Running head: RESEARCH OF THE FLIPPED CLASSROOM

Research of the Flipped Classroom in Education

Angela Holt
Liberty University

RESEARCH OF THE FLIPPED CLASSROOM

Abstract
Understanding how learning takes place is the most important thing an educator can do to
improve their job. By understanding how a student learns, a teacher can implement certain
methods of learning to help accommodate a students educational needs. One method of learning
that many educators are pursuing is the method of the flipped classroom. With the flipped
classroom a student will experience the instruction in an inverted fashion. The flipped classroom
allows the student to learn from home or supplement from home with videos. By adding videos
to a curriculum, the students benefit in many ways. By viewing videos the students are given the
opportunity to review materials before or after they are presented in the classroom. The idea is to
introduce a concept or supplement the concept in video format. There have been many educators
who have experimented with this method of learning. Curriculum is changed and updated in the
flipped classroom to accommodate the learning needs of the students. It may take an educator a
while to establish a series of videos to utilize the flipped classroom approach in the best manner
possible. With a community effort on the part of both teachers and students, the flipped
classroom can be customized to promote the ultimate goal of learning.
Keywords: flipped, curriculum, learning, videos

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Research of the Flipped Classroom in Education

When describing how to design the best curriculum, education technology comes
to mind as one of the key ingredients needed to be a successful. Millennial students are
particularly interested in how technology is used in and out of the classroom due to the vast
amount of technology they have already been exposed to in their lifetime. Millennials are
students who are born between the years of 1982 and 2002 (Rohl, 2013). They are students who
have a broad interest in technology and seem to have a connectedness to group learning and an
appreciation for the social learning aspects of technology. Millennials are plugged in 24/7 and
are multitaskers (Rohl, 2013). Why then would teachers not consider utilizing technology in their
curriculum? Adopting active learning strategies in the classroom is necessary for teachers to not
only lead the way in their teaching style, but also a way to keep students interested in learning. It
is important to note that learning styles vary among students, but with technology the field is
leveled with Millennials since they are all familiar with the online environment. Learning
through technology would aid students in many different levels of understanding. It will be
necessary for teachers to begin to develop technology in the curriculum with these students in
mind to utilize the curriculum for many years to come.
Why use the Flipped Approach?
Hawks (2014) explains that In 2007, two high school chemistry teachers, Jonathan
Bergmann and Aaron Sams, developed the FC (Flipped Classroom) as a means of providing
athletes who missed class due to attending athletic competitions with an alternative means of
obtaining class content. By providing a way to see lectures before completing assignments, the
athletes would be much more motivated to perform well in the class. Providing materials allowed
the students to have a better sense of what was expected of them and what they needed to

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accomplish for the week. The faculty was then able to discuss points which may have been
confusing upon their return to the classroom. This approach was found to not be a cure all
approach but rather a way to create a connection to the professor outside the classroom. In this
way the students could get a feel for the materials so there would hopefully be less confusion and
more comprehension of the concepts during class. This is the same approach that is being used in
classrooms today to help all students become familiar with the approach so more time can be
devoted towards critical thinking and evaluation.
Advantages and Disadvantages to the Flipped Classroom
When evaluating the advantages and disadvantages of the flipped classroom one should
take into account the flexibility of the curriculum for the students. The videos would prove to be
an advantage for the students since multiple attempts would be allowed for them to listen to the
lecture if needed. There are also advantages such as giving a question and answer portion at the
end of the videos so the students can check their understanding of the materials. Using the videos
as a way to introduce a topic or spur a discussion is another advantage the flipped classroom
would have over the traditional classroom setting (Herreid, 2013). By allowing students a chance
to think about the topic the night before, the students may be open to the topic the next day in
class to discuss the topic in detail. The videos can have a positive effect on learning.
Disadvantages would be in the ability of the students to find ways to watch the videos if
there was no internet access outside of school. There can be other drawbacks since the teacher is
not there to help explain a concept and to apply what they have learned (Horn, 2013). Students
may need to have immediate feedback to understand the materials. It would also be more work
for the students to email their teacher as well as the teacher to read the emails after the video was
viewed. Other issues with the videos could be that quality videos are not only hard to produce

