For this weeks discussion, please take a deeper look at the TED-Ed “Flipped” lessons that are available. These lessons are short videos that introduce different Math concepts and can be applied to various grade levels. The concept of “Flipping” is an important element in moving away from Pencil/Paper math approaches and from the routine “Drill and Kill” exercises that are all too common in Math.
1.) Please watch the following two Video’s posted below:
and
After watching these videos, please comment below on your opinions regarding these “Flipped” lessons. How do you think the approach can be beneficial in a classroom that is becoming increasingly more technological? Please give your feedback on the following 3 Essential Questions for this week:
-How can “Flipping” be used to enhance the Math learning process?
-What can “Flipping” do to increase shared lesson approaches between teachers of the same grades in the same districts?
-As a teacher, how would you utilize “Flipping” to create more accessible lessons that still adhere to the Common Core?
Finally, reply to 3 other posts on the comment board. As a heads-up for next week, the posts will still be discussion oriented, but will shift towards a more collaborative focus, so be prepared to have to work in groups to answer the discussion questions.
Posted by hreneesamons on March 4, 2013 at 1:44 pm
I like the idea of “flipping” the TedEd talks. In a society with more technology, students enjoy using things they can relate to. Watching videos like the ones above make learning more enjoyable and realistic, and then easier to understand and learn. The Dragon math story was really cute and funny. It will get students more motivated, especially if told to create their own story using math functions.
Flipping is a great idea in itself, because you can “cut” parts of a ted ed talk and use what works with your lesson. It also gives teachers other perspectives on teaching particular lessons, which is always a good thing. Teachers should be consistently learning themselves and finding new and better ways to reach students. Within the same district and grade, it can also unify the way a lesson is taught. If all teachers show the same video, all students are being reached through the same processes and by the same motivators.
Another thing that flipping is great for is repeated learning. This is what I would use flipping for the most. Students can continuously watch the same video to help them learn. If they are not understanding what is taught, lets go back to the video and see if that helps. It will provide a “rest” while they watch it, possible comic relief (which is good if they are getting stressed) and might help them feel more confident. If not confident, they are at least understanding how math can be used in real life. That is the complaint about math by most students…”how is this going to be used in real life?”. Students can access help, even if the teacher is unavailable too!
Posted by leekatherine on March 4, 2013 at 5:07 pm
I agree with the whole factor about how it is a great way for repeated learning and how the students ca nrely of these video as a helping aide when the teacher is not available.
Posted by jonesadam2013 on March 5, 2013 at 9:54 am
I thought it was interesting how you said “flipping” can provide a comic relief to students. I think this is a really good point. We always want our students to enjoy what their learning and have fun learning the material. I think “flipping” can really provide some fun to what may very well be a boring topic or lesson.
Posted by wrightkristopher on March 5, 2013 at 2:19 pm
As the Common Core becomes more universal in schools across the state/country, how can ideas like flipping help teachers to better realize the new standards being given to them?
Posted by shaequanda on March 8, 2013 at 11:22 am
do you believe that flipping will be too much fun for students and they wont actually take the material being taught in?
Posted by fordlauren on March 4, 2013 at 3:23 pm
Overall, I like the idea of “”Flipping” within the classroom, especially in terms of math. Math can be incredibly dry and abstract, which can be difficult for students to wrap their minds around. Additionally, we want students to not only to understand the material, but also be able to retain and further apply the information they learned. “Flipping” is a great tool that provides a solid visual for math concepts that would otherwise be totally abstract. Students totally immersed in this technology-driven world would be benefitted by videos such as the ones given above because videos are often more motivating and engaging than pure lecture and rote. “Flipping” can provide memorable visuals and innovative perspectives that aren’t typically found in the traditional classroom, and will reinforce retention of the material.
In terms of shared lesson approaches between teachers, I think “Flipping” can be a useful tool. If all the third grade teachers in a district used the same “Flipped” video to either introduce a topic or teach a topic, all those third graders will have the same shared experience as all other third graders in their district. This shared experience sets a common foundation for future learning. Additionally, “Flipped” videos can challenge teachers to look at topics from new perspectives, and as a result, modify and adapt their instruction to what will best help their students to learn.
