International Flipped Learning Program Rankings

 – Thomas Mennella –

The metaphors seem almost endless.  The Global Elements of Effective Flipped Learning are a roadmap, they are a blueprint, they are a guide, a mentor, a constellation of best practices.  But, if we strip the metaphors away, we’re left with what the GEEFLs truly are: an assessment tool. When first unveiled a year ago, and highlighted in the October 2018 issue of FLR, we promoted the GEEFLs as a means to assess ourselves.  How are we, as individual flipped instructors, doing in the classroom? Are we employing best practices? Are we leaning towards FL3.0 or stuck in FL1.0? And, to be sure, these are all valid questions and valid uses of the GEEFL table.  

But, as this year has passed, and the GEEFLs have been used to reinform flipped class design, FL professional development, etc. it has become increasingly clear that there is far more potential in the GEEFLs, and far more assessment usefulness, than even we at FLR appreciated.

Beginning today, the Academy of Active Learning Arts and Sciences (AALAS) embarks on an ambitious and bold plan using the GEEFLs.  AALAS will be combing the internet for all college and university programs that leverage FL, and then using the best practices itemized in the GEEFL table, we will assess and rank these flipped institutions and programs in higher education.  Just as US News and World Reports releases an annual ranking of colleges and universities across the United States, AALAS will be releasing a ranking of flipped college and university experiences from across the world.  

This work will be ongoing over the holiday season and it is anticipated that the inaugural Global Rankings of Higher Education Flipped Learning will be released at the start of the new year.  We are all beyond excited over what this research into FL in higher ed might find, and where institutions will end up in the rankings. But, excitement, prestige, and bragging rights are only a very small part of this initiative.  Far more important is: what can the rest of us learn from those institutions that are using FL to its fullest potential? Can we ‘bottle’ and scale what those programs are doing? And, where are the most advanced institutions going with FL?  Where does their future bring all of us?  

If you are an instructor, adjunct or professor at a college or university that is using flipped learning, get on the radar of this AALAS initiative.  Use the comments section below to provide some information about your program, and then cross your fingers and wait for the rankings. Who knows… you may just be #1!