Abstract:

Classes are flipping all over the world (TechSmith). Learning activities that otherwise would take place during classroom time are moved online in a blended learning curriculum. To enhance the online learning portion of the blended learning curriculum, the flipped classroom approach is used to produce, along with the blended aspect, a dynamic learning classroom environment when the guide (teacher) meets the learner (student) for an engaging exchange instead of yet another lecture. The methods, materials, and assessments in the flipped classroom approach delivers content outside the classroom while the goals and objectives in the blended learning curriculum remain constant. The flipped or inverted teaching structure presents “instructional content [that] is delivered outside class, and engagement with the content—skill development and practice…-- is done in class, under teacher guidance and in collaboration with peers,” (Ojalvo and Doyne, 2011).

Teachers face the challenge of meaningful interaction with students that leads to learning. Through the flipped classroom, interaction between teacher and student and student and student increases (Bergmann and Sams, (2012) hence richer exchanges occur in the classroom. Students have opportunities to place the “content they learned into context,” (Spencer, Wolf, and Sams, 2011). Teachers are still responsible for delivering content; however, in the flipped classroom the presentation is done one time while technology allows students to view at their own convenience and repetition is a plus. Video lectures provide students the ability to watch at their own pace, (Roshan, 2012). Flipping the responsibility of learning from the teacher gives the student control and ownership of learning while the teacher guides to understanding instead of relying on the one-time lecture rushed with practice and assessment all in one hour. While not a trendy term or fluffy pedagogy (Roshan, 2011), students should not be given more work to compensate for weak structure nor less instruction. On the contrary, solid structure should allow for varying levels of understanding and skill and personal support from the instructor (Ojalvo and Doyne, 2011).

The inverted (flipped) classroom must also be tailored to the students’ needs and cultures. As the blended learning curriculum has emerged as sound pedagogy, flipping the classroom must also be a comprehensive instructional model that includes direct instruction, inquiry, practice, formative and summative assessment with flexibility to allow the instructor to reflect on and develop quality and engaging learning opportunity (Bennett, et al, 2011) through an innovative lens of creativity based on sound research.

Those attending this presentation will decide if the flipped classroom is a method or ideology (Bennett, et al, 2011). This presentation will provide evidence of the impact of the blended learning curriculum and the flipped classroom approach on deaf and hard-of-hearing student performance in a general business course. It will demonstrate how to flip your classroom and not leave the curriculum upside down while assuring the teacher that learning is still the goal and teaching is rediscovered.

Keywords:

Blended learning, flipped classroom, inverted classroom.