Hi, I'm Julie Schell, and I'm going to provide a 60 second definition of a flipped classroom aided by
a terrific visual from the Center for Teaching and Learning at the University of Texas at Austin.
All right, let's go.
The easiest way to define a flipped classroom is to think about it in contrast to a traditional class.
In a traditional class, students usually get first exposure to course content inside the
classroom via direct instruction from their teachers.
For example, the first time they hear about the Pythagorean Theorem happens during class
time.
In a flipped class, that first exposure to content happens before the class meets.
Students prepare for class time by doing some kind of coverage activity: for example, by
watching a lecture video created by their teacher or created by someone else or by completing a
reading assignment.
During class, students work on applying the key concepts or ideas they covered in their out of
class work. They interact with their peers and their instructors during class time.
The cycle completes when, after class, students use that feedback gained during class time to
further their learning by reviewing concepts they found difficult, confusing, or interesting.
Streaming throughout the entire process are the learning goals: the big picture ideas regarding
what students should know and be able to do with the particular content being studied.
And that's the flipped classroom in 60 seconds.