In educational history, the massive successes the flipped classroom approach has achieved are phenomenal. Yeah, sometimes we have few cases of academic geniuses springing forth like lovely little lilies among thorns. But, average class successes had not improved steadily until flipped classes and flipped classroom tools came by.
The successes of this teaching method are attributed to the massive contributions of students in class. Elearning.com recorded in their study that flipped classes increase student’s participation drastically.
The flipped class is a teaching method that uses various flipped classroom tools and techniques to improve the broad ecosystem of learning. Generally, flipped classrooms do classes in the direct opposite of the traditional way. Students use online resources and tools to study a topic properly. Then, activities such as presentation, debates, making 3D models, and class projects are done in the class with the assistance of the class teacher.
You cannot separate the flipped classroom tools from the flipped classrooms themselves. Therefore, selecting the best tools that synchronize with the needs of the students is the number one task on the list of any teacher who intends to adopt flipped classes. Checking this article will help you properly select the best and essential flipped classroom tools you can come across in 2021.
In this article, we would cover the following:
- How do I set up Flipped Classrooms for my Students?
- 10 Essential Flipped Classroom Tools
How do I set up Flipped Classrooms and Flipped Classroom Tools for my Students?
Tell them the aim
You will surely struggle in class if you don’t find it necessary to inform your students of what you want to achieve through your teaching methods. Also, parents reserve the right to know why you’re changing from a traditional teaching approach.
Like a change in learning culture, a significant classroom change must accompany the right amount of information. Let both the students and parents know why, how, and when this change is taking place.
Make your Students Responsible
One thing you should keep reminding yourself while employing flipped classes is – ‘I am an academic partner with these kids’. The truth is, when you use this approach, you have chosen to give the class progress, class speed, and class intensity into the hands of the students. If that’s the case, you’d rather make them responsible.
You must create means of monitoring and grading the students who have watched a video or used an app. Organizing class quizzes or giving students motivational incentives is another way of ensuring a form of responsibility in the students. You can then identify the students who don’t care much about tasks and the serious ones.
Create a Schedule
Alternating time schedules reasonably for classes is one of the delicate parts of using flipped classes.
Funny enough, most teachers still request the ‘usual time’ they use in a traditional class after introducing a flipped class. This is wrong on some levels.
Usually, the time spent in class lectures should be tangibly reduced since online research and studies are parts of classes.
Share your Flipped Classroom tools or links.
Flipped Classroom tools, videos, or any app you decide to use must align with the class objectives. It is unprofessional to share an app or video that tests the memory capacity of students when the class objective gravitates towards creativity.
There are many unregistered resources, apps, and videos out there. It is only wise for the experience side of the teacher-student partnership to carefully choose the best tools for the students.
10 Essential Flipped Classroom Tools
Playposit
Playposit is an essential tool that helps teachers edit and upload video assessments. The tool has three interfaces: Video, Interaction, and Review.
After sharing access with students, the teacher can create a video or share it from popular websites. Users can edit, crop, add interactions, conduct polls, answer multiple-choice questions, play the video for discussion, and do excellent reviews with the interfaces.
Teachers most times instruct the learners to take notes and sometimes pause the videos to ask questions or create a platform for discussion. However, most times, teachers pause the video to break the extended session and allow the students a breather.
An interactive video bulb is very helpful in the flipped classroom tool. The bulb can be pre-assigned on student’s dashboards and can be used to monitor their progress. If you have over 100 students, it is better for you as a teacher to pay for the premium version where there are no restrictions to the number of students who can enjoy bulbs.
Educreations
This is exclusively an Apple application that enables the teacher to properly instill media literacy and presentation skills into his students.
Teachers can send an invitation link to students via the application or popular social media sites with this app. The teachers can then assess and grade their presentations.
Educreations enables the users to create many presentation slides at once. You use a whiteboard page and can also insert images, use your hands to write, resize images, write on images, record audio, create slides and still edit the video when you are done.
Redbird Mathematics
The application has some insightful reviews by seasoned teachers that should not make you doubt its importance.
