Two Incredibly Useful Videos on Flipped Learning

September 6, 2014
Flipped learning is a learning trend that is gaining in momentum within the education community. Whether this is a new trend or not does not matter here what matters is the fact that web technologies and digital media is increasing the potential of flipped learning beyond measures. Flipped classroom or flipped learning is a methodology, an approach to learning in which technology is employed to reverse the traditional role of classroom time. If in the past, classroom time is spent at lecturing to students , now in a flipped model, this time is utilized to encourage individualized learning and provide one-on-one help to students.There are actually several pluses for using a flipped approach in your teaching:

Image source:User Generated Education

• Doing the 'knowledge' part at home provides students with ample time to think, absorb and reflect on their learning.
• Classroom time is devoted to more engaging and inquiry based activities
• Students become responsible for their leaning
• Classroom teaching becomes more student centred
• Flipped Classroom also "allows teachers to reflect on and develop quality and engaging learning opportunities and options for internalization, creation, and application of content rather than just fluff or time filling assignments."

Today, I am sharing with you these two wonderful videos that sum up the essence of Flipped learning. The first video is an explanation of what Flipped learning is all about and the second one provides an an example of how students are actually learning through the flipped learning model. Enjoy

1-  The Flipped Classroom Model

2- Flipped Learning

 Follow us on : Twitter, Facebook , Google plus, Pinterest .

The Best Tools and Apps for Flipped Learning Classroom

July 25, 2014
Following the posting of "Managing iPad Videos in Schools" somebody emailed me asking about some suggestions for tools and apps to create instructional videos to use in a flipped learning setting. In fact, over the last couple of years I have reviewed several web tools and iPad apps that can be used in flipped classroom but the ones I am featuring below are among the best out there.

1- Educlipper

Educlipper is a wonderful tool for creating video tutorials and guides to share with students. As a teacher you can create an Educlipper board for your class and share the link with them. Now that you have a shared space with your students, you can go about creating instructional videos using the iPap app of Educlipper. After you are done you can share it on your class Educlipper board. For those of you not familiar yet with how to use Educlipper to create videos, watch this video.

2- PixiClip

Pixiclip is another wonderful tool to create step by step instructional videos to use in your flipped classroom. Like Educlipper, PixiClip provides you with a whiteboard where you can add images,text, videos, drawings, annotations and many more. PixClip also offers a nifty recording feature that allows you to record your talk while working on the whiteboard. Once your PixiClip video is ready you can then share it through popular social media outlets lie Facebook or Twitter or email its link to your students directly. If you have a classroom blog, you can grab the HTML code of your video and embed it there. Here is a step by step guide on how to create instructional videos using PixiClip.

3- Explain Everything

Explain Everything is a great interactive whiteboard that  allows you to create screencasts and video tutorials using annotation, animation, narration, importing, and exporting almost anything to and from almost anywhere. 

4- Knowmia

Knowmia Teach is a new free lesson planning and recording tool for teachers and their students. It helps you create short video lessons on any subject and publish them on Knowmia.com so students, other teachers and the public can find them. Knowmia Teach makes it easy to bring in visual aids from multiple sources, organize them in steps (like slides in a presentation) and use your own voice and fingers to bring your lesson to life. You can design each step in the lesson, record illustrations as you draw them, and create sophisticated animation sequences with a simple stroke of a finger. We also give you the ability to describe your lesson in a way that makes it simple for anyone who is interested in the subject to find your video.

 5- ShowMe

ShowMe is similar to Educreations in that it also allows you to turn your iPad into a recordable iPad. You can use  this app to record tutorials and short video lessons to share with your students. Some of the features ShowMe provides to its users include :

• Record your ShowMe tutorial right away — no manuals or complicated menus needed
• Drop in images onto the whiteboard
• Easily switch between drawing and erasing (as well as pausing and playing) to make your ShowMe flow from concept to concept
• You can make your ShowMe as long or as short as it needs to be, and record as many ShowMe’s as you want. Go nuts!
• Once you’re finished recording, upload your ShowMe to share with the community (or keep it private if you prefer) 
• Discover awesome tutorials created by other members of the ShowMe community

6- Educreations

This is my favourite of them all. Educreations allows you to create short video recordings that can include your own voice, text, drawings, sketches, and pictures. Some of the features that Educreations provide to its users include :

• Record and replay your voice, handwriting and drawings
•Draw in 10 colors of incredibly realistic digital ink
• Add text to any page
• Add photos from the iPad camera, Photo Albums, Dropbox or the Web
• Animate images by dragging them around while recording
• Create multiple whiteboard pages
• Scroll pages up or down when you need extra space
• Easily erase drawing mistakes
• Unlimited undo and redo
• Pause/resume or start over recording anytime
• Create a free account on educreations.com and choose who can view your lessons
• Share your lessons via email, Facebook and Twitter
• Embed your lessons on your blog or website

 Follow us on : Twitter, Facebook , Google plus, Pinterest .

