Three Ways a Flipped Classroom Can Support Students

In a flipped classroom, students have easier access to learning resources, and therefore, are less likely to experience frustration or unanswered questions. Flipped classrooms can also enable access to course-related content at any location and on any devices in the event that a student cannot attend a class. According to a LearnDash study, 71% of teachers noticed a positive change in student engagement since flipping their classroom. Here are three ways a flipped classroom can support students.

Three Ways a Flipped Classroom Can Support Students

1. Access to a Secure, Centralized Video Library

At first glance, instructors new to the flipped classroom environment tend to resort to public resources – such as YouTube – to store and share their video content. However, the lack of a centralized storage location can create a confusing experience for students who are left wondering where certain content is being stored for multiple courses in different locations. Further, by resorting to public locations to store content, this can lead to instructors facing multiple security and copyright issues if stored information is improperly disseminated across public domains.

With an Enterprise Video Library, students and instructors are provided on-demand access to a centralized Video Content Management System (CMS) to store and securely share flipped classroom content and recordings across multiple formats. 

2. Content Access at Any Time, Any Place, and on Any Device

One of the core methodologies surrounding flipped classrooms involves the ability for students to access lecture material at anytime, anywhere, outside of the classroom. In some instances, students might only have the means to access technology at specific locations while other students prefer to only learn in specific environments. With an Enterprise Video Platform, video can even be automatically transcoded when recorded and converted to an accessible format playable on any device or browser. As a result, different types of learners are offered a myriad of ways to access content regardless of what device, browser, or player they are using.

3. Convenient Search Features

When it comes to publishing online content, students need a way to easily search and find stored lecture material. A ten minute recorded lecture might be easy to upload, but over the course of a semester, many weeks’ worth of uploaded content can build up. By the time an exam approaches, sorting through content that has gradually been stored can be an arduous task. Further, many public domains are confined to search capabilities limited to searching content by its name and description. Without an Enterprise Video Library to easily access content stored throughout the school year, a student looking for a few minutes’ worth of content can be stuck looking through an entire semester’s worth of video content. 

An Enterprise Video Library offers a school-wide platform that includes advanced content search features that enable quick access to course-wide materials. Students can easily look through content spanning class-specific material – including presentation slides, transcripts, and video captions – as well as search for unique keywords mentioned in specific courses. With the YuJa Enterprise Video Platform, captions can be time stamped for users to instantly skip right to what they are searching for. Ultimately, students can not only quickly find the material they are looking for, but can learn effectively and efficiently.

Related Post: How to Caption Your Videos at Scale

Blended Learning vs. Flipped Classroom Models

Blended learning combines both online teaching and instruction with face-to-face, or traditional classroom-based instruction. This can take a number of forms, but in general, students have some control over the place, path, and place of learning. Additionally, according to the National Education Association:

  • Learning typically occurs through an integrated curriculum.
  • Many activities are presented before class so student can engage in both the online and in-classroom environments.
  • During instructor-led sessions, the educator directs student activities to ensure learning goals are met
  • Post-learning activities help the instructor determine the next assignments to meet educational goals.

In addition to providing instructors and students with more in-class time for engagement and discussion, for many instructors, a flipped classroom also enables lectures to be re-used from semester-to-semester, simplifying instructor preparation for the course.

Flipped classrooms are defined as “a type of blended learning in which direct instruction moves to the asynchronous learning space and the synchronous learning space is transformed into a dynamic, interactive environment.”

In-class time is spent on other activities, such as discussion, hands-on learning, and individual and small-group work. The lesson or lecture portion of the classroom experience occurs predominantly online, while the homework portion of the course is more likely to take place in a group classroom setting.

When Is a Blended Learning Model Best?

Blended learning is a flexible option for any college or university with access to lecture capture and video content management tools. Instructors can incorporate as much or as little online learning as they would like into a traditional course. Blended learning may simply enable students to review lecture capture recordings and ask questions online, while a more intensively blended course might integrate some elements of flipped classroom structures.

Blended learning provides instructors and students with an ideal transition to flipped classrooms, but can also enable traditional classrooms to make use of new tools and technology. This facilitates learning for students with special needs, non-traditional students, and those who need extra support.

When Should Instructors Flip Their Classes?

A flipped classroom provides students with increased interaction with one another and with an instructor. This can enable improved understanding and engagement for students, as well as improved attendance. Instructors in flipped classrooms can use their in-class time to efficiently meet the needs of their students, to focus on project-based learning, to encourage small and larger group interaction, and to respond to student questions and assist with assignments.

