A redbrickED article by Joshua
Sollie
Reflection on using a
flipped classroom to introduce grammar topics in a World Languages Classroom.
I recently created a video explaining a grammar topic and an
online worksheet for students to complete to test their comprehension. I used it as an introduction to talking about
how long we have been doing something. The
video (based off of the textbook explanation) to watch at home was about five minutes in
length and although it had my voice, I did not appear on the video. The worksheet consisted of four comprehension
questions and then three questions (test questions) for students to answer to
test their ability to apply their knowledge of the topic.
Opposite the video, I gave students the option of reading an
explanation in class which mirrored the video presentation of the grammar topic
and filling in a worksheet (paper) with the same comprehension questions and
the same questions to test their ability to apply the topic. During
this time I did not tell the students they could not use me as resource, but
few decided to ask me any questions.
I evaluated their responses and divided them into two
categories. The first category is where
comprehension is achieved and proven through correct responses on the set of
test questions. The second category is
where students do not comprehend and is proven through incorrect responses on
the set of test questions. Here are the results:
|
|
Students obtaining
comprehension and application
|
Students not able to comprehend and then apply.
|
|
Online video (20 students)
|
15
|
5
|
|
Written explanation (23 students)
|
7
|
16
|
As you can see the results are almost flipped with the
students watching the video and filling in the online worksheet comprehending
and applying near a 75% rate; with the opposite results for the students
reading the explanation with near 75% of the students not comprehending. Also, the errors that the students who watched
the video made were mostly errors stemming from their understanding of verb
conjugations and not necessarily from their understanding of the grammar
construction. Meanwhile the range of
errors for students who read the explanation was greater with no apparent
patterns noticed.
I was rather astonished by the results. I must admit I was
apprehensive about trying this method, not being sure whether watching a video
for understanding would be a worthwhile activity and if it would help the
students learn. I tend, I think as we
all do, to exaggerate the importance of the teacher’s physical presence for
student comprehension. What I am beginning to understand through this
exercise is that as teachers we need to start building a digital presence which
helps our students learn in order to supplement our physical presence. The role of the teacher is not in any way
diminished, because we are still monitoring and instructing our students. The difference in this digital age is that
students have increased opportunities to learn and we have increased opportunities
to guide and give feedback.
Another epiphany I bumped into (again) is that students are
digital learners. I learned with pencil,
paper, textbooks and overheads. Today’s
students learn through online tutorials, videos, web chats, mobile devices and
exploration. I did not track the number
of students who supplemented their watching of the video with their own
research and practice, although it would be interesting to measure this as
well. This is, and should be, the most
effective way for them to learn. It is
the way they interact with the world and is the means through which they will
perform their jobs.
My next step is to create another video for students to
watch and answers for them to complete to test their ability to comprehend and
apply. Opposite this I will give an in
class explanation of the topic to a different set of students and have them complete
the same form to test their comprehension and ability to apply. Then I will compare the results and see what I have.
So, here’s to building a digital presence and letting go of
our schema which convinces us that students our incapable of learning without
us watching over their shoulders.
A redbrickED
study in collaboration with ENSENACONEXITO.BLOGSPOT.COM
No comments:
Post a Comment