It started with a simple observation: students need their teachers present to answer questions or to provide help if they get stuck on an assignment they don't need their teachers present to listen to a lecture or review content. From there, Jonathan Bergmann and Aaron Sams began the flipped classroom-students watched recorded lectures for homework and completed their assignments, labs, and tests in class with their teacher available. What Bergmann and Sams found was that their students demonstrated a deeper understanding of the material than ever before. This is the authors story, and they're confident it can be yours too. Learn what a flipped classroom is and why it works and get the information you need to flip a classroom.
You'll also learn the flipped mastery model, where students learn at their own pace-furthering opportunities for personalized education. This simple concept is easily replicable in any classroom, doesn't cost much to implement, and helps foster self-directed learning. Once you flip, you wont want to go back!
The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) is the trusted source for professional development, knowledge generation, advocacy and leadership for innovation. ISTE is the premier membership association for educators and education leaders engaged in improving teaching and learning by advancing the effective use of technology in PK-12 and teacher education. Home of the National Educational Technology Standards (NETS), the Center for Applied Research in Educational Technology (CARET), and ISTE's annual conference (formerly known as the National Educational Computing Conference, or NECC), ISTE represents more than 100,000 professionals worldwide. We support our members with information, networking opportunities, and guidance as they face the challenge of transforming education.
Some of the areas in which we publish are: -Web. 2.0 in the classroom-RSS, podcasts, and more -National Educational Technology Standards (NETS) -Professional development for educators and administrators -Integrating technology into the classroom and curriculum -Safe practices for the Internet and technology -Educational technology for parents
Una de las mejores propuestas pedagógicas que he leido. ¿Qué es poner el aula de cabeza? Es quitar al maestro del centro y poner al alumno. Es invertir la manera en que tradicionalmente se administra el tiempo en el aula: menos tiempo de exposisición y mayor tiempo para realizar ejercicios, actividades y practicar lo aprendido. Más allá de la didáctica propia que proponen estos autores, me parece que la idea detrás del aula invertida puede ser la solución a las deficiencias de nuestros sistemas educativos. El papel del maestro, más allá de ofrecer información es ayudar al alumno a obtener dominio del tema. Las mejores clases que tuve en la universidad, tenían una dinámica muy similar a la que propone este libro (con menos elementos didácticos) : trabajar un texto en clase para exponer dudas en el aula, donde el profesor conducía la discusión y respondía preguntas concretas. Siempre he dicho que ningún método que asegure ser el mejor es de fiar. En este sentido los autores exponen con toda claridad las ventajas de su método sin afirmar que sea el mejor o inmejorable. Desde el principio se hace hincapié en que, al ser el alumno el elemento más importante del aula invertida, cada profesor puede tomar los elementos que mejor le convengan con el fin de lograr el aprendizaje de los alumnos. Los autores dan una explicación amplia del modelo y una larga lista de herramientas didácticas y recomendaciones de las cuales se pueden aprovechar todas, pocas o ninguna. ¿Por qué ninguna? porque como ya mencioné, los elementos didácticos concretos como videos, exámenes en computadora o comunicación en línea con los alumnos, son lo menos relevante de este modelo educativo. Si el profesor entiende que el foco de atención debe ser alumno, y se le ofrece al alumno las herramientas para responsabilizarse de su propio aprendizaje, se estará logrando una mejora significativa en la manera en que los alumnos aprenden, independientemente de los recursos que se tengan. Sin duda, una gran lectura recomendada para profesores de cualquier materia y a cualquier nivel.
If you have any questions about the flipped classroom, this is the place to start and possibly finish. Bergmann and Sams do an excellent job of telling how they organically came about using the flipped model. They make a case for why to use it and then lay out how to implement it. I recommend Flip Your Classroom to anyone thinking of flipping the classroom. It is a no-nonsense account of how it all started. They are not afraid to tell the reader what works and what doesn't work. They give some great examples of problems that occurred at first and what they did to overcome them. They go on to explain the flipped-mastery model and all that it entails. They recommend using the flipped model first and switching to flipped-mastery after a couple of years if you feel the need. I found the section where they answer FAQs valuable. This book is an easy read.
