Don't Flip your Class - Fortify it — June 2015

ISTE 2015 - Philadelphia

Don't Flip your Class - Fortify it
Leslee Francis Pelton, lfrancis@uvic.ca
Tim Pelton, tpelton@uvic.ca
University of Victoria


In our experience, only a few keen students regularly prepare by reviewing flipped content outside of class. To improve efficiency, we recast the process – fortifying our classes with concise video content (lectures, demonstrations), integrated questions, discussions and explorations 


What are the Benefits of Video?

  • Capture and share canned (but good) explanations
  • View anywhere – in school/resource room/home
  • Ability to replay – again and again…
  • Ability to stop and start to support lessons 
  • Meet individual needs 
  • Support parents who are trying to help


What Makes a Good Video?

  • Succinct/focused/short
  • Clear and correct
  • Presents a hook, context, or engaging explanation
  • Authentic


What are the Intended Benefits of Flipping? 

  • Free up time for activities and personal attention in class
  • Reduce instructions/support needed to accomplish homework
  • Give students control – inquiry focused
  • Capture your ‘best’ content and share (do it once)


What are the limitations of flipping?

  • What if they don’t watch anything outside of class?
  • Do they understand the content in the video?
  • Is learned helplessness an issue?
  • Do they have access to video outside of school?

What does it mean to Fortify?

The addition of essential/desirable elements to improve the utility or value of a product or service

Fortification in the classroom means – in part – creating/finding and incorporating short videos that:
  • Capture student attention
  • Present concepts efficiently (20 min -> 5 min)
  • Set the context for a discussion
  • Model procedures/processes
  • Support student understanding
  • Support students outside of class

Why should the Teacher Create Videos?
  • You have something useful to say
  • You have a unique way of expressing ideas
  • Share once and it can be used again
  • Get the message right 
  • To instill confidence – you know the content
  • Share and share alike
The Production Process
  • Identify your objectives (understand the problem)
  • Make a Plan
  • Efficiently cover your content
  • Edit the pauses
  • Avoid distracting yourself
  • Think through the possible questions
  • Manage tangential discussions

Where can I find videos? (yes use these gifts!)
  • www.edutopia.com
  • www.teachertube.com
  • www.vimeo.com 
  • www.youtube.com 
  • www.khanacademy.org
  • www.mathsnacks.com 
  • When you find one & you will often find more
  • Vet the videos to make sure they are effective and plan your classroom questions/activities

Thoughts on Using Videos
  • Identify the break points and insert questions– to support discussion
  • Ask students to paraphrase or apply what they have just learned
  • Find an app that lets you cache videos
  • Show students how to use playback speed (1.25 x)
  • Break up longer videos to avoid learned helplessness
  • Set up a website for your classes and share the links
  • Invite students to generate videos

What are we doing in our classrooms?
Our teaching area is mathematics education, and we find that it is relatively easy to create a short video clip to explain/demonstrate a concept that many students struggle with.  The videos don’t have a high production value - they just have to help students make sense (remember you can adjust the playback speed)

See our youtube channel:
www.youtube.com/user/twp007/videos

Also check out another website we have created to encourage folks to create and share their understandings on video:
www.explainingunderstanding.com

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