Flipped Courses

My @ONE training and certification focused on the CVC-OEI rubric for creating online classrooms. While I do not currently teach online, many of these same principles I am able to translate into my face-to-face classes. The focus on student-student interaction and the value of social learning was the core principle I drew upon while developing my flipped classroom. The time we have together as a class is immensely valuable, and I felt I wasn't doing justice to the value of that time by making my students sit through a lecture an passively receive the concepts of my classes. So, I decided to flip my classrooms. In my flipped classroom for BI 112, Cell Biology for Allied Health, students engage in initial learning through chunked Kaltura Video Quizzes. I originally recorded these videos for use during the pandemic, but as we returned to campus I decided to continue using them and shift our limited time together in class for active learning. It was originally an awkward transition for me, as I figured out what types of activities worked best and how much time different activities would require. As I became more confident and comfortable in this type of learning, and as I acquired a better understanding of the soft skills my students needed to work on in addition to the content of the course, I realized the flipped classroom was an ideal way to approach learning. For instance, post-pandemic, I noticed many students feeling socially insecure, and unsure of how to interact with their peers. The flipped classroom model, which relies heavily on group work, forces engagement and helps students build social skills that may have languished during lockdown. Additionally, the flippd classroom provided a creative opportunity for me to develop learning resources that help my students connect the concepts we learn to real-world scenarios, such as this case study about a type of gastrinoma. 

High Structure Learning

High structure learning involves a well-organized course design with clear objectives, frequent low-stakes assessments, and active learning activities. It provides students with consistent routines and scaffolded content that gradually builds their understanding, supported by regular instructor guidance and feedback. 

How my courses achieve this:

• Each weekly module in Canvas has the same pattern and organization to it, beginning with weekly learning goals

  • Each class meeting has similar flow so students know what to expect

• I provide ample resources for low-stakes learning and assessment

  • Practice quizzes, video quizzes, study guides

• Material is scaffolded and chunked with targeted review questions to aid in understanding through the use of "directed learning activities" like this one I developed about cellular respiration

  • These are completed in class, in groups with assistance and feedback from myself and an embedded tutor

• Active learning through case studies and student developed activities (see the bloom's taxonomy example)