This is a no nonsense book. Directly to the point written by two non assuming humble teachers who asked themselves ," what can we do better for our students?" and did it. The concept is pretty simple, make the students responsible for their learning process by giving them the content that the teacher can deliver outside the classroom. Usually, but not always, this can be done by creating and disseminating videos about the subject on hand and get the students to watch it (at home, at school). Then the teacher's role in the class is to answer students' questions , explain what they didn't understand and gauge their learning. Very easy. read the book. This book is very easy to read. You can do it in one go.
I think what I appreciated about this book was Sams's and Bergmann's honesty. They're very open about the fact this worked FOR THEM. They explain HOW it worked, and WHY...they're in a unique situation of being able to team teach both classes they flipped and it had to be a huge advantage to work together.
They explained the tech stuff that made their classrooms successful, and I could see how that would work. They answered questions, especially mine about what to do for kids who don't have technology at home. I was glad they addressed that, because that was absolutely my first, "Yes, but..."
I always read books like this, thinking about my own classroom and how I could adapt ideas. My class is already differentiated...and there's not a lot of teacher-delivered instruction. But I'm thinking on it. I DO wish they'd consulted with teachers in other core areas so they could have had more specific examples and suggestions. I think that was my one frustration...just a sentence or so about ELA.
The leap from flipped to flipped-mastery to standards-based grading is intriguing...but I needed more time to develop my thinking.
A great introduction to the subject by two teachers who obviously do whatever they can to help their students learn.
This is an account of how two teachers in Colorado more or less created the flipped classroom model without necessarily setting out to revolutionize teaching. It is a good introduction to what flipped teaching is and how it can be implemented. My only regret is that I would have appreciated more concrete examples from other subjects and age groups, or even more concrete examples from their own experience. However, these two teachers are certainly to be admired for sharing what they have done in a straightforward and clear fashion. The book was my first about flipped teaching, which I hope to work on for a research paper, and I think it was a good place to start.
I read this book on my Kindle, and found myself wanting to highlight almost everything.
The authors are honest and practical. In a lot of educational texts, the authors seem to exist in a magical fairy-land where they have no rules or administrative edicts to follow, and/or they preach that this is THE ONLY WAY TO BE A GOOD TEACHER - Like they're Moses and their books are the freakin' stone tablets.
One of my favourite lines from the book is "Best practice so far", and the acknowledgment that there is more than one way to do things.
Summary In the flip your classroom book the authors Jonathan Bergmann and Aaron Sams make their case to convince readers (educators) to adopt the flip classroom and the flipped mastery classroom models. The authors began by narrating their experiences of how out of the necessity to better service students, who were often absent due to sports field trips, in a small town community the flip classroom was born. They move on to describe what a flip classroom is and how it function on a daily basis compared to a traditional model. “that which is traditionally done in class is now done at home, and that which is traditionally done as homework is now completed in class” (2012 page 13). The authors continue with a detail list of benefits the flip classroom offers compared to a traditional classroom. Essentially, the flipped classroom is better fitted to service todays technology proficient students and their busy schedules because of the flexible 24-7 access of lecture video lessons created by teachers and the multiple ways of representations the model offers. It also changes the roles of both teachers and students. Students actively take control of their learning and the teacher becomes a facilitator guiding and redirecting students in class. “When we flipped the classroom, we gave the students control of the remote. Giving students the ability to pause their teacher is truly revolutionary.” (2012 page 24) The authors then give detailed recommendations on how to implement the flip classroom. They give recommendation on how to create, edit and upload video lessons and which technology equipment is necessary and worked best for such task. Among other recommendations they exert finding and using other teacher created videos if teachers don’t feel comfortable creating their own at first, “using videos produced by other teachers…may be your best option as you begin flipping your own classroom” (2012 page 36). Next they share teacher accounts form all sorts of subjects of how they have utilized the extra class-time created by the flip classroom model once the video finding or developing has been achieved. Chapters 5-7 are dedicated to explaining in detail how the flip classroom was blended with mastery learning to create the flipped mastery classroom. Emphasis is placed on detailing the added benefits of mastery learning combined with the flip classroom model, “The quiet, introspective students