I’ve been incorporating flipped videos into my chemistry classroom for the past two years with quite a bit of success, though I do think there are a few reasons why one might want to resist the urge to “flip” every unit of instruction throughout the year.  If you’re not familiar with the Flipped Classroom Model, here it is in a nutshell: teachers flip what is traditionally considered homework (practice/application problems) with what is traditionally considered classwork (lecture notes) by utilizing online instructional videos.  The most obvious benefit of flipping: because the application phase of learning is invariably more challenging than the initial note-taking, the teacher is present when students need him or her the most.  Rather than spending their class time lecturing, teachers “troubleshoot,” moving from student-to-student, providing individualized feedback and guidance.

In general, I’ve found flipping works best during the math-intensive units of chemistry such as mole conversations and stoichiometry.  It’s allowed me to target those students for whom math is not intuitive, and therefore a major roadblock to success in chemistry.  Flipping has vastly expanded my opportunities for providing one-on-one instruction; few other teaching strategies have allowed me to meet individual students’ needs without slowing down the pace of the class or cutting the curriculum.  In addition, students appreciate the ability to return to lectures for review or reinforcement and comment frequently on how helpful it’s been to “pause and rewind” as needed (something not all students are comfortable doing with their teachers).

While flipping has certainly been a positive addition to my classes, there are definite challenges to overcome in order for it to be successful.  Poor access to technology or the Internet at home will negatively impact students’ ability to watch instructional videos; teacher flexibility in this area is needed, as is ample before- and after-school access to computers on your campus.   For those students who struggle with completing homework regardless of accessibility issues, one or two computers or iPads in your classroom are needed to help them get caught up and into the application phase.  Finally, as a proponent of inquiry-based and constructivist approaches to learning, I remind myself frequently: regardless of their efficacy, flipped videos are just a different vehicle for teacher-delivered content.  Because of this, I use flipped videos strategically and sparingly to ensure that each student has ample opportunities to construct his or her own knowledge base by collecting and analyzing data about the natural world.   These are skills and opportunities not so easily taught or provided remotely through videos.

– Kurt Schaefer

editor’s note: Mr. Kurt Schaefer is an award-winning chemistry teacher at Peak to Peak Charter School in Lafayette, Colorado. He is currently pursuing a Master’s in Educational Technology at Boise State University.