Advantages and Disadvantages of Flipped Learning

Student-centric learning experiences are novel ideas aimed at enhancing the efficiency of the complete learning process. These are all based on the idea that the ultimate goal of every learning experience is preparing each student to be a valuable member of future workforces. A learning experience that focuses more on the availability and comfort of a teacher or a subject expert instead of focusing on what the students need or what they can understand is insufficient and ineffective in preparing students for a demanding future.

Student-centered learning is not easy to achieve and requires consistent efforts from everyone involved, especially on the part of the educators, to be successful. It is this factor of additional effort that makes student-centric learning a complex affair. The need for additional training or resources to equip teachers to be student-centric teachers is only one of the hindrances in the path of implementing a student-centric learning model.

One innovative pedagogy that is particularly amenable during the pandemic is flipped learning. But does it work? What are the opportunities and obstacles? Let’s find out!

What Makes Flipped Learning Different?

Built on four pillars, flipped learning is a student-centric learning experience, based on the application of technology. The focus of flipped learning is on flexible and independent learning on the part of students. Teachers only provide them with tools such as pre-recorded video lectures or other resources that the students can learn on their own time, outside of the classroom. 

Students have complete freedom in choosing when and how they learn from these resources and what approach they use to learn from them.  What follows this phase of individual learning is a combined learning in a dynamic classroom in which students get together and discuss topics to share what they know, clear doubts, and create new things. This approach to the learning process prepares students to be quick on their feet and think better in critical moments in the face of real-world challenges. 

The flexibility of flipped learning is not limited to the time and pace factors. Unlike traditional classrooms, which had teachers as the sole source of information, students have the freedom of learning from multiple sources. The four pillars that hold up the concept of flipped learning are:

1. Flexible learning: Flexible learning refers to a learning process that allows students to learn from multiple sources and practice what they learn at a pace they find comfortable.

2. Student-centric learning culture: This dictates the presence of a guide to monitor the flexible learning process and offer relevant feedback and guidance to the students as they progress in the learning process.

3. Intentional content for learning: This refers to delivering content that is intentionally relevant to each student. Students who need additional attention and time to learn concept A will not have any benefit if they are given learning material that is about an entirely different concept B. Teachers have to take additional effort or use advanced technology to understand what is relevant to each student and provide them with what they need.

4. Trained educators: A flipped learning model has no place for an educator who is not trained to put their students’ needs first or use the right technology to deliver the right content to their students at the right time. Being able to take constructive feedback and modify their approach to the teaching process is also an important quality a teacher must exhibit in a flipped learning environment. Tools such as 3D designing tools are beneficial to the learning process, and teachers must be trained to use them to guide their students.

Pros of Flipped Learning Models

• Flexibility: Among the myriad of ways in which flipped learning is advantageous, flexibility remains the most recognized advantage flexible learning has to offer. Students have complete freedom in choosing how, when, and where to learn. The classroom learning phase puts them in groups with their peers to discuss what they know, clear their misconceptions, and gain more knowledge. The elements of comfort and flexibility put students at ease while approaching the learning process. They no longer have to worry about teachers going too fast or too slow while teaching something. They can now learn new things from peers they feel comfortable around. These boost their confidence and enable them to learn effectively and efficiently and be prepared for the future.
• Promotes collaboration and teamwork: Learning in groups requires effective communication and teamwork for it to be effective. These are essential skills in terms of being valuable members of a workforce in the future. Communication and collaboration are necessary to enable an unhindered flow of information when approaching challenges. Learning also becomes easier with teamwork. Students who know better can help students who need help, and students generally feel comfortable learning from other students compared to learning directly from a teacher.
• Teachers can identify what students need: In a flipped classroom, the learning process is self-directed by students. This puts them in a comfortable position to express what is on their minds. As students become more vocal about what or how much they know, a teacher who monitors this learning process carefully can identify what each student needs and provide them with the right kind of support. Students might be approaching concepts the wrong way, or their thought processes may be clouded by misconceptions or doubts. A teacher who pays attention to these can identify them and help their students accordingly or rectify any errors on the part of the students.
• Parents are involved: One of the most common difficulties that students in a traditional classroom face are the lack of understanding of their parents. Most of the learning in a traditional classroom happens at school, and the parents have very little knowledge about what their children have to learn in school or the kind of difficulties they might have to face while learning. When learning happens from home, parents have an opportunity to see for themselves what their children are learning about and what difficulties they might have. This gives them a chance to understand what their children need, which might help the parents to identify what is best for their child.
• Less expensive: Flipped learning is a lot less expensive compared to traditional learning models and some student-centric learning. A considerable portion of the education happens outside the classroom. From the point of view of a student or a parent, they don’t have to spend much on transportation to and from classrooms. Students only need a device with internet connectivity and the capability to play multimedia content. As for schools, the investment in traditional classrooms can be minimized.

Cons of Flipped Learning

• Access to technology is paramount: Flipped learning is technology-oriented. Flexible learning is made possible through technology.  The disadvantage with this approach is that many factors limit access to technology. Students from low-income backgrounds might not afford a device such as a personal computer or a smartphone and the expense of internet connectivity. Geography is also a limiting factor. Several areas do not have a stable connection to the internet or electricity.
• Requires significant trust between students and their teachers: Teachers should trust students to learn effectively as they take on the learning process independently. The teacher constantly intervening in the learning process defeats the purpose of flipped learning. Also, students must trust their teacher to provide content that is valid to them. Without this trust, it becomes difficult for either party to fulfill their obligations.
• Parental influence: In an unbiased household, the involvement of broad-minded parents could be beneficial. However, parental influence could negatively impact the way students approach a subject. Sometimes, parents might be biased towards certain subjects and forbid their children from learning them.
• Increased screen time: Learning from mobile devices or computer screens for a prolonged time. This not only puts a lot of strain on the eyes but also reduces the time students get to spend on outdoor activities and with family. A good part of the learning process happens at home, which will intervene in the time students get to spend with their families.
• No direct feedback for the teachers: Teachers do not receive the same kind of real-time feedback about their lectures from their students as they would in a real classroom. More than 90 percent of how a person reads another person or a situation is based on non-verbal communication and body language. In a flipped classroom,  teachers do not receive any direct real-time feedback for their video lectures. They either begin to notice the effectiveness of their lectures based on how well students perform during group discussions or projects, or they have to ask for feedback from their students directly. Real-time feedback is vital for teachers to modify the way they teach effectively.
• Reduced effectiveness in general tests: General tests or tests commonly taken by many students are often based on traditional lecture patterns that involve teachers lecturing students and students remembering the information. These test scores are based on how much information they can remember. Flipped learning does not account for this. Therefore, flipped learning is more suited for learning practical or vocational subjects.

Conclusion

Flipped learning is a great way to engage students and help them learn the material. However, it can be difficult to flip a classroom when there are different levels of understanding in the class. There are also some cons to flipped learning, such as students not always having access to the internet or devices needed for videos. Overall, flipped learning is a great tool that can be used in many different ways in the classroom. Have you tried flipping your class? What were your results?

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