often have the same questions, but rarely voice those in the traditional model. In the flipped mastery-mastery classroom all students must ask questions.” (2012 page 81). Basically the main difference between the flip classroom and the flipped mastery classroom is that students are not required to all watch the same videos as homework. In other words, in the flipped mastery classroom, instruction is differentiated. Student watch and move through the videos lessons at their own pace which means most are at different lessons, chapters or units depending their ability levels. The rest of the book is dedicated to offering solutions to frequently asked questions, trouble shooting challenges encountered while setting up the flip classroom or flipped classroom model plus giving and discussing statistical evidence gathered through their teaching experience. Critique The “Flip Your Classroom, Reach Every Student in Every Class Every Day” is a highly, informative, interesting, engaging and educational book to read. Johnathan Bergmann, and Aaron Sams honestly and fluently present their teaching experiences, both successes and struggles, in an attempt to promote the Flip Classroom Model and eventually the Flipped Mastery Classroom. The specific introductions, definitions, recommendations and personal teacher accounts make the book an interesting easy read. I personally like the detail guidance and list of students benefits of the flipped mastery classroom given in chapters 7 and 8. After reading this book, I feel the authors have convinced me, therefore I honestly feel more comfortable with the idea of flipping my classes. Consequently, it will be less difficult to implement the flipped mastery classroom now that I have read this book. Who are the Co-Authors? Johnathan Bergmann and Aaron Sams are credited for the innovative educational creation of the flip classroom, therefore the maximum authorities in the flip classroom and flipped mastery classroom model. Before their invention, both were already excellent high achieving high school teachers. Bergmann and Sams are presidential award winners for excelling in teaching mathematics and science in 2002 and 2009 respectively. They are also the coauthors of Flipped Learning: Gateway to Student Engagement. Since writing their fist book, both have co-founded the Flipped Learning Network, and are manager and Main Learning officer of flippedclass.com along with traveling the world and conducting forums and conferences promoting the Flip-Class model.
I appreciate when pedagogy books are straightforward, and this one definitely is. It’s neat that the flipped classroom started at Woodland Park High School, which is close to where I live and teach. The strategies in this book are useful, and I am excited to give some of them a whirl this upcoming school year. I like the flexibility and customizability of flipping the classroom. There is no wrong way to do it, so that eases some of the pressure. This book got me thinking about some meaningful adjustments I can make in my classroom. The fact that we are in the midst of a pandemic just makes these strategies more appealing.
This was a super quick read - I finished it in just a few hours! The book is a solid introduction to flipping a classroom, and I love the structure. They addressed most of my big questions, and they offered a structure to guide my thinking. I think I have to just take the plunge now...
Recently in my middle school classes, I've started assigning videos as homework. They watch a video I made and then respond to it with a video of their own. It's a great system and it seems to work really well. This has led to me starting to realize that I can put information in the videos that I would usually give in an in class lecture; resulting in me having much less to teach in class and more time to do other activities or go deeper into some subjects.
While I was doing this I was reading Start. Right. Now.: Teach and Lead for Excellence and it mentioned the "flipped classroom" approach. I had never heard of this before but I thought it sounded somewhat similar to what I would like to do in my classes, so I bought Bergmann and Sams' book.
The idea of the flipped classroom is that traditional lecturing is given outside of class, usually through video lectures, while the traditional homework is done in class with the assistance of the teacher. It's not a model I can see myself adapting wholesale for my classes but there are elements of it I really like. Bergmann and Sams also do a good job of explaining it without seeming like they're trying to sell me a product. They actually say several times that they don't do everything right and this method might not work for my classroom. Rather than selling their approach as the only method, they simply say what worked for them and why and leave it up to the reader to adapt it, reject it, or modify it as they see fit. I really appreciated that.
I read this book at the request of my principal, as I will be piloting some flipped classroom elements this year in grade 4 math. I found this book to be a nice, concise introduction to the flipped classroom method, and to some of the more basic questions that teachers might have as they begin their own flipped classroom trials. However, the entire book only talked about the flipped classroom from the perspective of high school students and educators. I would have loved to see more sections and chapters devoted to both the practicality/fit of this method for younger students, as well as how to implement this method in an elementary setting.
