The last module we are working on for this course is focused
on using audio/video podcasts in a learning environment. Originally podcasts
were introduced as a way for people to listen to pre-recorded shows or lectures
on varied topics using a mobile device such as an iPod or cell phone.
Delivery methods of this type of content have been used in
classrooms and online for a long time and offer an easy way venue for
consumption (Cox & King, 2011). Over the years, podcasts have become more commonly
used by instructors as a means to deliver content to their students. Online
audio/video repositories have also emerged as a resource for anyone who has a
desire to learn more about a given subject that they are interested in. Some
common sites I’ve listened to that publish regularly are NPR (http://www.npr.org/podcasts/),
Ted Talks (http://www.ted.com/talks), Khan Academy (https://www.khanacademy.org/),
and even various YouTube channels.
One particular concept that has shown promise in recent
years that utilizes online posting of lectures is the idea of the “flipped
classroom.” In this type of teaching style, the actual content and lecture
portion of a class is posted online and meant to be watched outside of regular
class hours. That way when students physically meet with their instructor and
other students, they can use that time for collaboration and interactive
application of the material that was given to them in the recordings.
One of the key concepts of this idea pointed out in an
Educause Learning Initiative article on 7
Things You Need to Know about... Flipped Classrooms:
“The video lecture is often seen as the key ingredient in
the flipped approach, such lectures being either created by the instructor and
posted online or selected from an online repository. While a prerecorded
lecture could certainly be a podcast or other audio format, the ease with which
video can be accessed and viewed today has made it so ubiquitous that the
flipped model has come to be identified with it.”
In the end, I feel that this evolution of the use of
podcasts/videocasts in adult learning scenarios has definitely led to a more
beneficial method of teaching.
Cox, T.D & King,
K. P. (2011). The professor’s guide to
taming technology. Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing, Inc.
7 things you need to know about… flipped classrooms. (2012).
Retrieved from https://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/eli7081.pdf
Instructors are using the "flipped classroom" with learners in the K-12 setting and adult learners. One of my colleagues has "flipped" most of the instruction in his high school anatomy and physiology class. That allows class time to be devoted to labs and projects, not lecture. I am intrigued by this idea, but question the time required to prepare the body of podcast material.
ReplyDeleteFor a hybrid course that meets in person only part of the time, having prepared podcasts that augment or replace traditional lecture would be ideal. Students could watch the material prior to class and be prepared to participate in discussions or activities that reinforce the recorded concepts. For science and math courses, class time could be spent working out problems or doing laboratory activities.
I think the idea of a "flipped classroom" is interesting. I have not had the opportunity to take a class that used that technique in quite the way described. I have tried to use this in my training but it was a failure the first time I used it. Since I train in a contact center all of my trainees are on phones (I don't just train new hires, I also train veterans on new processes) and have virtually no time to devote to watching or reviewing information ahead of time. I think some of them also just didn't care. Motivation is sometimes an issue I face becuase these folks don't have a choice about learning the new information if they want to keep their jobs but in my experience, keeping your job is not enough motivation for learning and it can be hard to make answering the phone in a new way motivational even though I try to make it so.
ReplyDeleteI have employed flipped instruction as a pilot program in teaching a foreign language last semester. The students studied required words, phrases, and grammar that I have created prior to class, so they were able to engage in conversations using the target language in the classroom. As AnneChemTeacher mentioned, it requires teachers time and effort to develop and record a series of audio and video learning materials. One of the lessons I have learned is that not to assign too many materials to the students in one setting. Some students feel overwhelmed and frustrated with too much information. Overall, it was a good experience for me and the students, and they played a more active role in completing learning tasks within the classroom.
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