In addition to providing instructors and students with more in-class time for engagement and discussion, for many instructors, a flipped classroom also enables lectures to be re-used from semester-to-semester, simplifying instructor preparation for the course.

Expand Learning for Students

Blended learning and flipped classrooms have only become more popular as instructors work to provide flexibility to learners. No matter which methodology an instructor chooses, it should be focused on creating an engaged, connected audience with support for students when they need it.

What Is Micro-Flipping in Education?

Micro-flipping uses short lectures, both in-and-out of the classroom setting, providing some of the benefits of a traditional classroom and some of the benefits of a flipped classroom. A micro-flipped class video will typically be five minutes or less in length.

The Benefits of the Micro-Flipping a Classroom

Micro-flipping works in both flipped and traditional classrooms, and can help to address some of the challenges found in each type of classroom. The time investment is minimal; instructors can create micro-flipped recordings in just a few minutes while sitting at their desks or even record them using mobile tools.

Micro-flipping in the Flipped Classroom

“The key to micro-flipping is to infuse technology (where warranted) with student engagement while intermittently peppering students with content in a lecture or conversation-style format. This gives students more autonomy in the learning process but also allows them to be guided as needed,” Sam Buemi, the author states.

One of the primary criticisms of flipped classroom structure is that the classroom is designed to function for students who have watched the lecture material ahead of time and who are motivated to learn. If instructors require work to be completed outside of the classroom, segments of students may not be successful. Instead of fully flipping the classroom, micro-flipping can benefit both those who are prepared and those who have not by blending flipped-classroom and traditional classroom approaches.

The Chronicle of Higher Education notes that a typical class will include short lectures and student engagement with materials, including activities like polls, mobile-app engagement, or group activities interspersed with snippets of lecture or teacher-led conservation.

Providing students with short video lectures ahead of class and offering some part of the lecture during classroom time caters to both high-achievers and less motivated students to make the flipped classroom function better for all students.

Micro-flipping in a Traditional Classroom

Micro-flipping can also offer benefits in a traditional classroom. In this case, the video made available before the class can act as a sort of preview for students of in-class content. This can encourage interest in the classroom lecture or provide additional thoughts or ideas related to classroom readings. Students who miss a class can also rely upon micro-flipping to catch up before the next class, even if full lecture capture recordings are available.

How YuJa Facilitates Creating a Flipped Classroom

The flipped classroom offers an alternative and integrative learning experience for students and instructors across a variety of learning and instructional styles, and YuJa’s Video Platform makes flipping classrooms easier for faculty and students alike.

Instructors Find Methodology Useful

Male teacher talks to college-aged student who is using a computer.According to EdTechReview, of teachers who have flipped their classrooms, 

  • 96% would recommend it to others
  • 90% saw a positive change in student engagement after flipping their class
  • 71% of instructors said students’ grades improved using the method

Instructors can easily record and create unique lecture content from anywhere with YuJa’s In-Browser Capture Studio, as well as monitor progress with synchronized feedback in the LMS gradebook while students watch lectures and learn at their own pace. 

Dedicated class time is used to deepen the understanding of material with applied learning, such as homework and team projects. 

Benefits of Flipped Classrooms

Perhaps the biggest benefit of flipping a classroom is the opportunity for increased engagement and deep learning. Other benefits include: 

Flexibility: students can learn whenever and wherever their schedule allows, and can learn topics at their own pace. 

Empowering learners: Students take responsibility for learning content. They can revisit challenging subjects and focus on learning new concepts.

Deepening relationships: Because students have reviewed concepts before the designated class time, instructors can work and interact more closely with students, as well as provide help with areas in which students seem to be struggling.  

Challenges of Flipped Classrooms

This pedagogical method is not without its challenges. It can be difficult to get students on board, and creating the flipped classroom experience can require some additional time and effort for teachers and students. Instructors should work to create resources for students so they can get the most from class sessions. 

If students haven’t been in a flipped class before, teach them how to take notes or add questions to videos and content so they can be addressed. Instructors can ensure they review notes and comments for a more meaningful class discussion.  

Easily Access and Integrate Content

“All students learn differently, and the flipped classroom can meet student needs based on their learning style.”

Creating a flipped classroom takes some creativity. YuJa makes classroom preparation easier with a single,unified platform. YuJa’s synthesized learning materials make an easy online learning and teaching experience. 

Teachers can track student progress at home by integrating gradebook-synchronized quizzes into video presentations and reviewing analytics. This makes it simple to identify and support student needs based on their understanding of course content.

