Using the Flipped Classroom in Graduate Education

Dear Colleagues:

In the "Flipped Classroom" model, instruction that typically occurred in a classroom is now accessed away from the classroom usually through technology prior to a face-to-face (F2F) class meeting. This means class becomes the venue to apply content and skills learned away from class, solve problems, create solutions, and engage in collaborative learning strategies. There are many ways to "Flip" classrooms and learning strategies. One of the key payoffs of the flipped classroom lies in the opportunity to create a new and effective way of learning.

We used the "Flipped" classroom approach in my Technology for School Leaders graduate class at Loyola University Maryland. It worked like this:

1. A cohort of 24 aspiring school leaders gained content knowledge and skills by completing away from the classroom an online program of seven Learning Layouts of sessions and activities using integrated social media and PD tools, including online coaching sessions as needed by individuals.
   
   
2. Over two months we met F2F as a whole class for three weekends [Friday night 6-9 and Saturday 9-4] wherein the graduate students worked as individuals and in action teams to apply the content and skills they gained online to solve problems, construct products, and complete performances related to the program outcomes.
   
   
3. The blended "Flipped" approach included one global online learning community, one online learning community for the entire class, and four action team learning communities that met online and F2F in the flipped weekend sessions.

Our flipped approach led to over 100 products and performances for sharing in the six online learning communities and were posted as wikitasks for standards-based lessons, data-driven Web 2.0 presentations, professional blogs, and action plans for disruptive and sustaining innovations.

The program process and outcomes still serve as resources for the graduate students because the learning communities continue beyond the ending of a "conventional" class and the outcomes are available online for anyone beyond the class to access, adopt, or adapt in real world settings. 

The updated program and virtual professional learning tools are available here:

Nick Hobar