Teachers' Practical Guide to A FLipped Classroom

July, 2014
Unlike the numerous graphics I shared here on the topic of flipped learning which were substantially theoretically based, the one I have for you today provides a practical demonstration of how Dr.Russell flipped his classroom . The graphic also features some of the activities and procedures he drew in his flipped instruction. Another section of this graphic highlights some of the bearings of this flipped methodology on students performance particularly in terms of the enhanced test scores. The purpose behind sharing this visual is to provide you with a concrete example of how you can go about integrating a flipped learning methodology in your instruction. This is only a paradigmatic example which you can adapt with due modifications to your own teaching situation.

Here are the three easy steps Dr. Russell Mumper of UNC followed to flip his classroom:

1- Record
25 lectures were recorded with Echo 360, each just 35 minutes long

2- Watch
Students tune in and watch video the night before class

3- Active Learning
Students arrive to class ready to engage and participate

Read on to learn more about the whole procedure Dr. Ruseel followed to flip his classroom.

   Source: Echo 360

 Follow us on : Twitter, Facebook , Google plus, Pinterest .

An Excellent Interactive Whiteboard for Creating Tutorials for Your Students

May , 2014
Pixiclip is an excellent free web tool that provides users with a canvas where they can draw, sketch, narrate, and record their creations. This is an ideal whiteboard tool that you can use with your students to record explanations of processes or to create tutorials for flipped classroom materials.

This interactive whiteboard allows you to upload images, draw sketches, add text, and record your voice. Pixiclip does not require you to have an account to use it but for you to save and later edit your creations you will need to register for free.

Here is how you can use Pixiclip to create a tutorial :

1- Click on "create a Pixiclip"

2- Click record as shown here

2- Use the tools to doodle on the canvas. These tools include a pencil, marker, and a text. You can choose the colour your like from the colour palette on the left.

3- If you have an image in your computer that you want to mark up or write on, click on "upload image" button to upload it to your Pixiclip canvas or drag and drop it there.

4- You can also add voice and video clips using the buttons below

5- When you finish creating your tutorial, you can save and share it with others.

 Follow us on : Twitter, Facebook , Google plus, Pinterest .

Awesome New Flipped Learning Graphic

May 21, 2014
I just come across this wonderful visual entitled "Growth in Flipped Learning" and want to share it with you as well. The visual is created by Sophia and Flipped Learning Network and features some interesting stats about the actual use of flipped learning methodology.

According to the Flipped Learning Network,  Flipped learning is  "a pedagogical approach in which direct instruction moves from the group learning space to the individual learning space, and the resulting group space is transformed into a dynamic, interactive learning environment where the educator guides students as they apply concepts and engage creatively in the subject matter. "

Snapshot taken from Sophia's graphic

Here are some of the highlights from this graphic :

• 78% of teachers have flipped a lesson in 2014
• 96% of teachers who have flipped a lesson or unit would recommend that method to other teachers.
• the majority of flipped teaching still occurs in high school
• 9 out of 10 teachers noticed a positive change in student engagement since flipping their class.
• 71% of teachers stated improved grades since using flipped classroom
• Close to half of teachers flip their class 1 or 2 times a week showing it doesn't need to be on everyday activity
• 93% of teachers who are flipping their classroom started as their own initiative.
• 74% of teachers said that their flipped learning efforts are supported by their school administration

Check out the full visual from this LINK.

 Follow us on : Twitter, Facebook , Google plus, Pinterest .

The Four Pillars of Flipped Learning

May 10, 2014

In today's post I am sharing with you this excellent visual featuring the four pillars of flipped classroom, but before that here is a reminder of what flipped classroom is all about:

Flipped classroom or flipped learning is a methodology, an approach to learning in which technology is employed to reverse the traditional role of classroom time. If in the past, classroom time is spent at lecturing to students , now in a flipped model, this time is utilized to encourage individualized learning and provide one-on-one help to students, and also to improve student-teacher interaction. While the instructional or teachable content is still available in class, however this content is mainly designed in such a way to be accessed outside class which is a great way for struggling students to learn at their own pace. Check out this page for more resources on Flipped Learning.

I learned about this visual from our colleagues in Teachthought.
Follow us on : Twitter, Facebook , Google plus, Pinterest .

In-Class Flip Vs Flipped Classroom Learning

April , 2014
Have you heard of this teaching configuration called in-class flip?Well I am personally not familiar with the name but I know the concept, it is similar to blended learning. In the video below, Cult of Pedagogy explains the differences between traditional flipped learning and in-class flip. Here are some highlights from it:

Traditional flipped classroom:
Instead of using valuable class time delivering content to students then having them apply that learning at home,you pre-cord direct instruction and have students watch it at home then in class they work on homework or the application part.

There are two problems with this kind of arrangement: first is access. Traditional flipped learning is great when all students have access to technology at home but if they don't the flip can fall apart. Second, some homes are not conducive to the kind of learning that a traditional flip requires.
A working alternative that accounts for the inconveniences of the traditional flipped classroom is called 'In-Class Flip".

In-Class Flip
Whereas a traditional flip depends heavily on things going right at home, the in-class flip keeps all parts of the flip at school thus ensuring that more students benefit from the flipped concept. Watch the video below to learn how the In-class flip works.

 Follow us on : Twitter, Facebook , Google plus, Pinterest .