Abstract:

Although much enthusiasm has been generated by the flipped classroom design, there has been scant academic work to assess when this method is most effective. This study contributes to the literature by closely examining and evaluating the use of flipped classroom videos. It assembles a sample of videos posted on various platforms online by teachers who specifically state their use of a flipped classroom model. Customizing the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning, it develops a list of criteria which are then used to assess videos as to their quality and educational potential. Among other aspects, this theory holds that effective videos will be those which allow for the use of the learner’s pictorial and verbal cognitive channels simultaneously, known as the multimedia principle. The findings show that most videos generally fail to take advantage of the multimedia potential, limiting content to printed or spoken words only. This suggests that flipped classroom videos are still at an early stage of development. There is a lot of room for improvement, especially in the multimedia dimension, in order for these videos to live up to the claims made by their advocates. It concludes with a list of recommendations for practitioners to develop more effective educational tools.

Keywords:

Flipped classroom, flipped learning, videos, multimedia principle, cognitive theory.