“Any time a student learns, at
least in part, at a supervised brick-and-mortar location away from home and, at
least in part, through online delivery with some element of student control
over time, place, path, and pace. The modalities
along each student’s learning path within a course or subject are connected to
provide an integrated learning experience.”
The most significant piece of the
definition is the “element of student control” highlighting the flowing
instructional models to enable improved student-centered learning, giving
students greater than before control over the time, place, path, and the step of their learning tracks.
Blended learning offers a balanced approach,
focused on redesigning instructional models first, then applying technology,
not as the driver, but as the supporter, for high-quality learning experiences
that allow a teacher to personalize and make the most of the learning.
The technology
helps to supply instructors with data, expand student choices for educational
resources and learning materials, and deliver opportunities for students to
practice and to exhibit the high-character performance.
Broadly speaking, I am for
blended learning, which means taking advantage of both traditional f2f techniques
and possibilities presented by new technologies.
Flipped Classrooms provides
pre-recorded material (video or audio) followed by classroom activities.
Learners watch the video before or after the class;
this happens outside F2F meetings. Thank’s to that classroom time can be
used for interaction, such as Q@A sessions, discussions, exercises other
learning activities.
This is the
perfect way to “invert” doings in the class with activities outside the
teaching space.
Flipping is not just about video
and technology.
Moreover, technology does not
replace good teaching. It enhances good teaching.
Flipping helps us to get the best
use of class time. It is a methodology that permits the instructor to involve
students intensely in the collaborative community and produce a shared
problem-solving workshop.
My students very frequently have to find some info, largely online, and
in class, they present materials on a specific subject. We use it as a
foundation for deeper analysis and actions.
Sometimes, instead of giving
lectures, I call for scholars to watch chosen PPT, videos or podcasts at home,
so when we gather in the course of work, we can
concentrate on the debate, as well as interpretation of the problem.
In my point of view, there are
some significant ways to involve students during a lecture such as short
demonstrations, surveyed by group debate as well as PPT lecture, followed by
expounding, discussing and particularizing the material.
I am convinced that dialogue is
necessary for my Polish History and Culture lectures. I take advantage of novel
methods to build up active learning skills and to encourage students toward
further learning, or else to mature students' thinking skills. For most of my
learners, the techniques I use are fresh. They come to study in Poland from all
the Globe, and the majority of them are not used to blended learning as well as
flipped classes.
They have to
be talked into active learning and taking the responsibility of their
knowledge. My role as a teacher is to be a learning coach, mentor and a source
of support as well as inspiration.
Flipping provides students
opportunities such as; interactive questioning, mind exploration, answer “why
this is important for me to recognize this?” and student-created content.
During my language classes, I
also use flipped methods because I believe in learning by researching as well
as having fun while studying.
Wolff, Lutz-Christian, and Jenny Chan. "Defining
Flipped Classrooms. “Flipped Classrooms for Legal Education. Springer
Singapore, 2016. 9-13.