YuJa makes it easier to produce high-quality course content by: 

  • Integrating teaching components, including recorded lectures with audio and video, desktop screen shares, PowerPoint presentations, videos, and other creative elements.
  • Offering single-click recording so you can record from virtually anywhere.
  • Improving accessibility with live and on-demand streaming, mobile video, and captioning.

Tools Help Center Focus on Learning Rather than Technology

All students learn differently, and the flipped classroom can meet student needs based on their learning style. YuJa’s flipped classroom software has easy-to-use tools that enable interactive experiences for students and instructors: 

  • Use the red pointer and whiteboard functions to create visual examples
  • Utilize the highlighter to emphasize testable material 
  • Create auditory examples by using the recording software to follow along with text 
  • Facilitate group projects during class time to increase understanding of concepts with hands-on learning experiences.

What to Consider in a Flipped Classroom Environment

As with any change in a class, the switch to a flipped classroom environment can initially seem intimidating. Instructors must have lecture material available prior to the teaching session that are not only digestible, but incorporates methods to promote active learning. Preparation goes a long way, and preparing your faculty with certain expectations remains vital in ensuring that your class runs smoothly and efficiently.

 

What to Consider in a Flipped Classroom Environment

 

  • The Instructors. While many instructors are tech-savy, there is a plethora of instructors who would rather focus more on teaching, and less on the technology around them. When considering

Flipped Classrooms 101: A History, Benefits and Tools for the Learning Model

Seven years later, two high school teachers in Colorado learned about some software that would record lectures live. Jon Bergmann and Aaron Sams committed to pre-recording their lectures for the following year, dubbing the experiment “pre-broadcasting.” Students who didn’t have internet at home were given USB drives containing lectures if they had a computer at home, or DVDs burned with lectures if they didn’t have a home computer.

Since then, the flipped classroom pedagogy has taken off. But what is it, and what are the benefits in education?

Unlike in a traditional classroom setting, in a flipped classroom, lectures happen outside of class, using video learning technology. Scheduled time in class is used for exercises, projects and discussion.

Benefits

Teacher helping students.Flipped classrooms offer a host of benefits for students, teachers and parents alike. Some of the biggest advantages include:

Students can spend more 1:1 time with instructors during class. Rather than teaching the lesson during the instructional period, the teacher can provide extra help to those who need it.

Students can learn at their own pace. Because students can watch the lecture as many times as they need, as well as pause and rewind along the way, they have more control over the pace of their learning.

“Technology like captioning helps to support visual learners, those who are hard-of-hearing, and English language learners.”

No more missing out. If a student is sick or has to miss class for another reason, they can still watch and learn from their teacher in the same manner as their peers.

Parents can more easily help their children through video learning. Rather than reading the book and trying to figure out how to teach the material, if a parent has a child struggling, they can simply watch the lesson from the teacher and provide assistance.

Software can help identify areas where students are struggling. This makes the model itself a helpful diagnostic tool.

Tools to Facilitate Flipping Classrooms

Flipped classrooms require access to lecture capture tools and video content management systems. Instructors need to be able to easily produce lecture capture for a flipped classroom session and make it accessible to their students via computer, tablet or mobile device.

With the YuJa Enterprise Video Platform’s Software Capture application, teachers can record lectures using nothing more than their on-board webcam and an inexpensive headset microphone.

In a college or university, podium computers or hardware capture provide the opportunity for high-quality recording of lecture content. This can be integrated into the organization’s existing LMS to help students access content in a familiar way.

Whether an instructor is using their own laptop computer for lecture capture or a podium computer, they can integrate Smart Boards, document cameras, and screen recording to produce a full-featured lecture capture for their students.

Planning and Preparing a Higher Education Flipped Course

Planning a Flipped Class with YuJa Enterprise Video Platform

For instructors, planning and preparation for a flipped class may initially take more time than planning for a traditional class. With tools like Lecture Capture and a Video Content Management System (CMS), instructors can easily produce lectures and make them accessible to students across a spectrum of devices. Additionally, video lectures and materials created for the course can be reused the following semester and can even be updated for years to come. 

To plan for a flipped class: 

  • Decide what content to include in the course. Make a list of individual topics for the course, then determine which resources are needed to support course topics and classroom sessions. Consider chunking your material for increased engagement.
  • Assemble resources each class period. This might include lecture capture content, as well as websites, online video content, or chapters from a textbook. 
  • Organize content for the course in a logical and accessible way. Students should have access to content before the associated class period. Make sure that you plan ahead to ensure students can quickly search and find stored lecture material in your video library when it’s time to study for exams.

