The Flipped Class: Semester-in-review

One semester down...the results!

Last Friday marked 18 weeks with the flipped class with my 4th block AP Government class and 9 weeks with my 3rd block AP Government class.  While I am fortunate to have my students for 27 weeks, I thought it would be a good time to get some formal feedback on the flipped class.  So, below is a quick summary of what the kids enjoyed and/or disliked as well as things I plan to change and questions I still have!

Positive Feedback:

How confident do you feel about the material after watching the video, but before coming to class?

 

How confident do you feel about the material after watching the video and after coming to class?







 What is the most helpful part of the flipped class

watching videos by Ms. Becker		34	61%
10 minute question/discussion time		16	29%
Study Guides		9	16%
textbook reading		3	5%
in class discussions		41	73%
in class simulations		20	36%
online simulations		7	13%
Other		2	4%

What have you liked best about the  flipped class this year?  Why?
The videos are really nice because when you're done reading out of the book you may not be sure about some things, then you watch the video and it clicks. Once you come to class and have a discussion about the topic, you can't really forget it.When you have to miss school do to illness or other reason you don't fall behind because you are able to still watch the videos and do the study guide Being able to learn everything twice. Once at home, and again in class! Less lectures, more responibility to students to get the work done themselves, easy access to help.  I like the videos a lot. I find them really informative and easy to understand. They really make the material much easier to learn. I'll be honest...I was really skeptical at first, but I love the flipped class. The best part for me is that I can pause to take notes, and having really solid notes has been really beneficial.
I like being able to control how fast i watch the videos and being able to sit at home comfy in my sweats and do my work instead of in class where i tend to zone out a lot.  How in class were not really doing work but discussing what we've learned.  Being able to learn more in class about current events.  It's totally new and innovative. It has developed a calm atmosphere in the classroom as well. It's a government class, so being able to talk about the work in class and relate it to everything that's currently happening is extremely helpful.   Being able to re watch the videos if I find I really have no idea what is going on in that standard. I catch things I didn't the first time because it was rushed or I was tired or not focusing the best. It's not a second guess of trying to remember what you said in class Everything it's pretty easy going and allows for more in class fun.  It makes it so we have more time to critical think in class and you can pause the videos. But you can't pause a class.
I liked being able to watch the lectures multiple times if needed.  The in class simulations because they really help me understand the concepts with deeper knowledge
That there is more time to do simulations and activities during class, also I'm more engaged during class because its not just a long lecture to listen to.  I've liked the discussion that he flipped classroom allows because it brings the students together. How you can watch the videos at home and then watch the news or something on T.V and relate all the information you learned in the video and use it in real life and understand it more clearly and be more confident the next day in class.  It gives me a chance to learn material, then discuss material in class in a way that really relates to issues in the world. I remember things better as we apply vocabulary into classroom discussions and have time to be engaged in current events in the world outside of school.


Negative Feedback/Things to Change
 
What was the least helpful part of the flipped classroom?

watching videos by Ms. Becker		2	4%
10 minute question/discussion time		5	9%
Study Guides		9	17%
textbook reading		29	55%
in class discussions		0	0%
in class simulations		3	6%
online simulations		18	34%
Other		1	2%

What part of the flipped classroom would you like to see changed for the rest of the year?
Well something little was when you tried typing in one of the videos, cuz you typed a lot and it was hard to focus. It is hard though when your nights are really busy and you can't fit in the videos when they're extra long.  I liked it when we took a quiz everyday.  Some sort of way to track if somebody is watching the videos.   Less textbook reading, if possible. I hate textbook reading and I think the videos do a better job of teaching the material.  Having a list on edmodo that tells us the really important stuff we should know. Kind of like objectives but more direct to the material.  Shorter videos.  I would like us to go over the videos a little more , but I like it when we put the vocab stuff to real life situations , and we don't do that that much right now , so if we could do that more it'd be great !  A little lecturing about the important stuff  You often apologize when you think you're talking too much or lecturing us, and I actually like it when you occasionally "lecture" us.
The videos aren't bad but honestly I like listening to lectures in class. You always say sorry when you lecture for a little bit but that's how I learn best. So I guess just don't be hesitant about talking and writing things on the board. Also the simulations don't help at all.  Make the study guide more useful, or at least have the students answer questions that create a deeper amount critical thinking rather than just find words and fill them in.  Summary of videos and reading after the 10 minute discussion by you. It sticks better if the teacher reinforces than hearing it from others.  Keep it to 10 minutes. And maybe we could do more projects. "If you didn't watch the video don't be part of the discussion. The only reason I don't like the discussion is people don't know what the video was about and just sit there while I talk to myself   I don't really grasp the videos that well, and I'd like to keep going over topics. I'm often not sure what to ask in class and on the videos.  I don't really liked he online simulations. I don't feel like I get anything out of them.
When I don't understand something I feel I don't always have the opportunity to understand it. The question disscussion time doesn't always answer my questions and I feel it needs to be presented to me or lectured on again like we did at the beginning of the year. Take a quiz on each video. This helps me see exactly what I missed so I can study.  I would like a little more lecture because government is hard to understand and a 10-17 minute video doesn't really get me to the level of understanding that I really need to succeed. Shorter videos. Review things from the video.

Potential Change: 

• Watch video the night BEFORE the lecture and then textbook the night after.  
• Create a better study guide (I use the pre-made book study guide) that will allow students to use a WSQ format on the videos.  
• No more online simulations (pre-made by textbook company!)
• Integrate a post-video quiz and use those results to guide a 5-10 minute lecture in class after the general Q/A session in small groups.  
• Integrate vocabulary from the videos into class simulations more effectively.
• Keep the videos at 10 minutes-I have gotten up into the 12-15 minute range, which is too long.   

Questions

• What do other "flipped" AP teachers use as homework?  Just  videos?  Or reading too?  
• What is an appropriate amount of homework for AP students-isn't the point to prepare them for college?
• What is a video site that I could use where I could embed quizzes right into the video?  Also, how could I track their views without being overwhelmed?  
• Would a quick notes check each day be too "childish" for AP kids?