Flipped Learning & Cornell Notes

Flipped Learning: Enhancing Your Child's Computing Education

In the Computing department we use an approach called "flipped learning". This teaching method is designed to make the most of classroom time and maximize your child's understanding and engagement.

How It Works:

In our flipped learning approach, we set homework (on Google Classroom & duplicated Bromcom) in the form of video(s) that students watch and take notes from. These notes are organized using the Cornell format, which helps students actively process and understand the material. In the following lesson, their teacher check (& effort score) these notes.
0 = no effort/no notes
1 = below expected effort or not in Cornell format
2 = expected effort and in Cornell format
3 = outstanding effort

Active Engagement:

During the first half of the lesson, students use their notes to complete various activities related to the topic. This active engagement allows them to ask questions, clarify doubts, and discuss any misconceptions with their teacher. We believe that this interactive learning experience is essential for deep understanding and critical thinking.

Hands-on Coding:

The second part of the lesson is dedicated to practical coding exercises. This hands-on approach not only reinforces the theoretical knowledge but also provides students with the opportunity to apply what they've learned. These exercises can also be continued at home, encouraging independent learning and skill development. The website we use is called MissionEncodable, https://missionencodeable.com/get-started 

Advantages for Students:

• Deeper Understanding:
  Flipped learning encourages students to engage actively with the material, leading to a deeper understanding of computing concepts.

• Improved Problem-Solving:
  Active discussions and practical exercises enhance problem-solving skills.

• Self-Directed Learning:
  Students become more independent in their learning journey, preparing them for future academic and professional success.

• Cornell Notes as a revision source:
  When it comes to revision time, student can use their Cornell notes to revise from, either by studying the key terms and checking if they know the key terminology and the associated definition. They can use the summary to jog their memory of a topic.

How Parent/Carers Can Support Your Child:

• Use Cornell Notes:
  Encourage your child to use the Cornell note-taking method and help them organise their notes effectively.
  While we encourage students to write their notes out using text & diagrams we understand that for some students creating notes digitally is beneficial for them, there is a digital template they can use, see this link to access the template but they must still print out the notes (in library) as they will need them in the lesson.

• Review Their Notes:
  Periodically review your child's notes with them to ensure they understand the content.

• Quiz Them:
  Test your child's knowledge by using their Cornell notes to create quiz questions or engage in discussions about the topic.

• Provide a Quiet Study Space:
  Create a quiet and conducive study environment at home where your child can watch videos and complete assignments.
  We ask the students to carry out these steps when creating their homework:
  1. Watch the video fully through without pausing (most videos are between 3 and 7 minutes long)
  2. Watch the video again without pausing it but only noting down the key terms from the video, this is usually important terminology
  3. Watch the video but this time pause the video to make more detailed notes in the 'detailed notes' part.
  4. Finally complete the summary - this should be 3 or 4 sentences explaining the topic

• Stay Involved:
  Stay informed about the topics your child is learning, and ask them questions to spark their interest and curiosity. A detailed course specification can be found here.

We believe that this approach not only prepares our students for success in the digital age but also instills a sense of curiosity and self-directed learning. If you have any questions or would like more information about our flipped learning approach, please feel free to me (Mr Raisin) or Mrs Manekshaw

• J Raisin jraisin@christs.scshool (Head of Department)

• N Manekshaw nmanekshaw@christs.school  (Computer Science Teacher)