Using Class Time in a Flipped Classroom Model

Since flipped classroom structures reduce or eliminate the traditional classroom lecture or presentation, class time is available for other purposes. Classroom time, whether in person or remote, can be used to: 

  • Facilitate discussion and collaboration.
  • Respond to student questions and encourage engagement. 
  • Work on assignments, like essays and projects.
  • Engage in problem-solving or role-play activities.
  • Incorporate hands-on learning activities. 

Preparing Students for a Flipped Classroom

In 2021, many students have been part of a flipped classroom at some point. Still, instructors can help set the tone for a flipped classroom to support student success with clear and defined expectations. 

Instructors may find it helpful to spend the first class period explaining how the class will function, and how flipped classrooms benefit student learning. During the first class, students should see what class materials look like, understand that the lecture captures and other material should be viewed before the class session, and have an idea of what classroom activities to expect.

How Do Students Benefit From a Flipped Classroom? 

Studies have shown that students benefit from this structure through increased interaction, improved test scores and more effective student engagement. Other students benefits include: 

  • The ability to watch lectures when it’s convenient
  • Flexibility for students to learn at their own pace
  • More opportunities for 1:1 time with instructors

With the right tools, instructors and students alike can find success in a flipped classroom. 

How to Enhance Your Lecture Recording Quality

With more distance-based learning comes the need to produce quality recordings to distribute across your Learning Management System (LMS) platforms to your students. Instructors are expected to ensure quality information being presented that can be easily seen and heard.

Improve Your Lecture Recording Quality

How to Improve Your Lecture Recording Quality

1. Quality Content to Enhance Lecture Recordings

At first glance, instructors new to the flipped classroom environment tend to resort to public resources – such as YouTube – to store and share their video content. However, the lack of a centralized video management system can create a confusing experience for students who are left wondering where certain content is being stored for multiple courses in different locations. By resorting to public locations to store content, this can lead to instructors facing multiple security and copyright issues if stored information is improperly disseminated across public domains.

Factors to look out for to ensure quality lecture recordings.

  • Less “Fat.” Details can help you articulate your main point and help drive your argument home. However, redundant information and jargon can make your content harder to digest. Ensure your recordings are straight to the point.
  • Text Overload. In the event your lecture recording also has text presented, students will naturally read those words. As a result, large text blocks and bulleted lists will force students to inefficiently multi-task. Reducing the amount of text per slide can help students focus more on listening and less on typing.
  • Proper Flow. Divide each point into their respective slides and ensure that your presentation isn’t too rushed or too slow. This improves the flow of lecture presentation and ensures that students won’t need to constantly rewind or fast-forward the recording.

2. Visual Quality Improvements

While lighting remains of the easiest alterations you can make to improve recordings, poor lighting can instantly detract viewers from the learning experience if left mistreated. Consider the addition/removal of various lighting sources to ensure a clear and natural display for your viewers.

Factors to consider when improving visual quality.

  • Lighting Optimization. If your presentation appears too dark or bright, consider opening/closing a window to provide some natural light. Note that any lighting source should be in front of you and not directly behind you within frame. This can cast unnatural shadows and cause your face to be dimly lit.
  • Camera Placement. Even in a flipped classroom setting, the importance of eye contact towards your audience is essential in retaining viewer focus. Place your camera a few inches above eye level to ensure that you can easily look at your audience. Further, a camera placed slightly above eye-level produces a more flattering, less-awkward view of the presenter.
  • Check your surroundings. Pay attention to all objects placed within the camera’s view. Ideally, a background free of visual clutter will prevent the viewer from getting distracted. Use solid-colors for your backdrop and remove any miscellaneous items within frame; that way, your audience will be focused on only you.

3. Audio Quality Improvements

Like visual quality, it is important to ensure that your audience is actively listening to your material as well. Contributing factors such as auditory distractions and repetition can cause your audience to tune out of your content and or result in confusion.

Factors to consider when improving audio quality.

  • Clear Sound. No one likes choppy or distorted audio. The addition of another microphone can enhance the listening experience so that viewers can clearly hear your presentation. Consider using a Lavalier microphone as it allows for users to walk around during their presentation in case you have an additional whiteboard to display.
  • White Noise. Outside noise can be distracting even without your knowledge that it exists. Avoid standing near running machines or oscillating fans during your recordings. While it might not generate much noise in person, your microphone might pick up the humming significantly louder in a recording. Run a quick test footage before recording to prevent this occurrence.
  • Outside Noise. Prior to recording, consider closing any doors or windows in your recording studio to prevent any outside noise from interrupting your recordings.

Related Post: How to Record Lecture Videos

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