by Kelly Beischel PhD, RN, CNE

I recently worked with a faculty member I’ll call Amy. I love this woman. She is always on it! Always seeking new strategies to improve her teaching and deepen her students’ learning. Yay Amy!

She contacted me because she heard I flip my class and wanted to discuss my experiences. She’s considering doing the same. She teaches a content laden course that includes a lab and is frustrated that students have little time to practice once she’s taught the material.

This is a common problem, don’t you think?

This is why talk about flipping the class is popping up everywhere, in academic journals as well as in mainstream media.

I applaud faculty members who take teaching and learning to the next level.

And flipping the class is one way to do just that.

Jose Bowen calls it “Teaching Naked.” (I secretly like his expression better.) 🙂

But, as with any teaching strategy, there are benefits and limitations to using this strategy.

Benefits to flipping your class:

1. Rather than playing PowerPoint Karaoke in class,

face-to-face (f2f) time can be used to add clarity to “messy” problems. You know the ones.

Those problems students can’t solve on their own: writing nursing diagnoses for the first time, solving complicated calculus problems, discussing complex philosophical issues.

2. As in Amy’s case, moving much or even all of the content outside of class

frees up time to practice. Learning is the act of creating new neural pathways, or deepening existing ones. And practice using application and analysis strategies is essential to create these new neural pathways.

This reminds me of a phrase Pat Sharpnack uses,“Practice makes Permanence”. Don’t you just love that?

3. Faculty who teach in content laden courses

can rest assured knowing that all the “content was covered.” (I abhor the phrase “cover the content”, but that’s a discussion for another day.)

4. Fostering student learning

outside of the classroom enables faculty to move students to higher levels of thinking inside the classroom.

5. The capability to listen repeatedly

to the content is advantageous. I love this benefit. I acquire much of my personal and professional development through teleseminars and webinars and listen to the recordings numerous times. I learn something new each time.

I like to think of these recordings as having a coach in my pocket. Wouldn’t it be great if students viewed us as coaches, as their facilitators of learning?

6. When lecturing, have you ever seen students with glazed eyes,

furrowed brows, or expressions of sheer confusion? What did you do? I’m willing to bet you stopped lecturing. You asked questions. Presented more examples. Added clarity.

I’m also willing to bet that a frustrated voice inside you said, “Well, damn, now I’m behind.”

Then did you speed up? Cut content? We know both of these strategies are detriments to learning, right?

When a student is confused (or bored) videos or other prerecorded media can be paused, replayed, or even fast-forwarded, empowering students to control their own process of learning. (Next week, I’ll present strategies for offering multiple examples using pre-recorded media.)

But all good things bear limitations and consequences.

Limitations or hazards of flipping a class:

  1. Students need the material in ample time to complete their preparatory work. A successfully flipped course requires faculty to carefully plan our their course well in advance.
  1. Flipping the class increases faculty effort and time. Whether searching for material online or creating their own, it still necessitates faculty spending much time and energy.
  1. Just because we can, doesn’t mean we should. Requiring students to watch or listen to pre-recorded media can lead to student overload of content.

Remember, breadth can impede depth.

Toward the end of our discussion, Amy asked a great question. One I’ve heard many times. She asked, “If students don’t do the at-home prep work, is the next class a mess?” I assured her it won’t happen.

They will prepare. No kidding! They will.

 

Tune in next week. I’ll offer strategies for successfully flipping your class.

(Your students will prepare. Promise!)

Reply below. Tell us about any tips you have for flipping the classroom. We really want to hear!