How the Flipped Classroom is Being Used in UK Schools

Flipped classroom or flipped learning is an educational method that reverses the traditional approach to teaching. In a traditional classroom setting, teachers give lectures while students take notes. But in a flipped classroom setting, students learn new content outside class. This is usually in the form of watching videos, reading textbooks, or accessing online content.

During classes, teachers focus on helping students deepen their understanding of the subject matter by providing hands-on-activities. Under the guidance of teachers, pupils are given the opportunity to develop their skills and apply the concepts they’ve learned. They are encouraged to ask questions and participate in discussions.

The concept of flipped learning began sometime in the 1990s. Since then, it has continued to gain traction in various educational institutions in both the UK and the US.

For instance, the University of Manchester’s Schools of Social Sciences and Computer Science in the UK experimented with using the flipped method on tutorial sessions. Students were tasked to watch a video before the tutorial. During the tutorial, they were given problem-based learning activities. The experiment indicated general improvements in terms of student engagement.

At the Duke of Kent School in Surrey, Rob Eastment, the assistant head and physics teacher, introduced the concept of flipped learning to key stage 3 and GCSE pupils. He said the method gave him more time to work with students. Furthermore, the children showed an increase in confidence and enthusiasm during classes.

There are various case studies regarding flipped learning. The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) conducted the first UK-based research in a school setting. The EEF observed the MathsFlip learning programme, which aims to improve the math skills of students in Years 5 and 6.

This programme was developed by Shireland Collegiate Academy, a secondary school in the West Midlands. Twenty-four schools participated in the study. Twelve made use of the MathsFlip programme while the other half carried on with their math lessons as normal.

According to the EEF, students who participated in the MathsFlip programme made about one month of additional progress in their lessons. Majority of the teachers also had positive things to say about flipped learning since this allowed students to take a more active approach in their studies as opposed to just passively listening to lectures.

This shows that a flipped classroom could be quite effective and beneficial to both students and teachers. However, the method isn’t without its disadvantages.

Teachers will need to either make videos of their lectures or search for relevant materials to show their students, which could be quite time-consuming. In order to keep students interested, it is also important to ensure that the lessons are compelling.

Another barrier to flipped learning is the expense. While conducting the MathsFlip study, the EEF estimated the cost at £147 per pupil per year. This doesn’t even include expenses related to hardware since some students might not have access to the internet. However, whether or not these disadvantages outweigh the benefits of flipped classrooms is still up to debate.

Sources:

• https://www.teaching-matters-blog.ed.ac.uk/flipped-classrooms-an-evidence-based-reflection/
• https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/projects-and-evaluation/projects/flipped-learning/
• https://learningfoundation.org.uk/schools/how-can-i-make-it-happen/toolkit/engagement/teacher-engagement/the-flipped-classroom/
• https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/knowledge-hub/flipped-learning-0
• https://www.tes.com/news/exclusive-flipped-learning-leads-small-progress
• https://www.tes.com/news/30-second-briefing-what-flipped-learning
• http://www.sec-ed.co.uk/best-practice/flipped-classroom-a-culture-change/
• https://www2.le.ac.uk/offices/lli/developing-learning-and-teaching/enhance/strategies/flipped-classroom
• https://teachlearn.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/teaching-and-learning/teaching-delivery/learn-about-different-teaching-delivery-methods/flipped-learning/
• http://www.simonfokt.org/Papers/S.%20Fokt%20-%20Some%20thoughts%20and%20evidence%20on%20flipped%20classrooms.pdf

Originally published on freyayuki.tumblr.com on September 6, 2019.