The Flip that was Almost a Flop

A great portion of my last three weeks has been spent traveling.  First to snowy Virginia, then (thankfully!) to the blissful beaches of Jekyll Island, Georgia.  I must say I definitely preferred the latter to the former!  Each trip was focused on professional development and increasing my proficiency as an educator.  Both conferences were filled with new knowledge, and I did return home tired yet energized with new ideas.

All this travel did distract me somewhat from my goals of gaining better technology and distance education proficiency.  However, I finally hunkered down to begin improving my knowledge of a technology that has remained elusive and intimidating: Prezi.  Yes, I am a PowerPoint kind of girl.  It is familiar and comfortable, and once my lovely instructional designer taught me all about using the MIX add-in, I’ve rocked the narrated PowerPoint through creating MP4’s and YouTubes.  Students have loved having online lectures in a variety of formats, and converting a plain-Jane presentation into a YouTube has become second-nature.  But……YouTube videos don’t play so easy in PowerPoint.  And I was getting frustrated with having to leave the presentation to go to the video, and vice versa.  So finally, I bit the bullet and spent most of the last week playing around in Prezi, reading tutorials, and watching the Prezi help videos.  All of this was done to not just increase my technology competence but to also help in preparation for a flipped classroom.

This was the week I would give up control, leave the lectern, and step out into creative chaos as my students applied knowledge to practice.  The topic was Teamwork and Collaboration, with a focus on communication about patients to increase safety and healthcare quality.  I created a teaching plan, designed out-of-class activities, crafted patient scenarios for application through problem-based learning, and produced a not-so-bad Prezi.  For each module, students are provided an overview that includes required readings and pre-class activities.  For this module, I sent out the overview several days early and let them know it would be a flipped classroom approach, hopefully to encourage them to complete the pre-class activities BEFORE coming to class. 

Finally, the week arrives, and two days before class I post a request for volunteers for an activity.  No response.  The day before class, I send word to the skills lab that I still need volunteers for an activity.  No response.  So I arrive early the day of class so I can catch students before the first class of the day, and eventually get four reluctant volunteers.  Class time arrives, the Prezi loads, and the seats are filled.  I dive in with a question posed to the class based on some of the brief (and by brief I do mean brief- the longest video was less than 2 minutes) video scenarios on communication.  There is total silence, blank faces, and a sinking feeling in my stomach as I realize that it is highly likely no one read a word or watched a single video.  But being an optimistic kind of person, I move on to another question.  Now there might be total silence, except there is the noise from shifting students and they are realizing that they know no one is prepared, and it is becoming obvious that I know no one is prepared.  It might have been a tad bit awkward.

Fortunately, I did not give in to the urge to retreat to the lectern and begin a lecture.  At the Conference on Higher Education Pedagogy this year, Peter Doolittle (of Virginia Tech) delivered an amazing pre-conference session on the flipped classroom.  He posed the question of what one should do if you have flipped, but the students arrive unprepared.  Instinctively you will want to revert to lecture; however, Peter advised against this, instead stating it is necessary to carry on with the original teaching plan.  So rather than running for cover as I wanted, instead I pressed on with the flipped plan.  I presented my few Prezi frames designed to prompt and guide discussion rather than impart content.  My four volunteers were invited to the front of the room, and quickly the classroom realized what the role play was designed to demonstrate (horrible nurse-nurse communication).  After the first activity, we moved on to case studies designed to allow the students to apply knowledge to the use of communication models.  This activity required some teams to role play, and some teams to provide critique of the communication.  Finally, one group led the class in debriefing of the entire class session. 

While I wish I could say that it was a perfect flipped example, instead I have to admit it was almost a flop.  Looking back, I know that it would have been preferable to give the students some face-to-face anticipatory guidance to prepare for the experience.  If I were flipping every class session, I’d likely follow Peter’s advice to possibly administer a brief, low-value quiz at the start of each session to encourage pre-class preparation.  There are other tweaks I’d need to do to each of the in-class activities, with some of the changes based on what students shared during debriefing.  It wasn’t a perfect flipped experience, but it went well enough to encourage me to continue to press on.  

