Flipped Learning: A Guide for Higher Education Faculty

by Robert Talbert, Jon Bergmann (Foreword)

Flipped learning is an approach to the design and instruction of classes through which, with appropriate guidance, students gain their first exposure to new concepts and material prior to class, thus freeing up time during class for the activities where students typically need the most help, such as applications of the basic material and engaging in deeper discussions and creative work with it.While flipped learning has generated a great deal of excitement, given the evidence demonstrating its potential to transform students’ learning, engagement and metacognitive skills, there has up to now been no comprehensive guide to using this teaching approach in higher education.Robert Talbert, who has close to a decade’s experience using flipped learning for majors in his discipline, in general education courses, in large and small sections, as well as online courses – and is a frequent workshop presenter and speaker on the topic – offers faculty a practical, step-by-step, “how-to” to this powerful teaching method.He addresses readers who want to explore this approach to teaching, those who have recently embarked on it, as well as experienced practitioners, balancing an account of research on flipped learning and its theoretical bases, with course design concepts to guide them set up courses to use flipped learning effectively, tips and case studies of actual classes across various disciplines, and practical considerations such as obtaining buy-in from students, and getting students to do the pre-class activities.This book is for anyone seeking ways to get students to better learn the content of their course, take more responsibility for their work, become more self-regulated as learners, work harder and smarter during class time, and engage positively with course material. As a teaching method, flipped learning becomes demonstrably more powerful when adopted across departments. It is an idea that offers the promise of transforming teaching in higher education.

266 pages, Hardcover

Published April 13, 2017

About the author

Robert Talbert is Professor of Mathematics and Presidential Fellow for the Advancement of Learning at Grand Valley State University.

He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from Tennessee Technological University, and Master's and Ph.D. degrees in Mathematics from Vanderbilt University where he did his dissertation on algebraic topology and homological algebra.

Robert taught in small liberal arts colleges for 14 years before arriving at GVSU in 2011, where he teaches a wide range of courses, conducts research in undergraduate mathematics education, and serves on the faculty senate. He is the author Flipped Learning: A Guide for Higher Education Faculty (Stylus, 2017) and a co-author of the forthcoming book Grading For Growth (2023) with David Clark. He is a frequent workshop facilitator and keynote speaker on teaching and learning in the US and abroad.

During the 2017-2018 academic year, Robert spent a sabbatical year as scholar-in-residence with Steelcase Education, where he conducted research and outreach on active learning and active learning spaces. He was recently named Presidential Fellow for the Advancement of Learning at GVSU, where he works to expand innovative high-impact teaching and learning practices across the university.

He writes about math, technology, education, and academic productivity at his website, rtalbert.org.

Reviews

[Matthew Christian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great model for pedagogy. I would use this resource quite often- but it does have a few weaknesses