Bergmann and Sams were my inspiration when I first moved to student-paced learning in math. This book is spot-on with the challenges and the rewards. Anyone interested in what the flipped classroom is all about and how it relates to fully differentiating instruction will be glad of the couple hours invested in reading this little gem.
This is helpful guide for those who want to flip their classrooms. The authors are quite frank about the pros and cons, what works, what doesn't, and that they work in an school district that is very supportive. Not all teachers could do what they are doing, however, the ideas in the books can be implemented in varying degrees. The book is a quick, easy read and is quite motivating!
Summary The book Flip Your Classroom: Reach Every Student in Every CLass Every Day, by Jonathan Bergmann and Aaron Sams is short, to the point, and an easy guide to aide in flipping your classroom. It begins with the authors’ personal backgrounds and their path to the flipped classroom. The authors Bergmann and Sams (2012) said, “In our combined total 37 years of teaching, we have been frustrated with students not being able to translate content from our lectures into useful information that would allow them to complete their work” (p. 4). I think this is a strong point that many teachers today can relate to in some form or another. The idea of the book being written by actual practicing teachers for teachers, was powerful and convincing. According to Bergmann and Sams (2012), “Flipping the classroom is more about a mindset: redirecting attention away from the teacher and putting attention on the learner and learning” (p. 11). This focus on student-centered learning is woven throughout the book, and reinforced through the practice and assessment of the flipped classroom. The book proceeded to identify and validate reasons why one should flip their classroom, and the process of implementation. It also discussed the flipped mastery model, implementation, and then concluded with frequently asked questions about flipping your classroom. I had not been familiar with the flipped mastery model, where in the flipped classroom students go through learning of a group of objectives at their own pace. (Bergmann & Sams 2012). I personally felt the FAQ’s at the end were very useful and practical. In this section, Bergmann and Sams (2012) state, “One increasingly common concern about the flipped class is that it could contribute to an even greater ‘digital divide’ between the haves and the have-nots” (p. 97). This is one example that is addressed in that section. Overall, it was a short, easy read, which is particularly very appealing to the typically overworked, exhausted, busy life of a teacher.
Critique Numerous reasons and points are made in the beginning of the book of why of flip your classroom. Some reasons discussed are: how flipping helps struggling and excelling students, how it increases student-student-teacher interaction, and how it allows differentiation of abilities (Bergmann & Sams 2012). I liked the mention of teaching students how to use Cornell notes when viewing the videos, but there were no resources for this included. The authors approach was very open, flexible, and what has worked for them, and how a teacher might use or adapt it to their classroom. The book also included various, helpful quotes from teachers around the world that have implemented the flipped classroom. In Chapter 4, it was mentioned that a teacher might consider using other teachers’ videos to begin flipping your classroom. This was a very practical approach, and not overwhelming to a teacher in the beginning stages of flipping their classroom. I liked that the authors were not simply pushing this model in one form, but rather to tailor it to the situation and circumstances to a particular teacher. Lastly, the section about the flipped mastery model was helpful for me because it laid out the key components, research, and definitions. They referred to a typical day as a “ten-ring circus” and that “the teacher must be able to relinquish control of the learning process to the students” (p. 54-55 ). This slightly intimated me, and I would have liked to have some linked resources or videos embedded within the text. The book did have some referenced guides and schedules, but could have been better supported with some practical applications with video and other resource links. It was focused on students owning and taking responsibility for their learning. My only reservation is the logistics of holding students accountable for it. Thus, the overall empowerment of a flipped classroom seems to outweigh my doubts. Because of its easy and practical read, I would highly suggest this to anyone wondering or on the fence about flipping your classroom.
Author’s Qualifications The authors Jonathan Bergmann and Aaron Sams are both innovative, creative, high school science teachers. They also wrote Flipped Learning: Gateway to Student Engagement. The authors successfully collaborated to create a flipped classroom and better reach their students. They speak from experience, successes, failures, trial/error, and having experienced it all, they share their wisdom to the average teacher willing to listen.
Jonathan Bergmann taught high school science for 25 years and now is a lead technology facilitator (Bergmann & Sams 2012). Aaron Sams has been teaching since 2000 and possesses a bachelor of science in biochemistry and a master of arts in education. They have both received the Presidential Award for Excellence for Math and Science Teaching, and are advisors for TED Education. Both authors also have families and children. They both saw a need, video recorded their lessons, and began implementation of a flipped model. This is the premise of their book.
