Flipped Learning:
Describe flipped learning as a pedagogy in your own words
Flipped Learning is a new way of teaching and learning. Pioneered in 2007, many people shunned the pedagogy due to lack of research. However, it is proven to work in primary, secondary and university classrooms. There is no one way to flip a classroom. The model must be integrated through a range of methods by individual educators. Flipped leaning as a pedagogy involves more hands-on group-based learning. Involving smaller learning tasks that inclusively add up to the large learning task.
Students are required to watch small snippets of videos rather than watching long lectures.
What are the main benefits of flipped learning?
The main benefits of a flipped learning experience are students working in groups to complete activities. Through technology, it allows students to access resources outside of class time, responding to their homework in class.
It has been proven that students learn better in a flipped classroom approach rather than just watching a lecture.
What are some of the risks of flipped learning?
Some of the risks of a flipped learning classroom include the scale ratio of teachers to students. Flipped learning works better in smaller classes where there are less students to teachers. Furthermore, students must complete the online work for the class to be successful, a risk that flipped pedagogy poses.
The flipped learning pedagogy insists that students take full responsibility of their education.
“Flipping the classroom therefore not only alters the traditional role of the student but also necessitates an equal commitment to change from the academic”.
The flipped learning relies heavily on student’s self-discipline to watch, interact and prepare materials in their own time. This may be difficult for new students as their time management may not be excellent. Furthermore, flipped learning assumes that students have access to technology at home, an assumption that may prove false.
What measures should be considered to implement flipped learning successfully?
The measures that should be considered to implement the flipped learning pedagogy successfully would be to ensure that all students had access to technology at home before setting tasks. Furthermore, it is imperative that the explanations for the at home activities are clear and concise.
What practical examples can you think of flipped learning?
Let’s look at an art lesson; a practical example of a flipped learning pedagogy would be to get the students to watch a video on how to paint an aboriginal dot painting and then come to class and attempt it. They would discuss the video in groups with a hands-on approach. Another example would be if an English teacher was to tell the students to read Macbeth at home and then when they came to class, they would have to read out the play, the English teacher would assign certain characters to the students.
Gamification:
Describe gamification as a pedagogy in your own words:
Gamification as a pedagogy is when the flow theory is implemented, and games are used to interact with, engage and encourage students to learn in an alternative way. Gamification is a systematic process that and a set of relevant activities rather than just a single activity. Gamification is not merely giving out badges and stickers to reward students, it is imperative that gamification is based on certain characteristics to be successful. Gamification is when real life scenarios are introduced within the game so that students can relate the game to the outside world.
What are the main benefits of gamification theory?
The main benefits of gamification theory are students interacting on a deeper level with the class content. It allows students to learn in a different way opening their minds. Gamified learning and education can potentially help students to remember content on a deeper level and for a longer period of time. Also, students are able to use their imagination and create their own experiences by being rewarded for missions they have completed within the learning pedagogy. Studies also reveal that gamification can enhance higher order thinking skills. Furthermore, some researchers found that positive psychological and behavioural changes were a result of a gamified learning experience.
What are some of the risks of gamification theory?
Some risks that gamification theory pose is that learning, and education can vary depending on specific conditions, such as characteristics of content and audience and well as student’s willingness to participate in the game. Another risk is the students’ low motivation levels that hinder the gamification process of learning. Many teachers were faced with the difficulty of students’ unwillingness to participate which forced teachers to approach the students in a different way. Gamification is mainly effective however it needs to be taught in the correct way.
What measures should be considered to implement gamification successfully?
To implement gamification successfully, teachers must be willing to teach students in a dissimilar way rather than the traditional lecture or rote learning. Through gamification, the main objective is that in enhances students learning achievements. Teachers are required to create course content surrounding games and learning objectives.
What practical examples can you think of gamification in learning?
A practical example of a gamified course would be to create a board game surrounding mathematics. Instead of learning directly from the board, the students would participate in a mathematical board game that allowed students to think critically about how to move up levels through doing mathematical equations. Once the student correctly answered the mathematical equation, they are permitted to move up a space on the board. This style of learning incorporates fun and enjoyment into a classroom and would hopefully encourage students to try harder in class.
What evidence is there that gamification can make for effective learning?
Upon research, students who participated in gamification courses such as algebra, geography, numerical methods, ecology/biology and cell biology across all of the year levels, performed 7.2% better than students in non-gamified courses. A study shows that college students in a gamified cell biology class performed 40% better than the same lecture-based class. This evidence shows that gamified classrooms are successful in learning new content in a fun and enjoyable way.