Educate, Excite, Engage

Flipping the Classroom1

Paradigm shift

Faculty need to remember that it is crucial to create learning experiences that replicate reality. This is hard to accomplish when trying to “get through all the slides” before the end of class. As a step in the right direction, faculty must focus on helping the students discover the facts prior to the classroom experience. One crucial aspect of the paradigm shift required for flipping the classroom is that the students must own the crucial content themselves. This is not just important for the

The flip

Flipping requires that we help the students build a foundation of competency before they engage the classroom learning experience (Fig. 1). The desired competency is identified and derived from programmatic goals and outcomes. To begin building the foundation, students will need accountability and guidance to ensure that this foundation is solid. Next, the classroom experience is designed with two key goals in mind: higher order thinking and realism. Finally, it is imperative that learning and

The foundation of flipping

The foundation of flipping the classroom is a student that arrives to class ready for the learning experience. Because flipping the classroom hinges on an active learning experience where application and analysis are the focus, the knowledge and comprehension levels of learning must have occurred prior to classtime. Because so many students arrive to class unprepared, this becomes one of the main barriers to flipping the classroom.

Often, students ask for a study guide before the examination.

Guided study

Instead of the students waiting for the (faculty-created) study guide, what if they experienced “guided study” throughout the course? Guided study involves providing students with specific activities to accomplish while they are “reading” their book in preparation for class. Instead of being told to read six chapters, hoping they get the key points, ask the students to perform activities that demonstrate understanding or at least give evidence that some of the key points were explored and

The classtime experience

When a person trains for a marathon, they need to run. When a person wants to learn how to be a pilot, they need to fly. When a student aspires to become a health care professional, they need to care for patients.

One of the great benefits of flipping the classroom is that the classroom can become a clinical learning environment. By helping the students pursue knowledge and comprehension (the two lowest levels of cognitive learning) prior to coming to class, they can spend classtime focusing on

The assessment

Assessment of progress provides the learner, the instructor, and the organization with crucial information about competency and efficacy. When flipping the classroom, it is essential that overall outcomes are addressed.

One crucial area of learning how to learn that must be assessed relates to the habit of prioritization (e.g., the ability to set priorities). Asking the students to practice prioritization during learning activities is just as important as assessing prioritization skills on

Conclusion

Flipping the classroom is a rewarding experience that allows for success health occupations education. By motivating the students to preparing for class, the classtime is free to become a learning experience that more closely resembles real practice. Classtime is used for application and analysis. Faculty are able to take on the role of “clinical instructor” and guide the students through realistic learning experiences. Realistic experiences provide learners with more opportunities for