References
Sams, A., & Bergmann, J. (2012). Flip Your Classroom: Reach Every Student in Every Class Every Day. International Society for Technology in Education / ISTE.
This is a quick read and packed with lots of information. I really learned quite a bit and think it's not only a primer on what a flipped instructional strategy looks like, but also the kinds of decision-making that has to accompany the decision to try this style out.
A very easy read that clearly explained the authors' version of a flipped classroom and a flipped mastery classroom; they clearly spell out what worked and what didn't. The authors also didn't sugar coat that this is a lot of work to set up and requires constant maintenance/revision.
A few years from now this will be an incredible model for teachers at school. This year I will slowly take the first step to model with staff virtual staff meetings how we can begin to step into this world.
While written for grade and high schools, it taught a lot about how to do this and it helped me see that it will work in some classes such as Hebrew, but not for others such as Intro except possibly as an occasional piece. I am also considering this for the exegetical skills course.
Summary In the book Flip Your Classroom, authors Jonathan Bergmann and Aaron Sams talk about their journey switching from a traditional classroom model to a flipped classroom. Bergmann and Sams both became teachers in Woodland Park, Colorado in 2006. They quickly realized that with their student population, students were frequently gone for extracurricular activities and constantly missing school. They also had students who struggled to learn during class and being successful on their homework. One day they started filming their lectures for students who missed their class to catch up. Shortly after this, they realized that students really needed them to be present as they were working through the content and the idea to switch to a flipped classroom was born. A flipped classroom is not a term or idea created by the authors, but it is an idea they both heard about and decided to try. The idea behind a flipped classroom is that what is traditionally done in class is done at home and what is done at home is now done in class. Instead of coming to school and receiving instruction from their teacher, students come to school and participate in problems, labs and other engaging activities. Instruction in turn is given as homework for students. Students go home and are instructed to watch certain videos created by the instructor. They take notes at home and come to class ready to apply what they have learned in the presence of their instructor. The first part of the book is dedicated to making a case for the flipped classroom. Conducting their class this way had numerous advantages. Students now had the power to pause, rewind and revisit lectures instead of getting one chance to learn material. This also allowed students who miss school to catch up. One of the main reasons they like this model is that it takes the attention off of the teachers and puts the focus of the classroom on the students. In this setting, the authors argue that this allows for true differentiated instruction for all students every day. As teachers, they can focus on students who are struggling while students who don’t need help can work ahead. This model allows for increased interaction with students which allows the teachers to better know their students and accommodate for their needs. The second main idea addressed in this book is how to implement the flipped classroom. The authors talk about how they started flipping their classrooms and what they did to improve as time went on. They realized early on that forcing students to stay in the same place in this model limited its success so they modified their flipped classroom into a flipped mastery model. In this model all students move at their own pace and only move on when they have demonstrated mastery of a particular concept. This means that students in their rooms can all be working on different things at different times. The authors spend the second half of the book making an argument for this model and discussing how they have implemented it in their classrooms. Throughout the book the authors repeatedly say this book is not about how to flip a classroom, but about what they did and how they did it in an effort to help the reader flip their own classroom. At the end of the day the question that drove them to flip the classroom was, “What is best for kids?” (Bergmann Sams, 2012, p. 112) They suggest that the reader answer this question and go do it. Evaluation Flip Your Classroom has many qualities that made it a good read for me. The book is not long, but the authors do a great job conveying their message in the space they have. Each chapter has a clear purpose and the authors write in a reader friendly language which makes the book easy to read. The problems the authors faced are problems that I also face which made their arguments for the flipped mastery model resonate with me. They do a great job talking about how to implement the flipped mastery model. Someone who has never heard about the flipped classroom can read this book over a weekend and walk away with the basics of setting up a flipped classroom. Though they offer statistics about their own success, the data does not have the impact that a real case study would have. This makes the book feel like an introduction to