As said in the article, "Things You should Know About... Open Educational Resources." from the Educause Learning Initiative, Open Educational Resources are free teaching, learning, or research materials (textbooks, games, syllabi, quizzes etc.) that are available electronically online. Each resource is available for students or teachers to download and use as directed in the individual license of the source.
The Article states that OER are very effective in helping to keep pace with changes in learning such as the introduction of newer technologies, and new teaching methods.
Buildingand Leading Effective Teams The first source from the OER Commons website is about how to create and lead effective teams in a learning environment. Because collaboration is very important for a teacher in any level of education, I chose this course to look at. This is a graduate course created by Prof. John Carroll. Leading a classroom is a lot like leading a team. in order for the students to have success they must be able to efficiently work with their peers as well as with their teacher. Cognitive Psychology This source is a great source to go to for all teachers or teaching students. Every teacher has to know the cognitive psychology of their students so that they may understand how his or her student's think and what level they are at, cognitively, at each age. Creating a Community in the Classroom This is a great source for teachers of any age group. It teaches children that a classroom is a community and it is up to each of them to keep it that way. The other great thing is that this lesson can be modified to fit the level of the students who will be learning it. OER is the future of education. It is available for schools to use as a free resource and for students and teachers to use as assistance or individual learning.
The Teaching Channel is a website that has a various amount of videos that teachers could use as resources for their classrooms.
I watched one video from the section titled Common Core. This section has videos of lessons that other teachers have developed that go along with Common Core Standards.
The first video I watched was about a math lesson. Students were split up into groups and every group was given the problem to cut a square. The assignment had three sections and the children had to work together in order to come up with the solution. The teacher walked around the room, stopping at each group to make sure they are working together. This is a great way for students to learn actively while still having the lesson follow the Common Core Standards. Video 1
The second Video was about a teacher, who gave her students a sticky note to write down their ideas or questions for the discussion. This has been very successful because it allows the students to write down the questions or statements that they have while they are reading. So, instead of reading and forgetting what they find difficult to understand or interesting, they have that small reference to go back to and look at. Video 2
Both of these videos show the opportunities teachers have to improve the learning of their students will still being able to follow the standards. The Teaching Channel is a great resource for teachers looking for new ideas to keep their students actively engaged and able to absorb information. Check it out!
Flipped Learning is a method where the work that children do outside the classroom and the work that children do inside the classroom switch places (Bergmann 258). This means that instead of learning a lesson in class and going home to do the homework that pertains to that lesson, the teacher creates a YouTube video of him or her teaching the lesson and posts it on a website where it will be available for his or her students. Students are, then, expected to watch that video at home the night before class. In class the students will receive work that pertains to the lesson and will complete it during that class period.
This video gives a clear example of the Technique and how it is used in our school systems.
Cons:
It does not have a particularly clear definition
Many teachers have the argument of limitations of teacher to student, and peer interactions
The lack of internet access in every home could potentially cause a technological divide
Many teachers don't have time or expertise to produce the videos
Lack of student accountability (November Learning 2012).
Pros:
Allows children to receive the teaching method that matches their individual learning styles
Creates an environment with a professional expert to answer questions as they complete the homework
Gives teachers more 1 on one time with each student
Builds stronger stunt/teacher relationships
Allows easier access to share information and receive information with other teachers, parents, and the community
Teaches children to work collaboratively
Children are able to rewind lessons for greater understandings or review (Teachers 2012)
When trying to find a teaching method that is adaptable to students of all learning styles, the Flipped Learning method is very effective (Bergmann 121). Although there are many drawbacks to this technique, there are several solutions to those drawbacks, and the positive outcomes definitely outweigh those few drawbacks that have a harder solution. I believe that Flipped Learning is a very positive new method for teachers to implement in their classrooms. Because of the great amount of success that it could bring to students with every type of learning style this is a method that should be a part of every school system in our country, and I will hopefully have the ability of implementing this technique in my future classroom.
To continue exploration of the method of Flipped Learning check out these helpful websites!
TedEd is a website that acts as a tool for teachers to use this method of teaching. It has lessons that were already created by teachers. A teacher that visits this website is able to first learn how to use the website by watching a tutorial that was created by the producers of TedEd. It explains that you are able to view the videos on the website and then flip them, so that they may fit into the lesson that you are going to create. It also explains that a teacher also has the ability to find a video from YouTube and use the website to flip that video and create a lesson that supports it.
The video below was created by a teacher named Judy Walton. The lesson is titled The Making of the American Constitution and it is a clear example of what can be done to create an effective video lesson to support the Flipped Learning method.
Another source that many teachers may find to be of great assistance for flipping their teaching is the Flipped Learning Network. This website provides the reader with several opportunities to view various outside sources for Flipped Learning. The website provides its readers with the chance to buy the book Flip Your Classroom written by Jonathan Bergmann and Aaron Sams. This book gives teachers the overview of how flipped classrooms work, the process needed for starting their flipped classroom, an argument towards the method, and ways to make sure that students are following the method as needed. Along with the book, the website provides teachers with pod casts, webinars, workshops, a library of videos that have been flipped , and even a link to TedEd discussed above.
Flipped Learning Turning Learning on its Head is a blog that provides its readers with the chance to explore the technique through several different articles. It also allows one to subscribe to the page, which will provide them with the chance to receive notifications on the new subjects that involve the Flipped Learning method. I you'd like to read up on the many discussions about this method, this is the site for you!
Sources:
Bergmann, Jonathan, and Aaron Sams. Flip Your Classroom: Reach Every Student in Every Class Every Day. Ed. Lynda Gansel and Tina Wells. 1st Edition. Alexandria: ASCD, 2012.https://read.amazon.com/?asin=B008CIW2GC. Web. 6 Nov. 2012.
November Learning. November Learning, 2012. Web. 6 Nov. 2012. <http://novemberlearning.com/resources/articles/flipped-learning-a-response-to-five-common-criticisms-article/>.
Teachers Use Technology to Flip Their Classrooms. TechSmith Corporation, 2012. Web. 6 Nov. 2012. <http://www.techsmith.com/flipped-classroom.html>.
