Integrating Media and Technology with Flipped Model Pedagogy
The flipped classroom is associated with both student-centered pedagogy and the use of technology and media to provide an effective and engaging learning environment. While media and technology are not required for flipping the classroom, they can add value in many ways to the “blend” of in-class and out-of class experiences. So, how do you integrate technology and media with an educational process to improve learning?
There is an abundance of research literature supporting how active learning increases students' retention, motivation, and persistence with the class material. Therefore it is important not to use the technology (i.e.: video conferencing) or media (i.e.: video) for just absorbing inert knowledge but for more active participation in meaningful tasks that use the knowledge and skills.
To be successful, one must first understand the pedagogical principles that are specific to the use of technology and media in a learning environment. It is important to appropriately select and connect the instructional technology with the content, learning objectives, methods of instruction, student needs and abilities, learning strategies, pace of learning, and assessment and evaluation strategies.
When do you choose the media format? It is best to first define the learning objectives and choose the strategies and methods that will best facilitate the intended learning and then choose the media that will best deliver the learning message (Clark 2001). This is because some media work better than others when it comes to delivering certain types of content, contexts, and for learners with different levels of knowledge. Additionally, some types of media convey the message more effectively and efficiently than others. For example, for the learning objective “students will be able to identify parts of a neuron,” showing an illustration of a neuron with labels naming each of the parts for students to study is more effective than a long audible file talking about all the various parts of the neuron. But if the learning objective is “students will be able to explain how neurons send messages to each other,” then showing an animation of this process would be more effective for students to process and conceptualize it in their minds than an illustration with a lot of descriptive text that might be more difficult to piece together.
Ways to Integrate Technology & Media into the Flipped Model
Below are general examples of ways to integrate media and technology into the flipped class model. Note that these are just examples and that the selection and design of theses activities are dependent on the learning objectives, type of content, and audience.
1. Before class
Integration of media & technology with instructional material
Examples for creating media material for students to get exposure before class:
- Readings, including chapters, articles, and journals
- Examples or explanations including:
- Several varied worked examples (text) of math and statistics procedures
- Animation demonstrating science processes & concepts
- Simulation for modeling professional training
- Text and image for illustrating parts of a thing or steps in a process
- Interactive multimedia modules
- Video case studies that offer multiple interpretations or points of view that then helps students prepare their argument for an in-class discussion/debate
*In all these examples NYU Brightspace can be used to make them accessible to students.
Examples for creating media material for students to get exposure before class:
- Readings, including chapters, articles, and journals
- Examples or explanations including:
- Several varied worked examples (text) of math and statistics procedures
- Animation demonstrating science processes & concepts
- Simulation for modeling professional training
- Text and image for illustrating parts of a thing or steps in a process
- Interactive multimedia modules
- Video case studies that offer multiple interpretations or points of view that then helps students prepare their argument for an in-class discussion/debate
*In all these examples NYU Brightspace can be used to make them accessible to students.
Integration of media & technology with motivational activities
Examples for using technology tools to facilitate student activities to motivate them to prepare before class:
- After studying some worked examples, students answer questions (solving problems) using NYU Brightspace question pool
- After studying some animations of Physics concepts, students create and submit questions through NYU Brightspace to be addressed in class
- After watching several video case-studies that demonstrate ethical issues and questions, students share perspectives or develop an argument using NYU Brightspace online discussion or video conferencing
- After reading a chapter from a textbook on principles of design, students search to find good examples and bad examples on the internet that demonstrate a design principle to bring to share in class
2. Integration of media and technology for in-class activities
Examples for using media and technology tools and equipment to facilitate student activities during class:
- Collaborative groups create and share work in real time using Google docs & Wikis
- Engaging students to work out a problem and collecting student responses with clickers
- Individual or group work with prediction modeling, statistics, or mathematics using online simulations or software
- Group discussions and sharing perspectives between two classes in two different NYU locations using video conferencing
- Individual practice solving problems using NYU Brightspace
* Instructor’s role shifts in the classroom to be a guide, facilitator, or expert tutor.
3. Integration of media and technology for post-class activities
Examples for using technology tools to facilitate student activities after class and extend learning:
- Students extend learning after class by collaborating, sharing, creating and displaying student projects using Google tools
- Students extend in-class activity by solving more complex problems using NYU Brightspace
- Students extend learning after class by connecting with their peers as they collaborate on projects using videoconferencing
A flipped lesson that employs any of these technologies or media formats needs to focus more on supporting active learning strategies than on presenting traditional didactic teaching practices. Any of these technologies or media formats can be used to allow students to be more active in their learning process by collaborating on projects with other students, solving problems individually or with others, exchanging knowledge, or discussing critical issues.
We recommend that faculty visit the Technology-Enhanced Education Reports page to take a look at the Best Practices for Course Design and Instruction as well as the Best Practices for Institutional Support for Technology-Enhanced Education, prepared by the Faculty Committee on Technology Enhanced Education.