the flipped classroom. If the reader wanted a more in depth discussion, they would need to find additional work. The main theme behind this book is to do what works best for your students. The idea for flipping their classrooms came as an answer to this question. Multiple times throughout the book, the authors say that the way they do the flipped classroom may not be the best way. They go as far as saying that flipping a classroom is not for everyone and specifically identify situations where this model wouldn’t work. The authors admit this early on and then spend the rest of the time convincing the reader about why they think this model is best and how anyone can do it with any group of students. I really enjoyed reading this book because I was already very interested in the flipped classroom going into this book. Though I like the idea of flipping a classroom, I always struggled with how this would look in real life. There are so many factors that I recognized from the beginning that I thought would make this model ineffective. The arguments made in this book seemed to be written to address my very questions. Every potential setback and potential problem I envisioned myself having was addressed in this book and quickly put to rest. Additionally, this book laid out a clear step by step plan for how to roll out a flipped classroom. They start with the resources required and talk all the way through what works and what doesn’t work. The clear arguments and the step by step plan made the message of this book resonate with me. Overall, the authors of this book do a great job introducing the idea for a flipped classroom. They make clear and concise arguments for what they believe and tell the reader what to do to flip their own classroom. The book is short and easy to read which makes it good for those who are interested in learning about a flipped classroom, but may not have time to invest in reading a large book. This book was published by International Society for Technology in Education in 2012. The ISBN for this book is 978-1564843159 and it can be purchased for 20 dollars.
This is a great book, it achieves a rare 5 stars from me. There are a number of reasons I give it 5 stars and they are as follows:
1. The authors know what they are talking about. They have extensive experience in education and teaching and this shines through. 2. It's about tech yet they're not flogging a vendor. We live in the age of the feature-spotter for the big-tech boys, every tom, dick and harry selling themselves for in the hope of the daily rate to one of the major vendors these guys just talk teaching and learning. 3. They're honest. None of the hype of 'wow, look how great this is' but down to earth analysis of what has worked for them and the limitations. 4. It's very practical, I love this aspect of the book. They go into detail on the mechanics of flipped learning.
Some gems from the book:
a) Teach your students how to watch a video b) Try to do it in pairs, talk to someone in the video as people like to listen to a conversation c) Use the picture in picture feature, as again students said they liked to see their interlocutor d) Start small and grow organically.
A great book I'd recommend to all serious educators. You don't need to agree with the content of the book to appreciate the content. Thank you guys!
Searching for a new and different way to get your students engaged and to differentiate instructions to reach all of your students? Or, are you simply tired of standing in front of the classroom delivering a lecture? If so, check out Flip Your Classroom: Reach Every Student in Every Class Every Day by Johnathan Bergmann and Aaron Sams (2012). Bergmann and Sams are both science teachers and with their combined 37 years, they explained how flipped learning can easily be implemented in any classroom and not just science with a few simple tools, patience, and dedication. They also delved into further explanation of how this model can potentially increase student mastery-learning. They believe that flipping increases student-teacher interaction, student-student interaction, allows differentiation of instructions, changes the dynamic of classroom management and communication between teachers and parents, makes the class transparent, good method for teachers that are absent, and can lead to flipped-mastery program (p.24-32).
The traditional teaching method of the teacher standing in front of a classroom and delivering a lecture continues to be a model used today by majorities of teachers. Recently there has been a shift towards implementing a model where direct instruction is centered around the student rather than the teacher. The basic model for a flipped class is reversing the traditional model of teaching. Homework are done in class and direct instruction is done at home. The model frees up class time and the teachers can provide more support to individual students. Flip learning is an instructional strategy that is a type of blended learning which combines online and face-to-face instructions (p.25). Bergmann and Sams stressed that there is no such thing as “the flipped classroom” (p.5) but it is rather a mindset (p.10). It is about redirecting the attention away from the teacher and directing it on the students. It is about the students taking responsibility for their learning. The authors clarified that flipped classroom does not necessarily require students to view videos outside of the classroom either.