There are several ways I would use “Flipping” to create lessons that still adhere to the Common Core. When creating a lesson directly from the Common Core standards, I can then look to find a “flipped” video to complement that lesson. I could use it as an introductory element, a review element, or even the primary teaching component in that lesson. Alternatively, I can start with a great video that I find and then build a lesson around it, adding components and elements that would fully address the Common Core standards I would like to cover.
Posted by leekatherine on March 4, 2013 at 5:10 pm
I agree taht the using these videos ca nhelp motivate the students and also help them have a better concept of what they are learning.
Posted by pratticoalexandra on March 4, 2013 at 10:46 pm
I agree about using the “Flipping” videos to start a lesson or set the foundation for a lesson. It is good to find a hook for students and then go into the material more in depth. Math is not always dry, it really depends on how one is teaching it. If it is purely lecture then yes it can be dry, but if the teaching is mixed up then it is more fun. I liked the idea of having the students in the same grade learning the same material so that they all have the same experiences.
Posted by leekatherine on March 4, 2013 at 5:05 pm
Flipping can be used to make learning math more fun. Some students may dislike math because it is dry or confusing. With “flipping,” students could be motivated by the illustrations that make math come to life which would grab their attention. Not only that but for those who are confused with certain math processes they can watch the clip to help.
Flipping can help make sure that all the students in the same grade and disctricts are on the same page. This way teachers do not have to worry about students not being a the same level of understanding and not experience the same things as everyone else.
As a teacher, there are a couple ways to go about it. One way could be to figure out the common core you want to cover. Then you could find a “flipped” video that relates to the lesson and the standards. Another could be to find a “flipped” video and then find the standards and create a lesson that relates to both.
Posted by pratticoalexandra on March 4, 2013 at 10:52 pm
I don’t know if this is what you meant but when you said “that those who are confused with certain math processes they can watch the clip to help,” is good because if students are having trouble with something specific then they can watch it as many times as they need to. Having these videos would be good because students can even watch it at home when they are working on homework. It also is a good attention grabber to get the students interested in learning the material.
Posted by wrightkristopher on March 5, 2013 at 2:21 pm
How do you feel about the shared lesson approach in regards to flipping?
Posted by shaequanda on March 8, 2013 at 11:23 am
do you think that there are any negatives to flipping?
Posted by shaequanda on March 4, 2013 at 9:39 pm
I think that these flipped lessons are attention grabbing and interesting. They are exciting to watch, but I think that it may be useful to some students more than others. While watching the video it may be hard for students to quickly follow along with the video and understand it without writing down information or asking the teacher to pause the video in case they have a misunderstanding or even if they want to check for understanding by asking a question. For others, they may be able to watch the video and understand everything that’s going on and actually learn what the video is teaching them. I know for a student like me this would not really benefit me because I have to go slow and write down each important step so that I can fully understand. Because it is on the computer it will be more beneficial for a classroom that is increasing their learning by using technology.
Flipping can be used to enhance the math learning process because it’s a visual along with what’s being taught, so students won’t only hear how to do a certain activity but they will also see it and the videos also relate to things that are in these students lives. And for teachers in the same grades and districts, they can all use the same videos to share with their students and they can create their own lessons that will help their students with learning. I will use flipping at the beginning of my lessons to give students a preview of what I will be teaching, especially because it’s interesting and it will get most students excited about learning.
Posted by jonesadam2013 on March 5, 2013 at 10:00 am
I haven’t really thought much about the negatives to “flipping”. I think you make a really good point about how it may be difficult for some students because it moves to fast and they need to take notes. It may become more of a distraction than a learning tool. This is just one side of “flipping” any teacher, including myself, would have to look into before using “flipping” in the classroom. Just because it’s using a computer and technology doesn’t necessarily mean it’s perfect.
Posted by healychristina on March 5, 2013 at 2:47 pm
Some students will get more out of these videos than others are different learners. These videos are interesting because they grad your attention right away, the music is loud the colors are bright and the songs reflect the lesson. For kids it is like they are watching a cartoon more than learning a lesson.