Redbird mathematics is a part of McGraw-Hill’s education digital curriculum. This seasoned flipped classroom tool is one of the best mathematics aid you can come across.
The tool is a research-based adaptive technology that assigns various tasks and practice questions. Redbird mathematics is so detailed that you can check a class overview, see and make corrections to students’ incorrect answers, learn new concepts and progressively increase the difficulty of the mathematics quizzes.
Flipped Classroom Tools: Nova
Nova is a flipped class app that helps students dissect a wide range of subjects. The subjects include ancient world history, the human body, evolution, espionage, nature, physics, mathematics, space, aviation, and engineering.
Nova next, Nova education, Nova now, and Nova Labs are the various award-winning websites developed by Nova. The websites are notable for documentaries on life, scientists, and how to conduct laboratory practicals.
With the possibility of handling the videos as a ‘mental break,’ teachers must ensure that students treat each video as scientific material. Engaging students by asking questions, sparking a debate, or giving a task will surely make them remember they are in a class. Teachers should consult a good teaching guide to help them navigate this application appropriately.
Biointeractive
Biological sciences and similar subjects are now more accessible with this special classroom tool. The resources present on the app are quality multimedia teacher guides written by experienced teachers from Hogwarts medical institute.
Also, bio interactive made high school biology simplified by introducing award-winning videos, simulation, classroom activities, 3d models, and virtual laboratory.
Teachers also should not have difficulties in using the application as a teacher’s guide is available. Interactive sessions, in between quizzes and tasks, will help teachers to assess their students properly.
Google Hangouts
Google hangouts are undoubtedly the best interactive application out there. Usually, people use the application for social hangouts, get-togethers, or parties. However, the use of the app for learning is similar to seeing a diamond in the rough.
Like most flipped classroom tools, there are endless possibilities in the use of Google Hangouts. You can create videos, use live chats, search for similar lesson contents, interact with students, assign tasks, create student groups, etc.
Since the Google-based application was initially designed for friends’ hangouts, there is a vast possibility of abuse by the kids. Therefore, teachers and instructors should monitor the activities of students on the app.
Flipped Classroom Tools: Actively Learn
Students have gradually trained independence in reading and literacy with active learning. Actively learn Is an online reading tool where students can read, highlight, make remarks or ask questions.
One of the major pluses of this application is that students who find it shy to raise their hands or make comments at their colleagues; can easily drop their remarks or questions on the margin of their page. Teachers then go back to check.
Moreover, teachers can assign text to a student or groups of students. Students, on the other hand, can ask questions, make remarks and spark discussions.
It is also easy for users of this tool to navigate between a self-directed discussion and a teacher-controlled one.
BrainPOP
Animations and the colorful background of this tool will surely make kids glued to their tablets or phones.
BrainPOP magically familiarizes the kids with relatively more complex science, health, music, English, and health topics with ease. The kids watch the videos and are given tasks. These tasks are to test their knowledge of what they have watched.
Flipped Classroom Tools: TED-Ed
The tool is born from a youth and educational initiative that celebrates research and researchers, teachers, and all the labor they’ve given to education.
The site contains hundreds of thousands of videos that serve as a library/reservoir of knowledge. Teachers all over the world have made their discoveries, teachings and approach the public through the tool.
Clarisketch
A relatively beautiful app that enables kids to create animated sketches. Not only that, with Clarisketch, students can combine speeches, words, drawings, and sometimes photos.
Apart from the use of animation, you can explore the video options of the app and use it to teach students, create and assign assignments. The app is usually clearer to the students than complex-looking icons.
However, since the app is mainly for home use, clear instructions are useful to encourage independence.
Conclusion
Even though flipped classrooms have gained worldwide recognition and have amassed successes, as a teacher, you should know that it is not compulsory for you to change your approach if it is not necessary.
Changing an already thriving educational culture because of the popularity of another is not wise. If your students can’t cope with drastic changes of a flipped classroom, try gradually blending in these tools first. Then it will be easy to change totally into a flipped class.