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but also hard to find (Herreid, 2013). When getting the course started it will be difficult to create
the videos due to most teachers not having the experience in creating instructional materials.
Lighting, camera equipment, and finding a general location to produce the videos may be
difficult for the teachers. There may be ways to find other materials online until the teacher can
make all the videos, but it would be best to have the teacher customize their own course videos.
Since the course will depend on the videos, there needs to be quality material which provide the
best student learning.
Advantages outweigh drawbacks. The advantages seem to outweigh the drawbacks in
the sense that students can begin their learning well before entering the classroom to get a jump
start on the lesson for the day. This plays out very well for students struggling to understand the
concepts of the class since the materials can be reviewed multiple times and even discussed with
parents if necessary. In order for the best experience to take place with the flipped classroom,
quality videos will need to be provided by the teacher. If the teacher is just beginning to apply
this approach in the classroom they could use material already created from youtube.com or
Edmodo.com until custom materials could be provided. Even though there is a lot of preparation
on the part of the teacher the custom materials would give the student the best learning
environment to successfully learn the course material.
A Curriculum Change with the Flipped Classroom
Learning material in the traditional method of lecture and homework may become a
learning method of the past. The flipped classroom approach in most cases takes the traditional
lecture time and adds it to media materials such as a screencast or a YouTube video. Students
generally watch the lecture videos at home and then complete classwork in the classroom. There
are many variations to this approach which allows for a customization of learning materials to

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allow the teacher to show creativity in the curriculum development. Bull, Ferster, & Kjellstrom
(2012) explain that the term flip implies an all-or-nothing reversal, but that is not the case for
the flipped classroom (para, 8). The flipped classroom can be partly reversed from the
traditional role of a classroom. That is, there can be a partial reversal of traditional methods.
Videos can be used in the classroom as well as outside the classroom. One week the students
may be watching the instructional videos at home but the next week they may be completing
assignments from the instructional videos that they had watched in class. There does not need to
be a complete role reversal in the traditional classroom in order to be considered a flipped
classroom.
Guidelines for the Flipped Classroom
When developing the videos for the flipped classroom, there are a few guidelines a
teacher should follow listed below (Bull, Ferster, & Kjellstrom, 2012).
Table 1. Guidelines included for teachers
Keep the videos between 5 and 10 minutes long
Imbed questions throughout the videos
Allow the videos to address one topic
Create quizzes based off of only one video for each quiz
These guidelines are important for the students to learn effectively. In the United States a
reform of learning material is being enacted. The National Education Technology Plan is
working to prompt needed change by asking education leaders to enact revolutionary change;
technology-based learning and assessment; engaging and powerful learning content; interactive,
collaborative, visual and dynamic lessons...to be more relevant to life and work goals
(Flumerfelt, 2013).
To insure that the curriculum is created for the needs of the students, teachers should
constantly be looking for ways to improve the content. Increasing the achievement levels of the

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students should be evaluated on a regular basis as well. Flumerfelt (2013) stated, Improvement
hinges on a theoretical commitment to learning as a process of continuous improvement. That
would mean that there should be a constant evaluation of how the curriculum could be improved
upon to make it better for all students involved. Currently millennials are looking towards
technology as a way to complete assignments quickly and effectively. Technology is looked upon
as a way to include the millennials in the curriculum. With the idea of the flipped classroom, the
millennials can feel that this is a part of their life as they understand it to be. The teachers can
decide on ways for improvement based on students particular needs. They could not only group
students based on their learning needs but also coordinate teachers with students who have the
expertise in certain areas. Students are constantly changing in their learning needs. Teachers need
to learn how to change their curriculum to accommodate those needs.
The Effectiveness of the Flipped Approach
In order for videos to be effective, the students need to be committed to watching the
videos and to be able to discuss them in the classroom. However, if there are issues with the
students not being able to watch the videos other methods of media delivery would be necessary.
Ipods can be recycled to allow the videos to be downloaded for the students to use either in class
or at home. There can also be time for the students to watch the videos either before school,
during lunch or after school. It is important to have these times set aside to provide the best
learning environment. Other outcomes of being effective in the flipped classroom approach is
explained best through a tenant which Hawks (2014) developed in her submission in the AANA
Journal.
Table 2. The outcomes for a successful flipped approach
Draws on such concepts as active learning, student engagement, hybrid course design, and
course podcasting
Provide opportunity for interactive, personalized time between students and faculty

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Requires that students take ownership of their learning

Blends direct instruction with constructivist learning
Archives content permanently for review or remediation
In order for there to be an effective approach to learning, there needs to be a commitment
on the part of the teacher and the student. The teacher must provide quality videos that emulate
what the classroom activities will be like the next day. There can be follow up questions at the
end of the videos to help bring the topic to the student in order to allow the student to effectively
begin the thinking process. The student then has ownership over their learning when they
become committed to the process of the flipped classroom. If the student is able to relate to the
concepts that are taught in the videos the process of learning can be successful. The commitment
that is set by both parties involved will bring success to their learning as well as the learning for
future endeavors.
Applying the Behaviorist and Constructivist Learning Theory
By following a well-constructed flipped curriculum, a teacher can plan to effectively
present a flipped approach to learning. Hawks (2014) also believes that this approach to learning
is consistent with the behaviorist theory as well as the constructivist learning theory. The
behaviorist learning theory emphasizes learning from facts and skills. The similarity of the
behavioral learning theory to the flipped classroom is that the teacher is the focus of instruction
giving materials and content through lectures and tutorials and etc. Videos are the instructional
time for most of the inverted classroom coursework. This is also similar to the traditional role of
learning with the teacher presenting the materials and following them up with problem solving
techniques and learning drills. The students would be learning the materials mostly through the
videos and then would follow up in the classroom with skill building techniques. The similarity
of the flipped classroom experience to the constructivists theory is shown in the concept that