Posted by kayleeeamer on March 5, 2013 at 5:04 pm
I do agree that these videos may be hard for some students to follow. You said that while watching the videos, some students would want to write down information but wouldn’t be able to because these videos go so fast. These videos would definitely not be appealing to students who like to take notes and gather each and every bit of information.
Posted by karissaguiste on March 5, 2013 at 6:03 pm
You bring up a really good point, as others have discussed previously. It is definitely a good idea to implement these ideas in the classroom, but to also slow down and work at the correct pace for all learners. It is always good to remember to check for understanding!
Posted by leekatherine on March 5, 2013 at 6:13 pm
I never really thought aobut these videos having a neative aspect, only a positive one. But i can totally see the negative aspect of it since it has been brought up.
Posted by hreneesamons on March 5, 2013 at 6:23 pm
I like how you thought of the negative aspect of flipping. There are so many positives it is easy to overlook the other costs. Especially the questioning to make sure students are following. I also like how you said the videos can relate to student’s lives. They are easy to see how they apply to life, but definitely can relate to a specific life too!
Posted by pratticoalexandra on March 4, 2013 at 10:58 pm
I like that you said that some students may not be able to follow the videos the first time. It is good for teachers to include a variety of ways of teaching and not simply the videos. We as teachers have to all types of learners and not simply visual learners. Maybe if the teacher opens with one of these videos they can later discuss the material more in depth. I really liked how you said you would pick videos that also related to things that are in the students lives. It would really get students interested in learning math if they can relate any part of it back to their own lives.
Posted by pratticoalexandra on March 4, 2013 at 11:14 pm
“Flipping” is good to use to enhance a math learning process because it can provide a great visual for the students. It can be used to start a lesson to hook the students and catch their interest. It could also be good to break up a lecture and give the students a visual on what they have been learning about, kind of like a reinforcement. It can also spice up math a little bit more and make it more interesting to students. “Flipping” can allow students to get a new perspective on the material they are learning and see things a different way from what is normally seen in the classroom. “Flipping” should not be the only tool used to teach math but it is a good benefit for visual learners and breaks up the lesson a little bit more.
Sharing these videos between teachers of the same grade is good because then all the students of that grade are learning the same thing. If students have the same experiences then it is easier for them to learn later on as a group because they have all experienced the same things. I know when i was in middle school things were taught differently so when we all got to the high school we all had different experiences and were at different learning places. “Flipping” is easy to share from teacher to teacher and even students can watch these at home and slow it down so that they can understand it better. Even if the teacher is not there the students can use it to help them with homework or something. Keeping the material the same between teachers and even districts is good because then the teachers are all basing the material off of one thing.
This is nice because you can find a “flipping” video to match the common core standards or you can pick a video and match it to the common core standards. It is easy to use and can follow along with basically any lesson a teacher has to teach. I like it because then you can use it as a starter for a lesson or even to break up lectures to keep the students interested. They can be revisited as well which is always good. I would personally use it more at the beginning of the lesson. That way i can show the video on what we will be learning and then go in depth on the material using more of the common core.
Posted by jonesadam2013 on March 5, 2013 at 10:07 am
One thing that I think is important that you said is that the students can view the videos at home. I remember in middle and high school when I was stuck on something I didn’t know or understand there wasn’t much I could do about it but ask the teacher the next day. Being able to view these videos at home gives students the opportunity to review what they don’t understand and figure it out instead of having to wait until the next day to ask the teacher. I think this is a huge benefit.
Posted by fordlauren on March 5, 2013 at 3:55 pm
I like the idea of using Flipped videos as a “hook” to get students engaged and interested in a topic right from the beginning. Sometimes it’s difficult to get kids engaged when it comes to math. Also, I think it’s important that you stated the videos should supplement instruction and the lesson. Would you give an introduction to the video to access their background knowledge? Or would you let the video speak for itself and then address the content?
Posted by karissaguiste on March 5, 2013 at 6:08 pm
I can definitely agree with you, Alex, that the learning experiences vary so much from teacher to teacher, when different lessons are used. The middle school to high school jump is certainly true and these flipped videos can help to standardize what is being taught. In addition, Adam has a great point that access to the videos from home would help these students know what is going on and stay connected. I think the best idea is to post the classroom resources (such as the flipped videos) on a classroom blog or website. This can help the students at home, and to inform the parents what was taught in class that day.