Don't Stuff the Classroom with Stuff: Avoiding Gratuitous Technology

This has been a busy week trying to reach my goals.  I’ve read about social media use in the classroom, listened to a webinar on flipping the classroom, and attended the Conference on Higher Education Pedagogy located at Virginia Tech.  My week began with the drive from warm, dry Georgia up into the beautiful valley of Blacksburg, Virginia.  On the way there, I had the experience of driving over a mountain in the middle of a snow storm.  As a victim of Atlanta’s 2014 snowpocalype/snowmageddon/snow jam (or whatever moniker you prefer), I was not a happy driver. In fact, I was anxious, sweaty, nauseated, and exhausted when I finally began the descent off that horrible mountain.

Reflecting on the past week and progress toward goal achievement, I can’t help but wonder if our students don’t sometimes feel like I did as I drove from North Carolina into Virginia.  As I approached the mountain, I had some sense of anticipation.  I love the mountains, and gazing across them often reminds me of one of my favorite Bible verses from Psalms 121: I lift mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help (Yep- I’m a King James girl!)  As I grew closer to the mountain, there was no precipitation, just a view of the mountain in front of me.  Having driven over the mountain before, I knew to expect a majestic view, and I was a tad bit excited about the prospects of seeing the snow predicted by the most recent weather channel reports.  However, all this changed quickly as the snow started falling first with flurries, then larger flakes, and eventually heavy, sticky snow that was blanketing the trees and roadway.  In addition, other drivers seemed to lack any appreciation for potential risks, and were flying by.  The radio was on so I could hear any weather or road condition updates, snow was flying at me, the wipers were going full force, and the road noise was horrible as I was buffeted by other motorists.  My heart was pounding, the heat was blasting to keep the ice off the windshield, and my lips were dry and parched from the heat.  Essentially, I was drowning in sensory input, growing increasingly anxious by the second.  Finally, as began the descent, the snow began to grow lighter, the roadway cleared, some blue sky was visible, and my pounding pulse began to slow.  When I reached my hotel, I thought over drive and knew I had gained some experience and learned something (I don’t like driving over mountains in the snow!), but I also knew I never wanted to do that again.  After what I learned this week, the theme that became evident is definitely aligned with my mountain-top experience. 

First, I’ve been learning about using social media in the classroom.  To meet course requirements, I need to plan use of social media within a learning environment.  While the assignment doesn’t require that I implement this, I’m a little bit of an over-achiever.  Also, I think learning that is used is more authentic, so actually incorporating this into my class is more meaningful for me. So I have surveyed one class, and based on their responses, Facebook is the platform of choice. While I am a personal Facebook user, I’ve never used it in the classroom setting, so I needed to educate myself.  After spending some time exploring Facebook’s tutorials, I’m pretty sure I need to set up a group that will be labeled “secret” to best protect the privacy of everyone who participates.  This decision was reinforced by some of the readings that I did as well.  One article by Jessica Peck focused on social media use in general, within the specific context of nursing education.  Responsible use is necessary, including reminding students of their privacy rights, and reinforced the need to plan use of social media with a specific goal in mind.  Wang and colleagues explored the educational potential of Facebook and offered guidelines for use in higher education.  This article helped reinforce the need to set up groups rather than requiring learners to “friend” each other, because the term friend on Facebook is not synonymous with friend in the real world.  While these authors proposed that using Facebook can help the learners see the faculty member as the teacher (as a human) rather than only as a teaching function, requiring “friending” to participate can be harmful.  Again, these authors reinforced from the study findings that any Facebook activities must have a purpose, instructions must be explicit, policies for misuse should be clear, and advice and instruction on privacy settings should be provided. 