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students learn from prior experiences. When making the video lectures for students, the teacher
should try to keep in mind that the student needs to have a connection to the new materials being
taught. There should also be a connection in the manner with which the teacher maintains an
interest with the students. Effective videos will hold the students attention through use of prior
knowledge in a subject as well as in keeping in line with the learning theories. The flipped
classroom approach does have capabilities to offer solutions to the behavior and cognitive needs
due to the nature of the curriculum.
Both the behaviorist and constructivist theory can be seen in this approach to learning.
Students have stated that after going through a flipped classroom approach that they felt at ease
since they knew they could return to the video and they could ask questions the next day without
feeling as if they were interrupting the professor (Findlay, 2014). Other students stated that after
watching the videos they felt as if they needed to talk to the professor to get immediate feedback.
Even though writing down the questions and waiting till the next day would resolve some of the
questions the students may not be as motivated the day after to ask their questions. Findlay
(2014) stated that students expressed both positively and negatively about the flipped approach,
but the majority of the students stated that they would sign up for a flipped course if they had the
opportunity again.
Perspectives of the Flipped Approach
There are two different perspectives which a curriculum designer should notice when
thinking of changing their curriculum to the flipped classroom. One perspective is from the
teachers standpoint and the other perspective is from the student point of view. Both views
provide insight to what is needed in a flipped curriculum. Success will be determined through the
motivation that is shown from both parties involved.

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The Teachers Perspective of the Flipped Classroom

When approaching the teachers standpoint, a teachers considerations of how the student
will learn should be priority. When a teacher is able to be with the students when they do their
homework, a teacher can learn what a student needs in order to be successful in their subject
matter. What is so promising with this method is that a teacher can adapt their instructional
material to fit the students needs. After a teacher learns how to create the videos, it is easier and
faster to create follow-up videos if more explanation is needed on a subject. Videos are very
convenient as well if the student is not able to attend class for some reason. The student may not
be able to attend classes, but a student does have access to the internet 24/7 (Fulton, 2012). Thus,
the students should be able to watch the videos regardless of where they are in any given time.
Athletes should benefit mostly in this situation since they are out of town quite frequently with
sporting events- eliminating the issue of explaining coursework. Having the lectures online
would bring a benefit to those who are out due to sickness as well to keep up with the class and
coursework. Finally, teachers can benefit from this approach by watching one anothers videos
and learning the best approach to teaching in different situations. By coming together teachers
can share videos between classes and not have to rely on creating each lecture video their self.
Thus, a community of learning can be established to support student learning at its fullest.
The Student Perspective of the Flipped Classroom
Millennials are for the most part comfortable with the idea of using technology to learn
any subject matter that is required of them. Since these are the primary students that are being
taught in the classroom today, the idea of the flipped classroom seems to be an appealing
approach to learning. There are many reasons why students who have experienced the flipped
classroom say that they have enjoyed their curriculum experience. After taking a flipped

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classroom course, one student quoted that I liked that we watched the concept at home but then
mastered the concept in class (Fulton, 2012). It seems that when students are interested in a
method, not just a subject matter, they tend to do better in school. The sense of expectation of
what might happen in the next video is what keeps them motivated. Fulton (2012) explained that
learning should be able to happen anytime and anywhere (pg. 5). With the access to the internet
via Wi-Fi most anytime and anywhere, students should be able to complete their video
assignments with no technological issues. Students are noticing that teachers are integrating their
technology interests by adding you-tube and other video components which encourages further
interests in the subject matter. High level learning does not have to be compromised with this
style of learning. With the videos, the students are able to have a positive perspective regarding
the material they are learning. Students repeat the same procedure when they continue to do their
homework with the teacher which concretes the learning. Statements from students such as I
liked the fact that I could get the more difficult problems in class and be able to ask questions on
them encourages the teachers to continue with the process of the flipped classroom (Fulton,
2012, pg. 5).
Benefits of the Flipped Classroom
There are many benefits to implementing the flipped classroom. One benefit is with the
variety of audience with which the flipped classroom can be provided. This approach to learning
can be applied to the curriculum for K-12 and for adult learners. In many respects it is more
beneficial for the adult learner since it may provide a convenience to them to be able to watch the
videos at their leisure. For the K-12 students there may be videos which need to be watched at
certain times in order to coincide with the homework the next day. However, with many adult
curriculums there is a wide timeframe set to complete a series of assignments and a deadline