I am glad that the authors broaden the definition of a flipped classroom to go beyond students watching video lectures pre-recorded by the teachers for their students. I have always thought that my classroom is a flipped classroom to some extent. I have found that depending on whom you talk to the definition of a flipped classroom is not always interpreted the same way. This is the reason I chose to read this book. I wanted to understand more about flipped learning. So rest assured that you can still create a flipped classroom without having to feel the need to create your own videos or have students watch any videos. For example, having a student look up information online and takes note so that when they come to class and use that information to write a report, create a video, make poster, create a digital presentation, perform an inquiry-based activity, or any other follow-up activity is considered as flipped learning.
Perhaps some of you might already be doing a flipped classroom, but just need to spruce it or try a newer challenge: have students view video for homework via online using their computers or hand-held devices. I say don’t ban electronic devices. I agree with the Bergmann and Sams, that students today grew up with electronic devices, Internet access, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and other social media forums, so trying to prevent them from using it is a no-win situation. Teachers can use it to their advantage and assign homework that gives them the opportunity to use what they already like and know how to do very well. After all, technology is the language (p.19) in which they communicate on a daily basis.
Bergmann and Sams goes into details how you can easily create your own video using a web camera, microphone and using a screencast software such as Camtasia Studio ($179 per license for educators). They also offer tips and suggestions how teachers can create short, engaging videos to delivers the content intended. Here are some of my own suggestions of free or nominal fee-based screencast services you can check out: Jing, Screen-O-Matic, Apple Quick Time Player (already on your Mac), Microsoft Community Clips, CamStudio, and Open Broadcaster Software. Some of these software will allow you to annotate during the screencasting – this is a great feature for any teachers to use.
The authors also suggest solutions for teachers that want to avoid producing their own videos because they that do not have time to create their own videos, do not feel comfortable in front of a camera, or they struggle with using technology. They suggest that teachers skip making the video and either search for high-quality videos that others have made that are readily available on YouTube or purchase them. Teachers that want to start flipping but don’t have the time to make their own videos can search for quality videos online. However, I should also caution that this may also be time consuming as well and may take longer than creating your own. Please keep in mind that there’s also a chance that you won’t find exactly what you’re looking for so producing your own videos may be the best solutions. The other benefit is that once you’ve made the video you can reuse it again for years to come.
In addition, to providing teachers with very helpful and encouraging tips on how to get started on flipping a classroom, they also offer Question and Answer section at the end of their book that addresses some concerns that many teachers might have about flipped learning. Flip classroom creates a learning environment where students are able to receive a personalized education that is tailored to their unique, individual needs (p.6). Any teacher can “move away from in-class direct instruction to a more student-directed and inquiry based-learning” (p.111) if they have the dedication to try out this model.
Neste livro, os professores de química Aaron Sams e Jonathan Bergmann apresentam uma abordagem educacional inovadora designada por "sala de aula invertida (flipped)".
Consiste em identificar aspetos das aulas em que a presença do/a professor(a) não é necessária, convertendo-os em trabalhos extra-aula. Assim, os alunos e as alunas podem, por exemplo, assistir a vídeos com exposição da matéria em casa e, em vez de fazerem exercícios sozinhos/as como TPCs, têm tempo para os fazerem com ajuda na escola.
O método tem como objetivos tornar mais eficiente o tempo de aulas, permitindo um ensino com uma capacidade de resposta mais diversa e personalizada; assim como rentabilizar o esforço dos alunos e alunas, incentivando a que o seu papel na própria aprendizagem seja mais ativo e repsonsável.
O livro está muito claro, e os autores são muito humildes naquilo que propõem, demonstrando que o método pode ser usado de vários modos, em conjugação com outros, do modo que se entender mais apropriado.
If I had never heard about Flipped Classroom (or Flipped Mastery) before, I probably would have given this book a clean 5-star rating. But as someone who has already taught the technique himself, I find it a bit weak in exactly the points where it gets really interesting for the advanced reader. Most of the book is about motivation (Why you should try this...), while important practical questions like "Where do you find the time to individually coach 30 students within 90 minutes", "If you insist that students have to really understand every single lesson, how do you justify grading a bell curve anyway?", "If everyone learns at their own speed, what do you do if some have only finished 60% of the material by the end of the year", or "What alternatives to videos for the home learning exist, and what are their advantages / disadvantages" are either treated very shortly or are missing altogether.
Given the importance of the book, I rate it 4 stars anyway, but with a strong tendency towards 3 stars.