do it my way...but in the end, I need more information in order to figure what that is.

My humble guess is reading the first books by these authors would be more beneficial when first starting out.  Having a solid footing on the ins and outs of implementation would then allow practitioners to think about ways that they could personalize the method in their own unique classroom with their own unique students with their own unique needs.  

Ultimately, the weekend griller (everyday teacher) just wants a successful experience...nothing under done or over done...but just right.  I would say that this book is under done...I’d send my entree back for some seasoning and a few more grill marks.  Time to do some more research...the flipped journey continues.

The Journey Begins

Flipping out.  We’ve all done it.  We’ve all gotten so frustrated or annoyed or angry and just couldn’t take it anymore that we flip out.  As teachers I think we’d all agree that we don't just flip out at home, but we occasionally also flip out at school, known as our home away from home.  (Granted at school we generally have to conceal the flip out.)  What has “gotten your goat” in the classroom that has led to “flipping out”?  Students not paying attention and asking for the gazillionth time what the directions are or where to turn a paper in?  Students not doing homework because they just forgot?  Students apparently disinterested despite the work you put in?  Parents needing you to solve their child’s problem when really what you want to say that this is a parenting issue? 

What has consistently gotten under my skin in the lack of visible evidence I have of student thinking, but also the lack of time in the classroom that seems to go hand in hand with that.  There is so much content to convey to students, I have little time to let them delve and explore the curriculum for themselves.  So I decided to look for a way to make more time for ourselves (both student and teacher) in the classroom.  One possible answer is the concept of a Flipped Classroom.

This blog will catalogue my exploration and discovery of what a Flipped Classroom looks like, acts like, and feels like as I decide if this is something that I think will work for me in my 6th grade social studies classes.  As I am just starting my Flipped journey (after 20 years in the classroom) and am curious if this will be an easy flip in thinking.  I wonder if some of the things I currently do will mesh easily and, with little effort, be incorporated into my daily routine. I wonder what the effect will be on my students.  Will I see a change in engagement?  Will I have more opportunity to see their thinking on paper?  Will I have more time to clarify concepts once I have time to identify misconceptions I didn’t know existed before?

Join me on my journey as I critically read numerous studies alongside novels by experts in the field.  Join me as I think through my 20 years of experience and seek to reconcile the two.  Join me as I try to apply what I’ve learned through my 2 years of graduate school in George Mason University’s Designing Digital Learning program.  Just join me... you may flip out too!