Tip #4: Keep it Short

A tip to live by…I know this sounds like common sense, but it is easier said than done. Last year, when I flipped my Pre-AP Biology courses most of my videos were 15-20 minutes long, some longer. I thought this was the perfect time frame, especially since that was much less time than lecture would have taken in most cases. Through discussions with students, I found out that this was too long. They brought up the fact that if they watch the presentation, pause the video, and try to take notes it takes quite a bit longer than 15-20 minutes. This also does not count the time that they use to re-watch a video. I assume that many teachers beginning the flip probably make this same mistake because they want to “lecture” and put it on video. This year, for Chemistry, all the videos I have created thus far are between five and seven minutes. Moreover, I only do one topic at a time instead of discussing multiple topics. My Chem students are much more receptive because they do not see this as a large time commitment. Also, they are not inundated with information since I keep the videos focused.

Flipping Again?

It is time for school to begin again, where did summer go? For this fall, I will be teaching Geology and Chemistry. Last school year, I flipped my three pre-AP Biology courses. For this school year, I am considering flipping my Chemistry classes. Since last year, my list of potential resources has grown exponentially. Whereas last school year I used voiced-over PowerPoints, this year I have several apps to use, VoiceThread, TedEd, and others. I am almost overwhelmed with choices. Because Chemistry is probably my weakest subject, I am a bit apprehensive about flipping. The goal of flipping for me is to get more time in-class for reinforcement, discussion, labs, and so forth. I am going to work with other, more seasoned Chemistry teachers in my department this week. Although they will not be flipping, I think I can learn valuable tips and resources.

Sick Science! Great Resource for Science Classrooms

While on Twitter this evening, I came upon a great resource. Steve Spangler Science has created a library on YouTube of short demo videos for the science classroom. Find the resource at Sick Science! Most of the videos are under two minutes. They show the demo and the materials needed to conduct the demonstration yourself. I watched three of the clips and my mind began to race about the possibilities, plus they got me excited about science (which isn't really that difficult.) These videos would be a great resource to use in any science classroom, including a flipped classroom. The clips challenge the viewer to determine "what happened." The link is provided to Steve's website that explains what is occurring, which is a nice resource for students and teachers. Some quick ideas I had included:

1.) Show a clip at the beginning of the class to introduce a topic and class discussion

2.) Let students browse the collection, pick a demonstration, and conduct it live in the classroom while scientifically explaining what is taking place.

3.) Use as ideas for yourself to spice up your classroom demos

4.) Use the clips either live or in video as "stations" around the room to teach a particular topic

5.) Flip these videos using TED-Ed to create an entire lesson

Flippin' Tip #3

Tip #3: Provide an orientation for students and parents

I highly recommend an orientation of some sort for both parents and students if you plan to flip your class. Parents need to know that their child will be required to use technology, they need to know that the student might struggle in the beginning because how they learn will be changing, and they need to know about your LMS, among other things. I typed up a "flyer" that I passed out during freshmen orientation. I discussed it with all the parents and students that attended the orientation. I also passed it out at the beginning of the school year and went through the document again with all the students. I took time to answer their questions and tried to make them comfortable with what we were about to undertake. The "flyer" had information on what flipped learning is, why I wanted to use it, how it would change the dynamics of the classroom, and a section about Edmodo, which is what I used for my LMS.

Within the first few days of school, I took some time to orient students with Edmodo. I gave them the "assignment" of getting their usernames and passwords set up. Then, in class, I went through the various capabilities and features of Edmodo. I actually wish I had spent more time with orientation of Edmodo and flipped learning. Students did fine getting started with only a few setbacks, but I think we could have had an even smoother transition with a more formal orientation.

Bachelor's or VoTech - My Father & I Debate

Just returned home from a great trip to Shiloh National Military Park/Corinth, MS. If you have never been, go there, especially if you are a Civil War junkie like me. Anyway, as I was scanning articles tonight I came across this one, Study examines vocational certificates' big rewards. Reading the article, I was reminded of a discussion that my father and I had a few weeks back. He is in economic development so he sees the other side of the work force. He commented that he thought we had pushed 4-year college degrees entirely too much and in doing so, had created an entire generation with no real skills. I thought about what he said and realized he was correct in many ways. Sometimes when I ask a student what they will do after high school, they lower their head and say they are not going to college but rather technical school. I quickly tell them to raise their head high; there is no reason to be embarrassed about that decision. It is sad that students feel this way. As the article states, very seldom is a certificate even recognized as "educational attainment." I remind my students that continuing their education is what is important. I also remind them that there are many folks that make twice the money that I do with only a 2-year degree. The article speaks of vocational certificates, not even actual degree programs. Should we continue to encourage students to pursue those pricey 4-year degrees or should we encourage them to enroll in a short certificate program at their local technical school? I tell my students that it is important to love what you do, some careers require a 4-year degree while many others do not. 

According to my father, the two most important things that companies require are for an employee to pass a drug test and show up to work on time. Most companies he works with will provide on-the-job training. Yet, he says, these same companies are scrambling to find people to work. These are good paying jobs, not minimum wage positions. How do we best prepare our students, do we teach them Algebra or do we teach them to come to class on time? Something to think about...

Feed The Teachers!



I had the privilege of reading this book recently as a part of a tech leadership class. I cannot say enough good things about it. It was a short and entertaining read, which is good for someone like me with a short attention span and a 3-year old. The book really had nothing to do with technology, but it was a leadership book that would be applicable in many arenas. To start, the author compares a school to a restaurant, which instantly gives the reader thought provoking ideas. I don't want to spoil the book so I will leave it up to you to read. Then, she uses parts of a meal to organize her information. There are hundreds of ideas for leaders of all types to improve their school, business, and so forth. One of my favorite lines from the book goes something like this, "The best administrators are those that remember what it was like to be a teacher and the best teachers are those that remember what it was like to be a student."

subliminal message....READ ME!!!



Flippin' Tip #2

Tip #2: Create your own videos/presentations
As teachers, parents, mentors, coaches....our time is at a premium. Our students deserve the time it takes to create a lesson. It is so easy to grab a Kahn Academy video or other resource and use as is. Don't get me wrong, in some cases these are good options. Let's be honest though, all teachers are different, students are different, learning outcomes are different, and it is sooo easy to create your own. This can be as simple as adding audio in PowerPoint to presentations you have. Be sure to update them, focusing on the most important information and adding more visuals. I would recommend using iSpring free to convert your file to flash to reduce the file size. This also allows the students to pause and start the presentations easier. If you want to do something more "techie," I would recommend using either the Educreation app or the Showme app, both free. My 3-year old uses these, if that tells you how easy they are. The result using these two apps would be very similar to Kahn Academy presentations. These two apps would also be great tools for authentic assessment of your students. If you have iPads or iPods at your disposal, students can use one of these apps to show you what they know. Two more non-app options would be CamStudio or Jing, these are free screencasting tools that are simple to use. There are several YouTube videos on how to use both of these, but chances are, in five minutes you will be ready to go!

Educreation Example