Week 6- Evaluation Part 1 - Reflect + Produce

What did I learn that could be relevant for making a judgement about whether a flipped classroom is effective or not?

• Introduction to Learning Design

During preparation for our microteach session in term 1 I used a lesson planning form which integrated a student-centred approach by making me evaluate what the students would be doing at each stage of the lesson; whether this is watching, taking notes, listening, doing, practically making, applying technical skills, discussing in groups, or reflecting independently. I want my flipped classroom to provide a deeper level of student engagement.

Taxonomy of verbs to reflect on whether the students met their LOs: Week 5’s scholarship (Beetham, MacNeil, McGill, (2024)) I have noted how constructive alignment can be used, by aligning the pre-class and in person activities with the students LOs by using Bloom’s taxonomy (1956) This puts student learning centre stage.

I have learnt about the Koumi (2013) design principles which for me contains clear and concise points to remember when creating learning content for students. One point which I have taken from the Koumi principles is to ask questions to engage students cognitive engagement. One point which I feel that I could improve is to potentially conclude my video in a more detailed way. Time management was on my mind, so I feel that I could have summarised the LOs further.

·       Assessment and Feedback

Scholarship from Stein & Graham (2020) has given me an insight to the negative effects of a flipped classroom to consider, or should I say, the lack of information presentation in person. My giving information in person it can lead to positive integration between student and teacher. It can allow the teacher to adapt their learning in the moment, giving opportunity for detours into unintended intellect.

Week 6 Forum post and reflections on Rabeea and Fedwa : My post class questionnaire for my students has tried to focus on this, so I will take my answer from the questions that I have asked:

Firstly, I have asked my students if they feel that the pre-class activities (the 10min webcast video and the mini-quiz) related to the in-person workshop. Without saying it to my students directly, I am looking for answers about how effective my integration is. Further to this, I have asked how the asynchronous and synchronous aspects were or were not integrated, to see if they can identify this. As a stand-alone class (not part of an institutions teaching or further module) I am interested to further see if integration beyond the single synchronous workshop can support students. I am asking students to consider if they feel it could be helpful to introduce a further aspect to the course, in which students have an additional either one-to-one or group session with Alice to discuss their finished fired tests that they made during the workshop. This session could take place a few weeks later (to allow for student reflection, and the practicalities of firing their tests) and could enable the workshop to further impact their practice by truly understanding the information learnt, apply it practically, explore the knowledge independently and reflect collectively, aligning with Kolbs’s Learning Cycle.

PSF 2023 (Professional Standards Framework) K3 critical evaluation as a basis for effective practice How I evaluate and critically review my ways of teaching. Identifying strengths and achievements and limitations and areas of improvements in the ways I support student learning. How essential it is to my teaching practice. How often I do this and make adjustments as a result of critical evaluation based on evidence. Peer feedback, staff colleagues, peer observations, external examiners, theory and research.

• Theories of Learning

Scholarship from Beetham, MacNeil, McGill, (2024) has allowed me to re-visit scholarship from the first term, thinking about how learning cycles, specifically Kolb’s Experimental Learning Cycle (1984) can be applied to my blended learning model.

Pedagogical Differentiation: Recognising that students have diverse learning styles and needs, flipped classrooms can be adapted to cater to different learners through varied activities and resources. Be inclusive through using different learning means

“Constructivist alignment learning Theory: This theory posits that learners actively build their own understanding of the world, rather than passively absorbing information. Flipped classrooms support this by allowing students to engage with content at their own pace and then construct meaning through interaction with peers and the instructor.” Preparation for independent career.

• Inclusive Teaching and Learning

Pace for English not first language. In Week 5, after reading a discussion in the forum between Evengi and Julius, it has allowed me to think about how I would further develop the synchronous discussion in practice. Will I find that students require additional scaffolding to transition from the digital self-learning context and into collaborative discussion? This might be particularly relevant and critical point to refine when I am supporting students when English is a second language.

Evengi’s response to this weeks Forum discussion: “Week 5: Forum – Integrating Activities in Your Flipped Classroom Designs” was helpful in the way that he described how his students can connect to their subject of connecting bio-materials concepts to personal contexts to enrich their workshop discussions. This concept is applied to my blended learning approach. This approach aligns with Salmon's (2008) emphasis on creating meaningful connections between asynchronous and synchronous elements. Students arrive with shared knowledge and vocabulary rather than starting at different levels. This, enables immediate application during the practical Colouring Clays Workshop.

