The Flipped Classroom

As the name suggests, a flipped (or flipped mastery) classroom takes the traditional teaching approach used for countless generations and turns it on its head. Instead of teachers lecturing in class, students receive lecture content outside of school on the nights before the actual lessons. Instead of doing homework and bringing it to class the next day, they show up ready to actively participate in the discussion and hands-on activities related to what they reviewed in the videos they watched at home.

The Flipped Classroom

This reversal in instruction and learning takes time to plan and a period for everyone to get adjusted, but once it is mastered, it will soon become a teacher and student favorite! Many teachers are interested in trying this technique but are not sure where to begin. That is where The Flipped Classroom offered by Professional Development Courses at the University of La Verne comes to the rescue! This highly popular course imparts information and strategies needed to design effective lesson plans so you can begin flipping your classroom immediately.

Reasons to Implement the Flipped Classroom Technique

Many teachers have limited exposure to alternative teaching methods. They have been trained to be the center of attention, tasked with distributing information to a room full of students, primarily via oral lecture, and in conjunction with a curriculum and textbook. They accept questions, provide answers, administer tests, and issue homework. It is a tried-and-true traditional approach.

The concept of the flipped classroom was introduced as a means to shift the focus away from the teacher and onto the learner. This approach aims to use classroom time to facilitate more in-depth learning and knowledge acquisition as well as build skills beyond the subject matter itself, such as problem-solving and collaboration. Using this flipped classroom approach, students might view lectures or conduct research online at home instead of in class. In turn, they have enhanced opportunities to engage in class through activities, group projects, experiments, debates, workshops, and other practices.

Meanwhile, this approach frees the teacher from the time spent lecturing. Instead, they can use the extra time to work directly with students and offer individualized attention to those who need it. In a traditional-style setting, the teacher is the focal point for much of the class period. In the flipped classroom, they serve more as a guide, helping students navigate through their work while catering to the different learning styles of each individual. This technique can be incredibly insightful as teachers discover the strengths of each student as well as uncover areas requiring increased support.

The flipped classroom style encourages exciting new ways to build rapport among student peers and between teachers and students. Instead of working on “homework” alone at home, students collaborate more in class under the teacher’s mentorship. Revamping lesson plans to implement a flipped classroom strategy may sound like a challenge, but with the tools, it is a job easily managed. The rewards to teachers and students are well worth the investment.

Benefits of the Course

The Flipped Classroom offers numerous benefits to all K-12 teachers, including:

Practical, proven strategies for efficiently creating student-centered learning models
An analytical comparison of results between traditional and flipped methodology
Ways to build parent buy-in and cooperation through explanatory communications
Techniques parents can apply to support their child’s new flipped learning approach
Empowering students to take responsibility and ownership of their own learning
Tactics for crafting flipped lesson plans that utilize online learning and communication
How to incorporate a variety of application-based distance learning tools
Sources for finding suitable online educational material to supplement plans
How to create and insert video content to act in place of live lectures

The Flipped Classroom Course Contents

The Flipped Classroom, offered by Professional Development Courses at the University of La Verne, features straightforward content created specifically for today’s K-12 teachers. The course covers such topics as:

Historical origins and challenges of the flipped mastery classroom model
A comprehensive analysis of what the flipped classroom means for modern teachers, including the five essential stages:
- Direct Instruction
- Practice
- Going Deeper
- Assess
- Remediate
How technology has facilitated the ease with which to explore flipped methods
Reasons for educators to start incorporating flipped classroom techniques immediately
Clear guidelines for implementing your first flipped classroom without hassle

The stress-free curriculum was designed for busy working K-12 teachers who need the flexibility and convenience of a distance learning course, and content that is rigorous enough to count for graduate credit from an accredited university. All content is self-paced, written in user-friendly language, and accessible online or through an emailed PDF format. All books and materials are included and sent via US Mail. A friendly online support chat is also available when needed.

Successful completion of The Flipped Classroom will lead to exciting new skill sets that can be used in virtually any modern educational setting. It will also provide graduate credits that may even boost your professional career by potentially qualifying you for promotions, pay increases, or license renewal/recertification.

This three-credit course is applicable to two different University of La Verne 15-credit certificates — Motivation and Classroom Management or Integrating Technology into the Classroom. However, it can only be counted as credit towards one certificate, not both. Popular course options for these certificates include:

Certificate in Motivation and Classroom Management:

Certificate in Integrating Technology into the Classroom:

Note, the University of La Verne is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. Since requirements may vary, students should check with their school district or state department of education before enrolling in a course.

How to Register

The Flipped Classroom can be completed in either an online or via emailed PDF format. It is open for anyone to register at any time during an open semester. After completion, students receive graduate, non-degree semester credit on official transcripts from the University of La Verne, an accredited university in La Verne, California.

Registration is fast and straightforward and can be done online or over the phone. Courses are offered on a rolling basis during three standard semesters, and you can begin whenever you are ready! The registration dates are:

Fall: September 1 - January 31
Spring: February 1 - May 31
Summer: June 1 - August 31

The flipped classroom model has existed for decades, but only in modern times has technology made it easier to incorporate fully. In today’s digital era, students are already adept at using mobile devices, apps, and the Internet to access content outside of the classroom. That is why there has never been a better time to shake things up and introduce your students to an entirely new way of learning!