Flip the classroom: Tech activities

Gone are the days of students sitting in class listening to lectures then regurgitating information to complete assignments. Instead of the tradition “3 R’s” (Reading, Writing and Arithmetic), 21^st Century skills for students are now known as the “4 C’s” of education.

4 C’s:

Critical thinking
Communication
Collaboration
Creativity

To support the 4C’s pedagogy, teaching new teaching methods include flipped classrooms and active learning.

What is a flipped classroom?

“A flipped classroom is an instructional strategy and a type of blended learning, which aims to increase student engagement and learning by having pupils complete readings at home and work on live problem-solving during the class.” (Wikipedia) In flipped classrooms, educators typically introduce new content through pre-recorded lectures, video tutorials and/or reading assignments.

The idea behind a flipped classroom is structured around the idea that lecture or direct instruction is not the best use of class time. Instead, students encounter information before class, freeing class time for activities that involve higher order thinking. A flipped classroom goes hand-in-hand with active learning.

“Active learning is a method of learning in which students are actively or experientially involved in the learning process and where there are different levels of active learning, depending on student involvement.” (Wikipedia) Students are actively engaged with course material through discussions, problem solving, collaborative projects and other methods. Active learning methods ask students to engage in their learning by thinking, discussing, investigating and creating – with timely feedback from the instructor.

Three principles of a flipped classroom

A successful flipped classroom follows the following principles:

Provide opportunity for students to gain first exposure prior to class.
Provide an incentive for students to prepare for class.
Provide a mechanism to assess student understanding.

What does this mean for students who are blind or low vision?

Due to the nature of frequent 1:1 instruction between the TSVI and the blind or low vision student, it is easy to fall into the pattern of spoon-feeding information to the student and frequent prompts to keep the student on track – the very opposite of active learning! This type of instruction will not set the student up for success in the classroom with his/her peers. 21^st Century students must be able to think and problem-solve.

Students have more control of their learning when the classroom is flipped. Example: The student may use a recorded lecture or video tutorial outside of class. The student can pause or rewind, read through the content repeatedly, make a note of questions, discuss the content with peers, the TSVI or teachers. Students can benefit from being able to review difficult content without getting left behind.

Want to teach a new access tech skill?

Have the student do an Internet search for a video tutorial, watch the tutorial and try the activity – outside of the 1:1 session. Then ask the student to complete an activity that uses the new skill or to demonstrate the new skill in the 1:1 session.
When a new software update is available, ask the student to research the update and demonstrate that new feature.
When there is a technology-related bug, have the student research to find work arounds.

What if my student is not able to independently research or glean information from a video tutorial or written documentation?

Set your student up for success – teach tech skills EARLY. These are life-long skills for every student! This is time well spent in early elementary so that the student has the tech skills to be able to successfully incorporate 21^st Century learning methods alongside his/her peers.

Make simple recorded tutorials for your student (or use available tutorials).
- Use a video to teach your student the tech skills to access, pause, play, rewind and fast forward the recording or video.
- Teach your student to remember 3 keys steps from the video.
- Teach your student take simple notes about the recording content.
- If the student becomes lost/confused with the video, encourage him/her to write down questions, determine where the confusion occurs, and the steps tried.
- Teach your student create and organize cheat sheets for different tech skills (and have him/her refer to these cheat sheets as needed)
- Have your student demonstrate the new skill to you and/or teach someone else.
Asign simple searches for video tutorials/written information.
- Instead of giving the student the tutorial or written information, have the student search a specific website for the information. (Example: Perform a search when on the JAWS website or the Paths to Technology website)
- Discuss what words should be used in an Internet search.
- Branch out to full internet searches (when age appropriate or using a kid-friendly web browser). Ask your student to share 3 links to sources that were beneficial with a short note of why it was beneficial or what was learned.
- Consider other options. Where else can you find what you are looking for? Can you use a different device, application, web browser for better success? Think outside the box!
Build a list of resources, such as good websites, podcasts, listservs, YouTube channels to follow (if age-appropriate).
- Build a network of mentors, such as peers, older students, teachers and blind or low vision adults/professionals; know who to contact for different types of questions.
- Collaborate with peers: Ask questions about technology, steps to complete something (tech related or homework related), do a group project which requires an Internet search, collaborate on a written document, communicate about the project, etc. Encourage written and verbal communication!
  - If needed, remotely guide the students by providing a list of opened ended things to be done, including things like who is doing what on the project, general questions that must be answered (to guide the Internet searches), etc. Include dates of when things are due. The final project might be a slide deck, a video, a written report or hands-on build.
Review and support the student’s progress in the class. Keep in mind, that the goal is to support active learning, not having the student listen to a lecture or wait for a prompt!

Review

What are the 4 C’s?

Critical thinking
Communication,
Collaboration
Creativity

How did the activities listed above support the 4 C’s? How can you adapt your teaching style to support your student with the 4 C’s? How can you apply flipping the classroom to encourage more active learning?

Note: Mastery occurs when the student is able to teach someone else. Encourage your student to create quick video tutorials for others. (Please share these video tutorials with us at [email protected]

Resources

Note taking:

Note taking: the prerequisite skill (Part 1 of 3 series from the Perkins College Readiness Resource Center)
Monster note taking skills (Part 1 of 2 series from Paths to Technology on monster note taking activity geared for younger students)
Turkey vs. bald eagle: Debate writing (and note taking)
Note taking: Polar bear video (note taking activity)

Internet searches: