IST 524

Individual Paper
October 21,2014
Author: Traci Hogree
The Inverted !la""roo#:
An Approach to Student$!entered %earning
Introduction
&ore and #ore "chool" acro"" the 'nited State" and (orld$(ide are u"ing the "tudent$centered
inverted or )lipped* cla""roo# approach a" oppo"ed to the traditional teacher$centered approach+
,ith recent develop#ent" in technolog- and the ri"ing co"t" o higher education, online learning
ha" beco#e an option or #an- individual" acro"" the (orld+ A" a re"ult o the increa"ed popularit-
o online learning, #ore co"t$eective and eicient, ea"-$to$u"e technolog- tool" are beco#ing
available or teacher" in both .$12 and higher educational in"titute" to invert or )lip* their
cla""roo#" /Pe0a 1 2o""on, 20143+
Inverting the cla""roo# (a" broadl- deined b- %age et al+ /20003 a" )+++event" that have traditionall-
ta4en place in"ide the cla""roo# no( ta4e place out"ide the cla""roo# and vice ver"a*+ Thi" i" a ver-
broad deinition becau"e one can con"ider an inverted cla""roo# a" a cla"" that ha" te5tboo4
reading" done at ho#e and group di"cu""ion" ba"ed on tho"e reading" done in the cla""roo#+ In
thi" paper, I adopt a #ore "peciic deinition that under"tand" the concept a" having audio$vi"ual
recording" vie(ed at ho#e and interactive group (or4 in the cla""roo#+ Thi" i" #ore aligned (ith
the deinition u"ed b- 6i"hop and 7erleger /20183 (here "tudent" have )interactive group learning
activitie" in"ide the cla""roo#, and direct co#puter$ba"ed individual in"truction out"ide the
cla""roo#+* In thi" paper, I (ill pre"ent a brie hi"tor- o the develop#ent o the lipped cla""roo#,
recent advance#ent and trend" o the lipped cla""roo#, a" (ell a" the "cientiic evidence and
re"earch relecting "o#e o the con"e9uence" o the inverted cla""roo#+ :inall-, I provide a
di"cu""ion and oer #- o(n per"pective on the topic+
The inverted cla""roo#: Hi"torical origin" and recent re"earch:
The publication, ro# %age et al+ /20003, (a" a#ong the pioneering "tudie" done on the inverted
cla""roo#, (herea" .ing /1;;83 pro#oted the concept o group$ba"ed learning+ 6oth o the"e
paper" helped pave the road to (hat i" "till being deined a" the lipped cla""roo#+ The"e author"
believed in a cla""roo# that i" "tudent$centered+ ,e can vi"uali<e a "tudent$centered cla""roo#
(here "tudent" are (or4ing together to "olve proble#" ba"ed on (hat the- did learn or po""ibl- did
not co#pletel- under"tand at ho#e during their )lecture recording* (hile the teacher act" #ore a"
a acilitator or guide or "tudent"+
According to 6i"hop and 7erleger /20183, the popularit- o the lipped cla""roo# ro"e due to
#ove#ent" in technolog- and ideolog-+ =o( inor#ation can be duplicated and di"tributed at a
1
ver- lo( co"t due to develop#ent" in technolog- and it" tool"+ Hu#anit- ha" al"o had a #ove#ent
in it" #ind"et o inor#ation lo( and co##unication> thi" i" relected b- the creation o ,i4ipedia
overriding ?nc-clopedia 6ritannica or &OO!" "uch a" !our"era and ed@, all oering inor#ation or
ree inor#ation /6i"hop 1 7erleger, 20183+ Social #edia al"o pla-" a big role in the production o
the co"tle"" inor#ation lo( that currentl- pla-" a part in the live" o #an- people throughout the
(orld+
&an- re"earcher" have been inve"tigating the value o cooperative learning and are inding the
lipped cla""roo# approach a #ethod that could achieve thi" t-pe o teaching "trateg-+ Stra-er
/200A> 20123 too4 a deeper loo4 at "tudent"B co#ortabilit- (ith the ne( "tructure o the inverted
cla""roo# and their (illingne"" or reaction to being challenged to "olve proble#" (ithin a group+
Stra-er /20123 ound that #an- o hi" "tudent" in hi" "tati"tic" cla"", in (hich he te"ted the
innovative teaching #ethod o the inverted cla""roo#, (ere highl- challenged a" oppo"ed to hi"
"tudent" in the cla"" that he (a" teaching in a traditional (a-+ The "tudent" in the traditional cla""
#entioned that the- al(a-" 4ne( e5actl- (hat (a" going to happen, (hen and ho(+ Thi"
predictabilit- (a" co#orting+ ,herea" the "tudent" that (ere being challenged b- the innovative
#ethod o the lipped cla""roo# (ere "o#eti#e" ru"trated andCor di"tracted+ In light o the
eedbac4 that he received ro# hi" "tudent", Stra-er ound that the "tudent" that (ere in the
inverted cla""roo# (ere better co##unicator", collaborator", and proble#$"olver": all 9ualitie" o
"ucce""ul #e#ber" to "ociet- and the (or4place+ During teaching, the"e "tudent" (ere al"o #ore
oten challenged (ith real$lie proble#" a" oppo"ed to "tudent" that (ere taught in the traditional
(a-, (hich (ere given pre$de"igned proble#" "uch a" "tandard calculation"+
,ul et al+ /20143, being hi#"el a proe""or o an anae"the"iolog- cour"e in the 'niver"it- o
&arburg, Eer#an- ha" recentl- publi"hed a "tud- done on hi" inverted cla""roo# and the addition
o in$cla"" group$ba"ed "i#ulation activitie"+ Ater a e( -ear" o re"earch, e"tabli"hed in 2005 and
reapprai"ed "everal ti#e" "ince 200F, he ound that b- adding in$cla"" group "i#ulation" and
interactive lecture" or ho#e(or4 to the inverted cla""roo# concept, "tudent" increa"ed in
achieve#ent ro# an average "core o 2+52 to 1+45 in the inverted cla""roo# (ith interactive
"i#ulation"+
1

A" a 4e- trend in educational technolog-, the =&! Hori<on 2014 2eport or .$12 ?ducation "tated
1 The grade" range ro# 1 to G (ith 1 being the highe"t po""ible grade+
2
that the lipped cla""roo# i" )gaining #o#entu# in ever- region, particularl- in ?urope+++* /Hohn"on
et al+, 20143+ It al"o reer" to eort" o a Polic- &a4er" ,or4"hop in 6ru""el", recentl- held b- the
?uropean !o##i""ionB" !reative !la""roo#" %ab, creating guideline" or i#ple#enting the lipped
cla""roo# #odel+
The lipped cla""roo# i" al"o beco#ing a bu<< (ord throughout the educational in"titute" in the
'nited State"+ Although not enough obIective inve"tigation ha" been done on "tudent learning
outco#e" u"ing the inverted cla""roo# #ethod /6i"hop 1 7erleger, 20143, organi<ation" "uch a"
.hanB" Acade#- are pioneering ne( techni9ue" and encouraging educator" acro"" the (orld to
i#ple#ent thi" into their cla""roo#" /Tho#p"on, 20113+ ),ired*, a #onthl- A#erican &aga<ine,
intervie(ed the increa"ingl- popular Sal#an .han, ounder o .hanB" Acade#-, and other teacher"
u"ing .hanB" Acade#-B" re"ource" /Tho#p"on, 20113+ At the ti#e o the intervie(", .han had over
2,400 "hort 5$15 #inute video" recorded, covering a (ealth o topic" in variou" "ubIect"+ He
challenge" teacher" to ta4e advantage o hi" alread- recorded video" and u"e the# in their lipped
cla""roo#"+ Teacher" in thi" intervie( boa"ted about the "tudent$centered in"truction that the- are
able to provide or their "tudent" u"ing .hanB" Acade#-+ .hanB" Acade#- ha" a ocu" on
individuali<ed #athe#atic" or "tudent" at a range o level"+ One teacher in thi" intervie(, .a#i
Thordar"on at a %o" Alto" "chool, began b- having her #athe#atic" "tudent" u"e .hanB" Acade#- to
learn and practice #athe#atical "4ill" in all 2010+ She ound that "he (a" able to attend to "tudent"
that (ere "truggling (hile on$level "tudent" (ere able to #ove or(ard and high achieving "tudent"
(ere able to #ove on to upper high "chool level #athe#atic"+ Soon ater her e5perience u"ing
.hanB" Acade#- in"ide her cla""roo#, "he (a" #oving to co#pletel- lip her cla""roo# /Tho#p"on,
20113+
The e5cite#ent o the inverted cla""roo# doe" have it" critic"+ In Stra-erB" /200A3 earlier re"earch,
#an- "tudent" elt uncomfortable(ith the ne( approach+ He ound that "tudent"B )comfortability
(ith the in$cla"" learning activit- (a" related to the "tructure o the activit-, the "tudentB" general
approach to the activit- /attitude3, and the "tudentB" #ind$"et to(ard the activit-+ He ound that the
"tudent" that had the )I Iu"t (ant to do (hat I have to do* or )"i#pl- co#plete the ta"4* attitude
(ere #ore vi"ible than in hi" lecture"+ The"e "tudent", a" one can i#agine, (ere li4el- not
intere"ted in the challenge" or proble# "olving to learn #ore+
%oc4(ood and ?""el"tein /20183 ound "i#ilar attitude" ro# the "tudent" in their report+ Student"
3
reported being un"ettled (ith re9uired cla"" attendance or earning learning activitie" credit and
having to cover the #aterial on their o(n ti#e+ The- al"o #entioned that the una#iliar pedagog-
o high$engage#ent #a- have been diicult or "tudent" that (ere accu"to#ed to "itting pa""ivel-
during lecture contact hour"+
Di"cu""ion and concluding re#ar4"
