The Flipped Classroom Strategy: What Is it and How Can it Best be Used?

WHAT IS THE FLIPPED CLASSROOM?

In K-12 and higher educational circles, the "flipped classroom" instructional strategy (also known as the "inverted classroom") has been receiving a lot of attention. The idea is that rather than taking up limited class time for an instructor to introduce a concept (often via lecture), the instructor can create a video lecture, screencast, or vodcast that teaches students the concept, freeing up valuable class time for more engaging (and often collaborative) activities typically facilitated by the instructor. It is important to note that the strategy should involve more than just the "take home" video lecture (or screencast or podcast). It should also incorporate formative and summative assessment, as well as meaningful face-to-face (F2F) learning activities. Although many instructors at all educational levels and from various settings have been incorporating this strategy for years, the term is most often attributed to two Colorado high school teachers, Jonathan Bergman and Aaron Sams, who began creating screencasts and podcasts for their students in 2006 (Makice, 2012).

The flipped classroom strategy advocates tout numerous benefits. Most seem to be plausible advantages (e.g., increases time for more engaging instruction), especially for those teaching in hybrid or blended settings consisting of some combination of F2F and online instruction; however, the strategy also has its limitations. First, the quality of the video lecture may be...