Posted by hreneesamons on March 5, 2013 at 6:27 pm
I like how you thought of the videos being used to break up the lesson. You are right they shouldn’t be used as only the main part of the lesson but tools to assist. Having a video after a tough bought of learning can energize students to be able to continue on, while still helping them learn.
Posted by jonesadam2013 on March 5, 2013 at 9:51 am
As teachers we always talk about the different ways to differentiate instruction. This is one way in which differentiated instruction can be used for math. “Flipping” videos is a great tool to use that is different from the conventional pen and paper route of teaching, and strays away from the old school over head projector. The visually pleasing videos may help students better grasp some of the content where the teacher may not elaborate on as much. It is also effective as a tool to use at home where the teacher can not be. The student can look at the video as many times as they please which I find could be very helpful.
Using “flipped” lessons throughout a school or a particular grade, I can see being very effective. Because “flipped” lessons are able to be viewed from any computer such as at home, I can see teachers in the same district beginning to use these videos as actual pre-lesson starters. If an entire school uses these lessons the students will be able to know what to expect from one grade to another keeping that consistency and making transition easier for the students. I see many teachers using this tool for their differentiated instruction to reach every student the best they can.
As a teacher I think I would use “flipping” several different ways. As I’ve mentioned before I would use it to reach students who need to hear a lesson in a different way. I would use it to reinforce material that was already taught in previous lessons. The last way I can see myself using “flipping” in my classroom would be by introducing a lesson. I may even ask my students to take a look at a video at home as homework to get a feel and head start about what we were going to talk about in class the next day. I see a lot of benefits to using “flipping” in a classroom.
Posted by janelkemp on March 5, 2013 at 11:30 am
I didn’t think about that, but it would be a very helpful tool for students to watch at home. Whether they were not in class or were in class and needed to watch it again, they could very easily learn from the video at their house. It would also be a great way to get parents involved in student learning. You could send a link home to parents so they could watch what they’re child is watching and learning in school.
Posted by healychristina on March 5, 2013 at 2:44 pm
I agree this is a good video, not only for homework for kids to watch these videos but if you can find a video to reflect a lesson in school and you think the video is a good lesson to be taught to all students, you can show it to everyone, your friends and family also.
Posted by kayleeeamer on March 5, 2013 at 4:55 pm
I like how you said that you would use flipping in the classroom to introduce a lesson. At my OPE, my host teacher always uses videos to introduce her lessons. I think that this gets students really excited about what they will be learning and that this is a great way to ignite prior knowledge.
Posted by karissaguiste on March 5, 2013 at 6:11 pm
I really like that you mentioned that this can help elaborate into a topic that a teacher may be weak in. It would be good for students to have knowledge in all areas (and not just in which their teacher enjoys the best). This would be a great solution to the problem and even provide the differentiated instruction that you mention, as well.
Posted by hreneesamons on March 5, 2013 at 6:29 pm
Using the videos to reteach material is a great idea. I know I thought of introductions and at home learning, but it can present the material in a different way that might help a student that is just not understanding the material. Between the visual stimulation, entertainment and different presentation it is great for reteaching!
Posted by shaequanda on March 8, 2013 at 11:25 am
how would you introduce a lesson by using flipping, and do you think it will get the students excited about the lesson?
Posted by janelkemp on March 5, 2013 at 11:12 am
I really enjoyed watching the “flipped” videos. I think they would work great in a classroom setting, especially since the climate of the classroom is shifting to more and more technology. Students sometimes need concepts and ideas explained to them in more than one way. The teacher can explain in on the board using a step by step process. However, the students may be able to fully grasp the concept after watching one of those videos. The teacher can teach the students PEMDAS, but when a student is working on a test, they may remember the digit dragon and think of what needed to be done to destroy him.
Flipping would also be great asset in shared lesson approaches between teacher in the same districts. They can all teach a similar lesson and then all watch a flipped video that ties everything together. Every student in that grade will have then seen the video and know the same concepts. In regards to CommonCore, it will be very easy to integrate the “flipped” videos into the standards. You can very easily find a flipped video in which will help your students meet your objectives.