My decision to rethink part of my existing course comes from wanting to add value to the students learning. I have felt for a while that although there has been good feedback from past students about the courses structure and content, I feel that it would be beneficial to relay the information to the students in a different way in order to be more inclusive to students with different learning abilities and also for the technical information to be taken in by students in which English is their second language. As an online course, I have a large percentage of my students from different cultures and languages. I feel that this then could be a better method for my students to achieve their learning outcomes (Stein & Graham, 2020).

Further justification for why I have flipped this class comes from Stein & Graham (2020) as they describe in more detail the possibility for flexibility, portability, flexibility and reusability.

Stein & Graham (2020) Chapter 7 has proven incredibly helpful in regards to thinking about pedagogical justification of why I am making decisions on my blended model. I will need to reread before this part of my assessment and re-look at my notes.

Rabeea in Week 2 Forum, also made it clear how this flipped classroom would benefit students with dyslexia as it is self-paced engagement and allows students to revisit materials (Moon, 2005). I can personally relate to this, as someone with dyslexia, and have experienced this through my learning on this PGCHE course.

By listening to the ‘practitioners in action’ section of this week’s learning, I feel that it has really deepened by knowledge on a flipped classroom, allowing me to appreciate how I will bring it into my practice and ensue that it is integrated and effective. Particularly, listening to maths teacher: Katie Gimar, who spoke about the effect of a flipped classroom on high achievers, low achievers, and mid achieving students. She also highlighted the benefit of how a flipped classroom can open more time in the classroom to spend with all students, ensuring that a student-centred approach is taken and that no student is left behind or left out. I have found time a constraint in my creative workshops, so feel this is something I can bring into my practice. 

I wish to have a range of tasks to encourage students to build their confidence and encourage them to succeed (Krause, 2001)

• Embedding Employability, Enterprise and Professional Practice

The combination of our synchronous (webinars) and asynchronous approaches encourages deeper engagement (Littlejohn & Pegler, 2006), facilitating connections in real-world scenarios, achieving a deeper understanding together with critical thinking (Fry, H. et. Al, 2009).  

Scholarship from Impala reminded me that asynchronous learning can involve interviews with practitioners and people from industry, giving representation from residents or businesses in our immediate surrounding to give the students context and real-world situations to listen to and apply to their practice. It makes me question if I can bring this into my flipped classroom?

Encouraging students to take more responsibility for their learning and engage with the material in a meaningful way. Achievement Motivation- Achieving to enhance their ego. Confidence building. Not great for collaborative learning as other students become competitors. (Biggs, J.; et al., 2022)

PSF 2023: V4 respond to the wider context in which higher education operates, recognising implications for practice Making my self aware for wider issues. Higher education sector, government legislation, disciplinary bodies, student employability agenda, climate change agenda, staff to use approaches to use professional practice approaches. Shifting and changing constantly. How we support students.

• Reflective Teaching Practice and Learning Conversations

Videos on Flipped classrooms from Katie Gimbar and Aaron Sams’ acted as a pivotal moment for me in terms of allowing me to evaluate what I do in the classroom. Allowing me to think about why I do it, reflecting on why a particular aspect might value to the lesson and I believe that by adding this flipped classroom it will give space for me to reflect in action, fostering growth and improving my teaching practice.

Scholarship from Yates, Bakia, Means, & Jones (2009, p. xiv) argues that students that take purely online classes perform better overall than those same students on the same course just learning through face-to-face teaching. I agree though with the counter argument from Zhang & Zhu (2018) who take into consideration the type of subject being learnt. I feel that through personal experience and their scholarship that a combination of learning styles, face-to-face and online would be beneficial for creative courses.

Utilising class time for collaborative learning, problem-solving, and deeper exploration of the subject matter. 

Shifting the focus from passive lecture-based learning to active, student-centered activities

The extra time which has been acquired from this removal of task, will grant me contingency time on the day and potential for Schӧn’s (1983, 1987) ‘Reflection in Action’ to occur (reflection while I am teaching). (Rushton, I.; Suter, M. (2012)

• Flipping the Classroom

Fundamental reading from Stein & Graham (2020) has ensured that I explore the specific and relevant benefits and constraints of my flipped lesson to enable me to plan for contingencies and consider the justification of my decisions. Scholarship from Yates, Bakia, Means, & Jones (2009, p. xiv) argue that purely online classes perform better overall than purely face-to-face learners.

Furthermore, Zhang & Zhu (2018) describes how it is important to take into consideration the type of subject being learnt before casting a view.  Personal experience proves that a combination of learning styles, and a blended learning approach would be beneficial for creative courses and is my reason for applying a flipped classroom to my current purely synchronous lesson.

