- To what extent do you think you have achieved each of the learning outcomes for Week 3? If you think there is room for you to achieve these more fully, what could you do to achieve that?
I am overwhelmed by the number of jewels found from digital resources. I am now able to launch a flipped classroom for my class. I think there is always room for improvement and a real learner tries to learn better and better. I learned from scratch how to design a flipped classroom. The following book is a real masterpiece on the flipped classroom, and I heartily endorse this book on this topic (John, A.L., & Pegler, C. 2007).
The approach in the above mention book is excellent, and I would like to follow the software through which a flipped classroom environment can be created.
- What have you learned this week regarding the use of webcasting and flipped classroom approaches to support student learning?
Flipped Classroom “A teaching method in which students first learn about a new subject at home, especially online, and then have discussions on it in class” (Cambridge). PODCAST “Distribute (multimedia files) over the internet for playback on a mobile device or a personal computer” (Wordinn dictionary). “A recorded program that can be downloaded from the internet and listened to on an MP3 player” (Cambridge).
E-lectures are significantly different than video lectures. In a flipped classroom, e-lectures- shared through a virtual learning environment and it personalizes the student learning curve which is a software used in this learning environment.
The software mentioned in is ld- lite (Little, A., & Pegler, C. 2007). There is a software, which is called audacity which helps in making and edititng podcasts. This software is free to download and it helped me in my flipped classroom webcasting.
- What does all this suggest about the ways you and your colleagues are currently supporting your students’ learning, in your own practice and teaching context? What is good about these, and how could they be further developed in the future?
One of my colleague in the webinar said that he used to teach students through the video lecture in the class. The resource person told him that the flipped classroom works in the following way:
- First, a lecturer records a podcast.
- The time of a podcast may be from 5 to 10 minutes, according to the need of the students (IMPALA).
- There may be multiple podcasts according to the need (IMPALA).
- Questions can be given to the students online, but answers are only offered in the class, to maintain the learning acquisition of students.
- The teacher fixes the time for group discussion and question-answer session.
Currently, we are not using this method of teaching. The resource person answers the question that the flipped classroom method is not best for every topic. So, I would suggest that future research should be on issues suitable for this method.
- How has your understanding of the use of webcasting, flipped classroom and/or blended learning approaches changed from doing this week’s question and activities?
Designing a flipped classroom was our target this week, and we learned a lot. I learned from scratch on how to develop an integrated system that functions as a system. The first learning was LAMS (learning activity model system) which is an open software, gives a different approach to design e-learning courses. It links the sequence of activities. It monitors the progress of students and accentuates learning activities through active participation. The teacher creates a storyboard and with prerequisites and supporting activities, mentioned in the activity board. The good thing about LAMS is its customization. It can be transformed, from liner to non-sequential format. The electronic environment, i.e., learning management system, Ld-lite, is compulsory for the flipped classroom (Dalziel,2003). This approach of reflection is based on three phases
- Before action
- During action
- After action
The process of receiving resources and pondering on it and asking the question and then forming some viewpoint and final assignment about the topic is the process of learning through the flipped classroom method (John Cowen,1998).
- How did you learn this?
The articles given in the digital resources, provides me with the overall view of the flipped classroom. It is well articulated and states that this flipped classroom approach is an evolutionary concept, and it depends on the softwares functionality, which keeps on improving. So, the flipped classroom efficiency depends on moving with innovation of the time (Edirisingha.p & Fothergill .J , 2009). The webinar made my concept clear, and the following book is a masterpiece on this topic (John, A.L., & Pegler, C.,2007).
- What supported your learning?
I inferred from the conversation of a webinar, given on the official platform, very much. The most significant support for the use of podcasts, is that there may be, issues with memory for students, and the lecture is a perishable matter. Whereas, the podcasts can be listened to again and again, which results in a better understanding and comprehension. There are multiple reasons for the lack of attention of students, and podcasts are the solutiosn for these problems. It enhances student’s learning and help students to avoid questions related to the memory. All the resources helped me a lot but the following is a great one (Littlejohn, A. & Pegler, C. 2007).
- What has challenged you?
The challenges for me and my colleagues were a cohort (a group of people of the same age – Wordinn dictionary) which is distinguishable group and teaching through mutual collaboration is a challenge for a teacher. A teacher produces a podcast to solve these issues. The podcasts are 10 minutes long, and they contain the conceptual skills and solution of the topic to be covered. The maximum time for a podcast is 10 minutes. You can create multiple podcasts of 5 minutes, but It depends on the subject and level of students to create podcasts. There are many forms of podcasts: interviews, webinars recorded videos. The choice of the format depends on the level of class and nature of the subject (IMPALA) .
- What has surprised you?
Digital storytelling – a form of the podcast – being is a learning tool adopted by novice students is a beautiful idea. It surprised me because it can save time (Mcdrury and Alterio, 2002). Podcasts are created at the beginning of the semester and are called intercultural communication. It helps in giving orientation to the newcomers about the culture of the university (IMPALA).
- How does this relate to what has been proposed in the different sources of scholarship you have read? Which specific sources and what claims in those does this relate to?
All the material provided to me added value in my learning on the designing a flipped classroom. Books by Allison and Gilly salmon proved to be pivotal in this topic. The webinar was superb. Jared stein was also fantastic in explaining the approaches towards making a flipped classroom. Softwares are necessary for the smooth functionality of the system. The role of a teacher is manifold in this modern system. The outcome of this activity is that, I have learned how to design a flipped classroom.