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which allows the adult learner to complete them when they can. Other benefits are in the videos
that can concentrate on certain aspects of learning. Since we are working with videos in the
flipped classroom, a huge benefit would be in the fact that tough subjects can be reviewed over
and over again without having to ask the teacher to repeat him or herself. This not only is a
convenience but a time saving activity which will ultimately makes everyone involved feel better
about the learning process (McDonald, 2013, pg. 437).
The Flipped Classroom Delivers Qualified Teachers
What more could we want in our educational system than qualified teachers. With the
flipped curriculum a benefit for students is that teachers would have to be qualified for a subject
matter due to the nature of the curriculum. Creating videos requires not only a trivial
understanding of the material that is being taught but a comprehensive knowledge of the subject
matter. Also, in order to conduct the classwork session there needs to be a complete
understanding of how to critically analyze the students once they are in the classroom for class
discussion or assignments. It is a must to have teachers who can handle requirements of bringing
their students to the next level of learning to make a difference in the lives of the students. The
flipped classroom has a strategy in the curriculum that ensures that the teaching can go to higher
level of learning if the teacher allows it to do so. Being creative in teaching is encouraged
through this approach and will hopefully be a normal occurrence in most school systems.
Conclusion
With the arrival of the millennial-aged students, teachers have had to find new ways of
learning that would attract the minds of students. There are many reasons why students need a
new approach to learning which appeals to their persona in a much more natural way. The
advantage of the flipped classroom approach is that it appeals to students of not only the

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millennials, but all ages in a variety of different ways. The flipped approach provides a flexible
environment with which to watch tutorials when it is most convenient to the student so the most
productive learning can take place. Teachers would be able to spend more time with students that
need more help by noticing, during class, that the student is in need of additional assistance. The
disadvantages that may come from this this approach to learning would be if the student is not
able to connect to the internet or if the teacher is not familiar with making the videos. However,
there are learning curves to this style of learning which can take the students and teachers some
time to adapt to. Insuring that the student will be able to access the videos is another hurdle that
must be accomplish. Based on the findings of the research, the advantages outweigh the
disadvantages of this approach to learning. With the flipped classroom being a student-centered
learning environment the educator has the opportunity to raise the standards of the learning to
higher levels while at the same time accommodating the student with whatever needs the student
may encounter. Giving the students options to understand the materials by being able to replay
the lecture and being able to talk to the teacher the following day allows for a much more active
learning environment that gives the student a chance to learn independent of others at their
convenience. The flipped classroom is a start to how our educational system can be updated to
reflect a more modern approach to enjoy learning in a much more independent environment.
Students and teachers alike benefit from this curriculum in its current form of video lecture for
homework and problem solving in the classroom. The flipped classroom approach has many
possibilities which allow a teacher to be creative in his or her approach. Given this freedom,
teachers will be able to perfect their curriculum to adjust for various levels of students needs.
The flipped classroom approach seems to fit the mold for most any type of teaching style or

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student level. By being able to adjust for most anyone and to learn at most any time, this method
of teaching will be a mainstay method of teaching for many years to come.

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References
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& Leading with Technology, 40(1), 10+.
Butterfield, J. & Crews, T. (2014). Data for flipped classroom design: Using student feedback to
identify the best components from online and face-to-face classes. Higher Education
Studies, 4(3), 38-47.
Findlay-Thompson, S., & Mombourquette, P. (2014). Evaluation of a flipped classroom in an
undergraduate business course. Business Education & Accreditation, 6(1), 63-71.
Flumerfelt, S., & Green, G. (2013). Using lean in the flipped classroom for at risk students.
Educational Technology & Society, 16(1), 356.
Fulton, K.P. (2012). 10 reasons to flip. Phi Delta Kappan, 94(2), 20-24.
Hawks, S. J. (2014). The flipped classroom: Now or never? AANA Journal, 82(4), 264.
Herreid, C. F., & Schiller, N. A. (2013). Case studies and the flipped classroom. Journal of
College Science Teaching, 42(5), 62-66.
Horn, M. (2013). The transformational potential of flipped classrooms: Different strokes for
different folks. Education Next, 13(3), 78.
McDonald, K., & Smith, C. M. (2013). The flipped classroom for professional development: Part
I. benefits and strategies. Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 44(10), 437.
Roehl, A., Reddy, S. L., & Shannon, G. J. (2013). The flipped classroom: An opportunity to
engage millennial students through active learning. Journal of Family and Consumer
Sciences, 105(2), 44-49.