Flipped Learning

Currently, two pedagogical approaches, the flipped classroom (FC) and flipped learning (FL), seem to be attracting many teachers who are trying to change the traditional learning culture to a more learner-centered and active way of studying the subject. The FC is a pedagogical approach which is often associated with watching videos at home before lessons and doing “homework” in class.

For me, the model of flipped classroom (FC) is a teaching approach and flipped learning (FL) is a learning culture. FC can represent a theory of change for teachers who strive to change their classroom practice. In this capacity, the FC model challenges and supports the teachers to transform their teaching approaches to build new kind of learning culture. FL denotes a broader aim: professional development in which teachers consciously place themselves in a position that requires them to completely rebuild the role of the teacher.

As a doctoral researcher I am interested in teacher’s agency and identity in educational change in settings where teachers are excited to create new pedagogical practices and roles to break away from the traditional taken-for-granted ways of organizing mathematics teaching. I argue that educational change can arguably only be realized when teachers are involved as contributors to the process. A successful educational change asks for teacher agency, which refers to their capability to critically evaluate and reconstruct the conditions of their work and professional identities.

Here are some open-access articles where you can read more how I have tried to justify FL theoretically:


In co-authored book “Flipped learning in Finland” I welcome you to a pedagogical discussion in which theory and  practice will engage in dialogue and challenge each other to open the doors to greater understanding. You can buy the book for example on Amazon.com.




Popular posts from this blog

The lack of understanding boils down the development of assessment for learning

Image
It is sad that even in the country like Finland, which education system is regarded as one of the best in the world, assessment is commonly talked without the context of learning. We should put more focus on what we are talking about when we are talking about assessment for learning (formative assessment). Formative assessment is for learning, not for the judgment of learning. A right starting point for the conversation about assessment is not what tools should be used to measure learning outcomes and how well we can put students in line based on their competence. The right starting point is the goals of learning and our understanding about teaching. In their highly cited article, Scardamalia and Bereiter’s (1991) introduced three idealised models of teaching. In model A , the focus is on getting the teacher’s job done and learning is thought to be a by-product of this activity. The student is required to show activity in the tasks given by the teacher and needs to do it as instructe
Read more

Don't just follow the flipping boom

Image
The international trend has been for new framework curricula published in several countries for schools to encourage teachers to change their classroom teaching from “teacher-centered” to more “student-centered” approaches. These days, the idea of “flipping” the teaching and learning process fascinates many teachers who are trying to change their way of acting in class. As with any new trend, there are several teachers who are just following the flipping “boom” and trying to use it as a model, as well as vendors selling their flipping-related products. On the web, there are numerous blogs and discussions either praising how flipping has truly individualized learning for students or groaning that the approach is nothing transformative at all. The flipped classroom (FC) is often associated with watching videos at home before lessons. Videos are useful in many respects and make it easy to differentiate learning: students can watch them several times, skip the parts they already know, an
Read more

Inverted Classroom and Beyond 2020 conference proceedings

Image
It was an honor to be a keynote speaker this week at the Inverted Classroom and Beyond 2020 -conference in Austria. I thank the committee for the possibility to write an article to the conference proceedings  Tagungsband zur Tagung Inverted Classroom and beyond 2020 . In my presentation, I wanted to direct attention towards the support teachers need when they start to flip. Not only theoretical and practical support are needed but also emotional support. What hampers the reforming of schools and teaching is the fact that the traditional teaching is considered to be the most deeply ingrained and valuable of the approaches to teaching. It is as if the traditional teaching should be learned before one can even start trying anything else. The problem is significant, because experimentation is limited when one declares traditional teaching to be more valuable or more effective than other forms of teaching. This more likely means a quick return to the traditional teaching even after minor
Read more