As I have a goal of flipping at least one class session, I also attended a webinar on flipping one activity at a time, a pre-conference on the flipped classroom, and also a research presentation on student opinions of the flipped classroom.  The webinar was presented by two faculty members at Dalton State College.  The key takeaway from this was that choosing what to flip must relate to something that is authentic and planned around a topic with which students struggle most.  Also, the assessment needs to be planned with a backward design approach to allow students to practice in class in the way they will be assessed.  The need to use real-world scenarios and opportunities to apply is crucial.  Peter Doolittle, in a pre-conference at the CHEP conference reinforced that flipping the classroom is an approach rather than a strategy, and challenged us to consider that the true “flip” is in moving from a teacher-centered to a learner-centered perspective.  He also stressed that technology should be used only when it makes sense, rather than forcing presence and use just to state it you have a technology-enhanced classroom.  In a research session at the CHEP conference, I learned what students think about the flipped classroom.  Christopher Seitz, who is an advocate and user of the flipped-classroom approach, was bold enough to explore what students say on ratemyprofessors.com.  In a qualitative study, he searched this website for comments related to the flipped classroom.  He identified four positive themes, and nine negative themes.  Positive themes indicated better learning, better class quality, and prefer when videos are high quality.  Negative themes included frustration with the time outside of class to prepare, feeling as if students are self-teaching (Imagine that! Gasp! Horrors!), and frustration with poor quality videos.  The key takeaway from the themes was that any activity- in or out of class- needs to be planned carefully, and it must be meaningful.  This was reinforced in the earlier research session on student interest in internet-based videos, and whether there was an effect on student learning outcomes.  The researcher was shocked to see that text-only videos had significantly better learning than those with video and text.  While the limitations included lack of signaling prior to watching the video, again the message was that we need to be careful in our selection of learning resources and strategies.

As I reflect on my week, again I think back to that drive over the mountain where I felt that I was overwhelmed by everything that was happening.  I have been the victim of courses that required tremendous reliance on and interaction with various technologies.  Rather than using one well, and giving me time to learn the platform, it felt like a chaotic ride over the mountain.  Before I became comfortable driving on a dry road with snow flying at me, I was forced into driving on a wet road and the snow was still flying.  Throughout everything I read, and every conference session I attended, the theme was consistent: choose your assignments and classroom activities with care.  Don’t just pick stuff to say it is there.  While the obligatory discussion assignment may get old and boring, that may be preferable over forcing students to use technology just so you can say it has been incorporated.  Do we need a mountain route occasionally to help challenge and motivate our learners?  Probably.  But we need to make sure they can successfully navigate the mountain terrain before we begin to fling snow and stuff. 

Resources:

Conference on Higher Education Pedagogy 2016.  http://www.cider.vt.edu/conference/

Peck, J. L. (2014). Social media in nursing education: Responsible integration for meaningful use. Journal of Nursing Education, 53, 164-169. doi: 10.3928/01484834-20140219-03

Wang, R., Scown, P., Urquhart, C., & Hardman, J. (2014). Tapping the educational potential of Facebook: Guidelines for use in higher education. Education and Information Technologies, 19, 21-39. doi: 10.1007/s10639-012-9206-z

Semi-Flip:  How to Flip Your Classroom One Activity at a Time.  Presented for the University System of Georgia by Elizabeth Lucht and Marina Smitherman.  

Flipping and Blending in the Iron Triangle

This week I delved into innovation in online education, learning about the flipped classroom, and completed course planning and design to transition one course that has been a traditional, face-to-face (F2F) classroom into a blended, hybrid course.   A fellow faculty member shared a newsletter from the Online Learning Consortium (OLC) that had links to some podcasts from the University of Central Florida. 

After joining the OLC so I can continue to receive the newsletters, I followed the link to the podcast (Link shared below).  This was actually the first podcast I’ve ever listened to, and I have to say I really enjoyed it.  The broadcasters were very conversational, and began with one of my favorite topics:  COFFEE!!!!  After a discussion on the particular type of coffee (a single-blend from Vietnam), and a description of Starbuck’s use of the Clover coffee machine, the conversation shifted to a discussion of what was termed the Iron Triangle.  Apparently the Iron Triangle in higher education includes quality, cost, and access.  It was explained that any change in one of these three components results in an inevitable change in the other.  The topic was supposed to be Stimulus for Innovation in Higher Education.  Based on the topic title, I was really expecting some descriptions of how to be innovative in the online education environment.  I can’t say that this expectation was met.  However, I did enjoy the discussion and just learning about this thing called the Iron Triangle.  The point was made that you will never impact the Iron Triangle if you do nothing, so do something we must (Hmmm- that sounded very Yoda-ish!).  Another thing I liked about this was the website includes links to everything discussed- even the coffee! 