I thin4, li4e #an- ne( #ethod" or concept", people li4e (hat the- are u"ed to and oten ta4e "o#e
ti#e to beco#e co#ortable (ith change+ ,ith #ore and #ore "tudent" gro(ing up in the digital
age and being challenged (ith #ore real$lie proble#" at a -oung age, "tudent" (ill e5pect to u"e
technolog- in"ide and out"ide o the cla""roo# or their educational purpo"e" and re"earch, a" (ell
a" loo4 or(ard to the challenge" and di"cu""ion" oered in cla""roo# activitie"+ &o"t o the "tudie"
alread- done on the inverted cla""roo# are at univer"it- level, not on -ounger "tudent"+
:ro# earl- on, (e have noticed that the u"e o internet and technolog- increa"e" #otivation and
participation /So"in, 1;;A> Si#4in", 1;;;3+ Since the introduction o Eoogle !hro#eboo4" in #-
6iolog- !la"", I "a( at lea"t an initial increa"ed engage#ent and intere"t in re"earch and creation o
docu#ent" u"ing application" li4e Eoogle Drive and ed#odo+ The"e application" can later be
co#bined (ith a va"t a#ount o re"ource" or the lipped cla""roo# to help increa"e "tudent
engage#ent and peer collaboration+
A""u#ing that the inverted cla""roo# i" not onl- beneicial to the "ocial need" o "tudent" and an
eicient u"e o cla""roo# ti#e, but al"o #a4e" a #ore levelled pla-ing ield or "tudent" to learn at
their o(n level and pace, ho( "hould it be i#ple#ented in "chool"J Thi" (ould have to a""u#e that
all "tudent" have co#puter" at ho#e (ith internet acce""+ Hard(are, "uch a" co#puter" or
!ho#eboo4" are beco#ing #ore and #ore co"t$eective+ ,ould the"e replace publicl- borro(ed
"tudent te5tboo4"J ,ould thi" be an opportunit- to reva#p the librar- "-"te# and e9uip it (ith
tool" or toda-B" digital learner"J Are teacher" prepared to ta4e on the challenge o not onl- lipping
their cla""roo#, but ta4ing the ti#e and energ- to provide valuable learning e5perience" in"ide the
cla""roo#"J Do (e have the re"ource" to train teacher"J :or in"tance, ever- teacher in Singapore i"
entitled to 100 hour" training per -ear /Hohn"on et al+ 20143, ho( #an- hour" o training i" allotted
or teacher" in the 'SAJ
I a"4 the"e 9ue"tion" becau"e I a# intere"ted in "eeing #ore proper u"e o technolog- in$ and
4
out"ide o the cla""roo#" in .$12 education+ =ot "i#pl- u"ing the tool a" a replace#ent o the
traditional (a- o teaching, but co#pletel- changing the (a- in"truction i" done+ I ai# to create an
environ#ent (here "tudent" are #ore conident, engaged, and able to co##unicate and create
together+ Although #an- con"tructivi"t" critici<e .han or hi" "traight or(ard /Tho#p"on, 20113, -et
engaging #ini$lecture", (hen done right, the lipped cla""roo# reinorce" group$ba"ed learning
(ith collaboration and building o o other "tudent"B 4no(ledge, "upporting the (or4" o "ocial
con"tructivi"t 7-got"4- /1;AF3+ I a# intere"ted to "ee i Sal#an .han doe" decide to ound hi" o(n
"chool and u"e the lipped cla""roo# approach a" a "chool$(ide in"tructional #ethod+ He
#entioned i he (ere to "tart a "chool, "tudent" (ould not be "eparated b- age" but (ould (or4
together, each oering their level o e5perti"e and #aturit- /Tho#p"on, 20113+ &o"t teacher"
agree: it i" not nece""aril- the in"tructional video" alone, but the entire approach o the lipped
cla""roo# that #a4e" the dierence+ It create" ti#e, the #o"t valuable learning re"ource /Tuc4er,
20123+
,ith the advance#ent" in technolog- and the gro(ing openne"" o the public to the culture o the
digital age, I a# e5cited to "ee (hat t-pe" o challenge" the educational "-"te# (ill be able to ta4e
on and achieve+ I believe that education can be #ore ti#e eicient, have #ore eicient diagno"e"
to #eet an individualB" need", and have #ore roo# or the "ocial actor in "chool K collaboration
and cooperation+
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6i"hop, H+ %+, 1 7erleger, &+ A+ /20183+ The lipped cla""roo#: A "urve- o the re"earch+ In ASEE
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Hohn"on, %+, .rueger, .+, Ada#", S+, 1 !u##in", &+, /20143+ The =&! hori<on report: 2014 .$12
education edition+ Available at: http:CC(((+n#c+orgCpublication"C2014$hori<on$report$412
%age, &+ H+, Platt, E+ H+, 1 Treglia, &+ /20003+ Inverting the cla""roo#: A gate(a- to creating an
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