– Terra Graves –

In June, I gave you my answer to the “So what?” question I asked when looking at one of the research articles shared in Jon Bergmann’s Top 10. Here’s the link in case you missed it. The goal here is to provide K-12 teachers with a practical application for what the research has found. Otherwise, what is the point of research?

The Research

Hatice Yildiz Durak in the Journal of Educational Computing Research created a Flipped Learning Readiness tool for students which evaluated a students readiness for success in a flipped class. She found that the tool is an accurate predictor of student success in a flipped class. The tool incorporates a “relational screening model, a personal form, an achievement test, and three different data collection instruments which were employed to collect data.”

The Big Idea

You’ve made your videos. You’ve prepared the digital learning environment. You have sent out a parent letter explaining Flipped Learning (FL). The only thing left is…checking in with your students to see if they are ready to learn this way. A lot of us jump into FL all excited because we know that this will be an amazing way for students to learn. Unfortunately, some students have a hard time unlearning traditional schooling. They have learned to be passive learners. Additionally, we assume that students, being ‘digital natives,’ have the technical abilities to access the resources and interact with the content as we intend.

The Action

Copy this form to your Google Drive. Have students complete the form before class begins. Use the results to see where your students are with their FL readiness. If you notice that students are scoring below a “3” in many categories, you may want to provide them with a little more support in those areas using the resources below. The categories of questions are: student control and self-orientation learning, technology self-sufficiency, in-class communication self-sufficiency, motivation for learning, and doing preliminary work.

The Resources

The following resources correspond to the questions on the readiness survey (see parentheses).

Student control and self-orientation learning

• • (Questions 1-2) How to Do Goal Setting with Your Students This School Year We are Teachers
  • (Questions 5-8) 6 Strategies for MBA Students to Minimize Distractions and Achieve Goals Brad Anderson, ReadWrite.com (Many strategies also apply to grades 5 and up!)

Technology self-sufficiency

• • (Questions 9-16) Tech Buddies: Building Technology Skills Through Peer Teaching Edutopia
  • (Questions 9-16) 3 Reasons Elementary Schools Should Adopt an LMS–and Where to Begin eSchool News
  • (Question 17) Evaluating Sources: The CRAAP Test Benedictine University

In-class communication self-sufficiency

• • (Questions 18-19, 21) Elementary Classroom Discussion: Helping Young Students Speak Up and Learn Together Planbook.com
  • (Questions 18-19, 21) Secondary Socratic Seminars ReadWriteThink
  • (Question 20) Teach Your Child to Ask for Help the Right Way Psychology Today

Motivation for learning

• • (Question 22) 9 Ways to Help Students Learning From Their Mistakes TeachThought (This fits perfectly with Mastery Learning, this month’s theme!)
  • (Question 22) Celebrate Mistakes Mindset Kit

Doing preliminary work

• • (Questions 25-26) Have students try to access the digital learning environment on their personal devices for fun, optional activities several times before actual assignments begin. This lets your students get accustomed to the digital environment well before they need it for learning, and will let you know who needs additional help prior to raising the stakes.

After reading this column, I hope that the “So what?” you might be feeling after reading research studies becomes a “Now what?” feeling, and that innovative research becomes a call to action. And when you hear that call to action, check in with your students to make sure they are ready to go with you!