Psf 2023 K4 appropriate use of digital and/or other technologies, and resources for learning My experience of other technologies. Articulate why I am using this for a learning purpose. Learning this impact on learning. How can it be used for different groups of learners, special learning needs.

• Designing and Evaluating Podcasts

The Impala model has allowed me to design and plan my pre-class asynchronous activities, specifically allowing me to justify critically why I see value in adding a flipped classroom element to this lesson.

Reading back at Bianca’s ‘Tutor Summary and Group Feedback’ from week 4, The key is asking/soliciting feedback on the areas/elements of the session (including all flipped classroom components) you feel are important to develop for your future implementations in your teaching practice.”

I have found Andy’s Podcasts very difficult to concentrate on and engage with. As a visual learner with dyslexia I have found them too long. Subtitles have helped with note taking.

Karin Watson (CofaOnlineUNSW, 2011) discusses: “The importance of considering pedagogy before technology.”

PSF (Professional Standards Framework 2023) Curriculum design: Areas of activities : A2 Teach and/or support learning through appropriate approaches and environments How I use and manage learning environments, physical and virtual, how this impacts the learners, developing the learning environments. My direct engagement with interaction with students remotely or face to face. Different approaches, lecturer, class room, demos, seminars, tutorials, distance learning, visits to museums/ workplaces, research supervisions, coaching. Changing the way my learners are using the space. Making more use of technology? Changing a virtual environment to be more interactive? Organising workplace environments/ work shadowing?

• Designing a Flipped Classroom

Watching the Kings College London video, titles ‘Narrative Powerpoints’ allowed me to really consolidate my justification for applying the blended learning to my Colouring Clays Course, by applying their case study to my practice by saying that although all of my students are told that to sign up to my course they are required to have an intermediate knowledge of clay work, I often find that my students sometimes might say that they are intermediate level, but on the day of teaching, from my point of view, they might only have basic knowledge. This means that often I have to take more time supporting these students, resulting in my actual intermediate students just waiting around. Further prior support is needed to start the synchronous lesson at the same level of understanding.

Justification for having a webcast video with me: Reading back at Bianca’s ‘Tutor Summary and Group Feedback’ from week 4, I think it is important to raise the point that the pre-class activity allows students to have a sense of collaboration and connection between themselves and me as a teacher, before the class has started.

Taking part in this weeks Forum bought us an interesting conversation with Clare. Particularly how she referenced Fry, H. et. al (2009), and highlighting how he stresses the importance of social interaction to aid in the learning process within the synchronous aspect of the flipped classroom. From her personal experience she finds that making sure the asynchronous activities are bite sized, simple and task focused can help to ensure students engage in pre-lesson activities. I resonate with this ensures it promotes clarity and continuity for our learners. I think of it as a beginning, middle and end, creating a narrative to our students learning. As Andy Peisley stated in his recording (EDU721 week 2), if the flipped classroom approach leads to an upcoming assessment, it could mean that learners will engage more readily.

• Integrating Online and Face-to-Face Activities

Anderson et al (2006) proposed that the educator’s task is “to create a coherent narrative path through the mediated instruction and activity set such that students are aware of the explicit and implicit learning goals and activities in which they participate” (p.6)

Rabeea also references scholarship from (Salmon, 2003), stating that social classroom time allows for students to deepen their understanding through peer discussions. Can I bring in further classroom discussion by flipping my classroom setting? I found it very useful to hear about what her constraints of the model is, identifying uneven pre-session preparation which she says that she has addressed by embedding reflective questions (Gibbs, 1988) into pre-work.

PSF (Professional Standards Framework 2023) Curriculum design: Areas of activities : A1(Lecture session/ module/ workshop/ whole course) Different elements to create a quality learning experience. Purpose/ Aims/ Learning Outcomes/ Students able to demonstrate/appropriate learning activities/ the best learning environment/ the students backgrounds/ students experience/ diversity within the group/ individual needs/ preferences/ deeper learning/ what type of learning/ cognitive/ critical evaluation? What learning resources do I need to the session in relation to all sessions/ timing/ order of activities/ how do I formatively access? How do the students assess? How my design relate to quality guidelines/ accreditation standards.

References

Anderson, E. S., Cox, D. and Thorpe, L. N. (2009) ‘Preparation of educators involved in interprofessional education’, Journal of Interprofessional Care, 23(1), pp. 81–94.

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