I also spent some time learning about flipping around the classroom.  I’ve done this before in a prior teaching appointment, but would like to be much more intentional about this in upcoming courses, and have even set a goal of flipping one class session this semester.  To help with this goal, I decided I needed to dive into the literature first.  I found two recent journal articles (References below), one focusing on student satisfaction, and the other on more objective data related to meeting outcomes.  It was reinforced that flipping the classroom may increase teacher workload, and from doing this before, I would have to agree.  Students may be more engaged and prefer a flipped classroom approach, and as a result may be more intellectually and emotionally invested.  Both articles I read indicated that while the results didn’t indicate that students learn more or better in a flipped classroom, both showed that students learning is equally effective as in a F2F setting.  It was also stressed, by both articles, that students need to be introduced and taught about the flipped approach.  Flipping the classroom requires students to read, learn, and prepare prior to coming to “class” so that what has been learned can be applied through active learning strategies that may be individual, but tend to be collaborative.  It occurred to me that this is what we ask students to do in the online classroom.  In the 100% online course, or the hybrid course, content may be delivered with no F2F component.  However, students are asked to read, learn, and prepare prior to completing assignments that may be individual, or collaborative.  Once I figured this out, it seemed to make planning for a flipped classroom a little easier.  In an upcoming module, my students will be learning about teamwork and collaboration.  This module will incorporate both inter and intra-professional communication and collaboration.  Nursing students often struggle with effective communication, so I think this is a perfect module to use a flipped approach.  Students will need to read and learn outside of class, then we’ll spend the entire F2F time practicing communication and collaboration- applying what we’ve learned.

Not only did I learn about the Iron Triangle and flipping the classroom, I also met another goal!!!!  This goal, even prior to this course, was to transition a traditional F2F course into a truly hybrid model.  The course catalog called the course hybrid, but when it had been taught before it really wasn’t a true hybrid, or blended learning, course.  My students are so busy with other courses, clinical, and skills and simulation lab.  Not to mention the majority have jobs, and some have spouses and children as well.  Their time is so limited, so I really felt that delivering content online rather than meeting F2F could help them out a little by providing some flexibility.  After talking it over with them, and gaining their agreement, I’ve not transitioned the course to a true hybrid model.  The course has seven concepts that are taught in modules.  Two modules will be delivered completely online with no F2F sessions.  Two other concepts will be taught both F2F and online.  Additionally, the required group project will be completed and delivered through presentations to the entire cohort using an online, multi-media format.  Students have also agreed to use of some form of social media to enhance the course, and a survey to gain data on interests and preferences is currently open.  Some students have already offered verbal feedback that they are enjoying the hybrid model, and feel that it really has helped them manage their time better.  The students completed the first online module and then attended a graded simulation experience that required application of the content in a different course.  The instructor of the other course offered feedback that the students seemed much more prepared for this experience than in prior semesters.  I do have to say, though, that the workload has been challenging to get everything prepared and set up for online delivery and management.  Students had to complete a discussion assignment for the first online module, and it was really tough to get original responses and replies graded for 67 students.  I’ve already decided that first assignment will need revision if I teach this again.

Overall, a pretty productive week.  Next week I’m looking forward to attending the Conference on Higher Education Pedagogy that is held annually at Virginia Tech.  There are several sessions focused on distance education that are interesting, and hopefully will help me go beyond flipping and blending. 

Podcast: Univ of Central FL- Episode 10: The Iron Triangle- Stimulus for Innovation in Online Ed:  https://online.ucf.edu/topcast-s01e10/?mkt_tok=3RkMMJWWfF9wsRons6vKZKXonjHpfsX56O0qX66%2FlMI%2F0ER3fOvrPUfGjI4DSsFiI%2BSLDwEYGJlv6SgFQrnCMaNz17gOWxQ%3D

Articles read:

Gross, B., Hoffman, M., Marinari, M., & DeSimone, K. (2015).  Flipped @ SBU: Student satisfaction and the college classroom. Educational Research Quarterly, 39(2), 36-52.

Murray, L., McCallum, C., & Petrosino, C. (2014). Flipping the classroom experience: A comparison of online learning to traditional lecture. Journal of Physical Therapy Education, 28(4), 35-40.