Investigating the application of the "flipped classroom" model as a complementary approach to distance education in secondary education - An Action Research
Published:
Nov 1, 2015
Keywords:
school supplementary distance education blended learning flipped classroom junior high school Biology photosynthesis LAMS (Learning Activities Management System)
Abstract
In the present paper it was attempted to investigate the application of the “flipped classroom approach” as a complementary method to school distance education in junior high school Biology. The “flipped classroom” model attempts a different way of organizing the educational process according to which the traditional methods of learning at school and studying at home are interchanged, the learners’ active involvement is supported, their autonomy is reinforced, ICT is utilized and learning occurs partially by distance (blended learning). Students instead of attending class and being given homework, they attend class at home and complete their work in the classroom. The use of an online educational platform is necessary in order to implement the approach and this is the main contribution of technology. The teacher’s role is shifted from traditional lecture to guidance, support and individualization. During the action research it became evident that time management in the classroom was improved. Furthermore, it was observed that students’ involvement in the educational process was also improved. Students were already familiarized with the cognitive aspect of the lesson before entering the class and they considered the learning process as an individual affair which does not only depend on the teacher. The implementation of digital activities accomplished by distance led to taking action and initiative and finally to active learning. School distance education combined with the radical development of ICT can be complementary by the use of various methods, like the “flipped learning”, and give new perspective and potential to the limited choices of conventional education in the Greek educational system which is worth of further investigation.
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