Benefits of the Flipped Classroom Method

I have been working as a full time instructor for around 5 years now. I have used different methods and strategies for effectively teaching my classes. These strategies, for instance, include spending the whole class time giving a power point lecture, using clickers to make student answer a few multiple choice questions, taking some time in between every lecture to assign students a problem to work on, starting a youtube channel, etc. Recently, I have used a strategy at CCU (where I am currently a VAP) that seems to be working more than any other strategy I have used.

One of the issues with millennials is that most of them cannot focus on anything for more than a few minutes. They always get distracted by their cell phones, laptops and other gizmos they carry. The only way to make them focus is to create an environment in which they feel they have been challenged to complete a task and they are working in a group. I have recently been experimenting on the flipped classroom method more and have noticed that the students are more involved than ever. I have been using the following strategy: 

1. The students are given the chapter as a reading assignment. 

2. I dont like flipping the classroom completely because it is almost impossible to make sure that every student reads the chapter (we can have a reading quiz at the start to make sure they read but they usually dont like this idea!). Therefore, the first half an hour (approximately) of the class is typically an interactive board lecture in which the students are continuously asked questions which reminds them to read the chapter. This lecture focuses on the concepts they need to solve the problems on the worksheet. They are continuously reminded that the exam is going to look similar to the worksheet so they take the problems on the worksheet seriously.

3. They are then given the worksheet and they solve it individually but discuss the concepts with each other while solving. The students are only allowed to leave as groups so students who finish quickly cannot leave until everyone in their group is done. This encourages them to discuss the problems more.

4. I continuously move around the classroom to make sure I am ready to answer any questions they have. I try to notice students who appear to be left behind from the herd or show signs of confusion  so that they can be pushed in the right direction.

I have seen the following benefits of this approach:

1. Students who are quick in working out the problems help their peers and that group usually finishes earlier. The students or groups who are struggling stay longer and interact with the professor more.

2. The professor interacts with the students more and this overcomes the communication barrier between the student and the professor.

3. Its always tricky but I try to make sure that the worksheets are not really long so that their is always some time at the end of the class to interact with students who are struggling. The office hours never work for all the students (and most of them only show up close to the exam) so some class time at the end left for student interaction is very useful.

I should mention that I am in a work environment that's conducive to this strategy as well, i.e., my classes are around two hours long and the classrooms are designed for group work. So I might have to modify the strategy if my work environment changes. I am not sure what the outcome of the whole strategy is going to be but from an instructors point of view the students appear to be very involved in the class. 

Finally, I am not claiming that this is the best method to teach. I am quite sure that, as I move ahead in my career, I will find newer and better ways to teach and learn more from my colleagues but I have seen firsthand as to why the flipped classroom method enhances student learning.