Posted by healychristina on March 5, 2013 at 2:40 pm
I thought about the same ideas as you pretty much, i thought about how many ways a lesson can be taught to students and this video can for sure help students visualize. I have not thought about the test taking process thats a good idea also.
Posted by fordlauren on March 5, 2013 at 3:51 pm
I like how you said Flipping can be used to provide another method of teaching the same concept. Do you think this is something students can use at home as an extension of their classroom learning?
Posted by healychristina on March 5, 2013 at 2:37 pm
The flipping videos have really made me think about how math is being taught and how we need to use these videos in our classrooms today because kids learn through visuals. The teacher can use these videos to introduce a lesson and get the students hooked on learning the subject. Today students learn lessons in more than one way, you can take a little math addition problem and solve it in more than one way. You can represent the addition in many ways. Another positive to these videos is that anyone can find them if you are having a problem with your homework you can go to the video with the same lesson and find the answer no problem.
You can share these videos with teachers also because most teachers have the same standards in the same grade level and if they share this videos they will have the same concepts but they may not all learn the same way. This video will be good because they will all have the same concept when they talk to other teachers. Another plus is that the students in a classroom usually hear a lesson being taught but they cant visually see how these lessons happen, through the video you can have students relate to the lessons and visualize what is being taught.
Posted by fordlauren on March 5, 2013 at 3:59 pm
I like the idea of using visuals to help illustrate math concepts. Students are very much driven and motivated by technology and videos. Using Flipped videos are a great way to help wade through more abstract concepts. How would you use these videos while still addressing the Common Core?
Posted by kayleeeamer on March 5, 2013 at 5:00 pm
I like how you said that one plus to flipped lessons is that students are able to visualize what is being taught. I know that I am a very visual learner and that no matter how many times a teacher discusses and teaches about a specific topic, I actually need to be able to see it written out and explained in front of me.
Posted by kayleeeamer on March 5, 2013 at 4:52 pm
Flipping can definitely be used in the classroom and can actually be very informative for students. Technology is becoming more and more popular in the classroom. Many teachers are leaning towards teaching with technology, compared to a paper and pen approach. These online lessons are explained to students in a fun and exciting way and students definitely would want to learn from these. The nice thing about these videos are that they provide a lot of detail, but it is not overwhelming for the viewer. Flipping can be useful and allow students to start thinking outside of the box and in a more complex way.
It is useful that these videos can be shared between teachers of the same grade level, in the same school. Sharing these videos across different grade levels can cause uniformity throughout the school. If students have friends that are in the same grade, but have a different teacher they can talk to their friends about what they have learned in the videos. At the school that I am doing my OPE, there is something called Brain Gym that students do to get moving and release some energy. Some of the staff in the school put these videos together and teachers are able to open these on their main computers. The school district obviously is aware of how to do this sharing because these Brain Gym videos are assessable to all teachers in the school.
When I am a teacher, I will definitely use “flipping” in my classroom. Just like we were asked to do in our assignment, I can find a standard and then search for a video that corresponds. At my current OPE, my host teacher is a huge fan of brainpopjunior.com. This is an interactive website with hundreds of videos. My host teacher always uses these videos to get students thinking about the lesson that is being taught. Another way that I could use flipping is to clarify a lesson. Sometimes students just do not understand what they teacher is trying to explain and a video could clear up any misconceptions.
Posted by karissaguiste on March 5, 2013 at 5:58 pm
Flipping can enhance the Math learning process by giving students a new visual way to understand hard concepts. The visuals that the video provides are related in a way that is friendly and human-like. Along with this, the animation is eye-catching and helps students to focus in and enjoy the lesson as well.
Flipping can increase the shared lesson approaches by giving ideas of which videos are shared in a classroom. Within the same school district, this can keep all similar grades on track and to know what is being taught. This would help with the Core Curriculum and making sure that a lesson is being taught in a similar way in all classrooms of the same grade level.
I would be sure to look at the Common Core first to find out which standard that I am trying to teach. From here, I would look for videos that match to my lesson. I would dirtectly utilize flipping by doing so to show other teachers what my class has been using to learn a particular toipic. This can then be posted on a classroom blog or website.