Keeping elementary students engaged throughout the day has been a struggle for many classroom teachers. We are constantly looking for new ways to keep students engaged whether we are in whole group, small group, or in station work. Small group and station time has always been a struggle because you want to make sure your students are independently engaged while you are working with a group. How can we make sure that they are actually completing the activities and not just playing without having to take away from our small group instruction? An in-class flipped classroom could help solve some of our problems.
In-Class Flip Infographic by Keley Barnhill
You may have heard of a flipped classroom before. In a flipped classroom, teachers make instructional videos for students to view at home or away from class. As an elementary school teacher, that isn't feasible, as most of our students do not have access or the ability to get on devices once they are at home. Ramirez and Buitrago (2022) state an In-Class Flip is "a set of adaptable in-class configurations where individual and group spaces coexist, allowing flipped learning to take place within the educational setting" (p. 9). An in-class flip happens within the classroom and does not require students to access material at home to learn. As an elementary teacher, this is a more feasible option. Students can access material through technology or other resources to assist them in learning.
Types of In-Class Flip
There are two different types of the In-Class Flip, station work and In-Situ (non-station) work. Station work has been done for years in classrooms. Station work in an In-Class Flip can be used with or without technology. Ramirez and Buitrago (2019) discovered the sequenced, looped, mixed, and half 'n' half station model (p. 12). "Each configuration supports different purposes, and you can adapt each one in many ways to accommodate every teacher's individual context" (Ramirez and Buitrago, 2019, p. 12). Many kindergarten through second grade teachers incorporate a type of station work in their daily schedules.
Ramirez (2019) states " an In-Class Flip can be done with or without station work". The In-Situ (non-station) work clarifies that students can have direct instruction without the teacher delivering material at the front of the classroom. This can can be done through "different means such as videos, reading, and infographics" (Ramirez and Buitrago, 2019, p. 23). Students can use resources to assess their own understanding of the content. This can be done independently, through partner work, or through group work.
Differentiation with In-Class Flip
Abi. (2022, July). Differentiating the flipped classroom - kognity. Kognity. https://kognity.com/resources/differentiating-the-flipped-classroom/
Kucera, R. (2023, February). The Flipped Classroom Teaching Method: 6 Ways to Hold Students Accountable. Rae Rocks Teaching. https://raerocksteaching.com/the-flipped-classroom-teaching-method-6-ways-to-hold-students-accountable/
RamÃrez, M. A., & Buitrago, C. R. (2023). In-Class Flip: A Student-Centered Approach to Differentiated Learning. International Society for Technology in Education.
Ramirez, M. (2019, March). What’s an in-class flip? (revisited) -Martha Ramirez. Martha Ramirez - English Language Teaching. https://martharamirez.com.co/blog/whats-an-in-class-flip-revisited/
Seesaw, Elementary Learning Experience Platform. (2024, September). All-In-One Platform - Seesaw | Elementary Learning Experience Platform. https://seesaw.com/all-in-one-platform/
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I really enjoyed reading about using a flipped classroom but using the flipping strategy in class. I also teach elementary and do not like to assign required work outside of school because students deserve to be kids and have family and fun time too! Gonzalez also shares that "teachers have zero control over what happens at home" (2014). That can set students up for failure in class, perhaps through inequitable circumstances outside of school such as additional responsibilities to take care of siblings, chores, or working, or lack of resources such as internet or devices to access the flipped videos to prepare for class. By shifting to an in-class flip, students are still able to work at their own pace, rewatch the instructional video or explanation, and then go through the remaining classwork. This puts all learning back in control of the teacher in the classroom and helps to eliminate certain inequities that are likely to be present in some way outside of the walls of a classroom.
ReplyDeleteReferences
Gonzalez, J. (2014, March 24). Modifying the flipped classroom: The "in-class" version. Edutopia. Retrieved November 17, 2024 from https://www.edutopia.org/blog/flipped-classroom-in-class-version-jennifer-gonzalez
I have really desired to use some of the flipped classroom strategies in my class more. I have done Math stations before. They work fairly good, if the class size is not to large (right now my classes are fairly large so it causes alot of problems). When I do it we use the practice, independent, and teacher support stations. In reading the article on Martharamirez.com, I saw several other stations I would like to implement. The feedback stations and peer instruction sound like they would be very beneficial.
ReplyDeleteI have wanted to make a permanent flipped classroom, but it hasn’t worked well each time I have tried it. I do make videos, and assign digital assignments when I am going to miss a few days. I can see how alot of the information that Dan Lawrence writes about in his book would be beneficial to someone who uses flipped strategies in their classroom.
Lawrence, Dale. (2022). Digital writing: A guide to writing for social media and the web. Ontario, Canada: Broadview Press
Ramirez, M. (2019, March). What’s an in-class flip?. English Language Teaching. https://martharamirez.com.co/blog/whats-an-in-class-flip-revisited/
The in-class flipped classroom model you outlined is a flexible strategy, particularly suited for younger students who may lack access to technology outside of school. I value how it enables teachers to use a range of instructional methods to address diverse learning needs effectively.
ReplyDeleteAccording to Abi-El-Mona and Semingson (2020), flipped learning approaches empower educators to customize teaching based on individual learning preferences, enhancing both engagement and comprehension. Similarly, Lo and Hew (2022) highlight that accountability measures, such as maintaining clear routines and utilizing formative assessments, are essential for sustaining student focus and supporting their academic progress.
References
Abi-El-Mona, I., & Semingson, P. (2020). Differentiating instruction in the flipped classroom: Using instructional strategies to support diverse learners. Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas, 93(2), 75–81.
Lo, C. K., & Hew, K. F. (2022). The flipped classroom and accountability: A systematic review of student-centered strategies. Educational Technology Research and Development, 70(3), 729–750.