Reversing? A new twist on a logical idea.

Photo Credit: bijoubaby via Compfight cc

This week’s topics of flipped classroom and reverse instruction could not have come at a more suitable time for me and my classroom. I teach at a 1-1 macbook integration school and on Monday we are implementing a “technology free” day. Hmm.. makes me wonder, but none the less I am interested to see how this works out. No doubt it will make for interesting discussion as kids look around and wonder where they are. It kind of reminds of the old Twilight Zone episodes when the actors ended up in some twisted situation that seems vaguely familiar but strange and disconcerting.
On this week’s subjects I am on one hand bemused that this concept seems to be stretched out to the lengths that it is. However, on the other hand I see this concept as necessary as it has arisen in our society. By this I mean, our society has lost to some degree that face to face interaction skills and abilities to listen, communicate and collaborate in real time. I blame this on the digital age, we have many more connections but they are much shallower than previous generations. This blog will not attempt to prove or disprove this theory, but it is my opinion. Take it or leave.
Now, where reverse instruction or flipped classroom instruction has its most value is that it allows for COLLABORATION. As I mentioned earlier this face to face time with peers in the classroom is invaluable for many students. They need this. Particularly for students, such as my school, in which English is the second language. They need this time, in my presence, to explore ideas and to code switch these ideas. This is the great benefit of flipping the class, although, I have to tailor my homework reversed instruction suitably or else some of these students will invariably become frustrated as they struggle with understanding and comprehension.
I really feel that reverse instruction and flipped classrooms are the logical extension of technological advancements in education. No more, no less.

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