What is the ‘Flipped Classroom’?
The flipped classroom describes a reversal of traditional teaching where students gain first exposure to new material outside of class, usually via reading or lecture videos, and then class time is used to do the harder work of assimilating that knowledge through strategies such as problem-solving, discussion or debates. (Vanderbilt University, Center for Teaching).
The key purpose of the flipped classroom is to engage students in Active learning where there is a greater focus on students’ application of conceptual knowledge rather than factual recall.
As a blended learning strategy, most (but not all) of the active learning occurs in the face-to-face sessions where students have the opportunity to:
- bring their own knowledge to the table,
- create and share knowledge, and
- receive a variety of feedback (self, peer and tutor).
Active learning encourages students to not only reflect on what they have learnt but how they learn. The aims of active learning strategies often align with graduate capabilities to promote ethical, critical thinking, teamwork and communicationskills.
Diagram 1: Learning opportunities of the flipped classroom (adapted from Gerstein)
Tuyen Kim 