Skip to Main Content

The Flipped Classroom: What is flipped?

Learning about the Flipped Classroom technique will help professors to create an active learning environment for their students. In the LibGuide you will find plenty of resources to guide you along.

Using this Guide to Flip your Classroom

The Flipped Classroom model can be applied to an entire course or just one lesson, in fact, the recommended starting point is to start with just one lesson!

On this page, you can identify the basic structure of the flipped classroom and understand the differences between flipped and traditional classrooms, what makes a lesson flipped, which can be applied to an entire course, and how to look at the levels of Bloom's Taxonomy in terms of which skills can be applied at home (out-of-class) and which skills can be applied in the classroom (in-class). 

  • You will be able to provide students with accessible course content like readings, lectures, and other supplemental materials anywhere, anytime.
  • You will use assessment methods to gather feedback to inform your teaching or to evaluate student learning. 
  • You will construct your face-to-face class activities to require students to achieve a level of Bloom's taxonomy as relevant to your learning goals. 

Flipped Classroom

Teacher creates lesson material to be done at home therefore:

  • Students get exposure to content prior to class in preparation for the following in-class session.

Students come to class prepared with:

  • An ability to focus on in-class activities due to prior knowledge.
  • Primed understanding of concepts allowing a faster development of a deeper understanding.
  • Confidence!

Classroom time becomes more productive:

  • Students and teacher identify topics or concepts of issue, thus requiring further instruction. 
  • Students receive support in-class directly from the teacher.

Students Take on a Flipped Classroom

Use Bloom's to Guide Your Flip

In terms of Bloom’s revised taxonomy (2001), this means that students are doing the lower levels of cognitive work (gaining knowledge and comprehension) outside of class, and focusing on the higher forms of cognitive work (application, analysis, synthesis, and/or evaluation) in class, where they have the support of their peers and instructor. This model contrasts from the traditional model in which “first exposure” occurs via lecture in class, with students assimilating knowledge through homework; thus the term “flipped classroom.”

Bloom's

Brame, C., (2013). Flipping the classroom. Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching. Retrieved [todaysdate] from http://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/flipping-the-classroom/.

Traditional Classroom

Learning is mainly associated with the classroom. The content and the delivery are considered to be the most important and students master knowledge through drill and practice.

  • Teacher instructs in-class and is in control of the learning that occurs
  • Students take notes in-class
  • Students follow guided instruction
  • Teacher gives assessment
  • Students have homework from that days classwork

Good Information

And...Another Perspective
Watch Martin Atkins' video explaining how and why he uses the "flipped classroom." What other academic rules and regulations are currently being flipped? What other academic norms should be flipped?