FlipCon13

The Flipped Classroom centers on the idea that learning isn’t confined to the classroom.  Therefore, you need to utilize a system that allows students to complete assignments whenever they are ready, whether it be in the classroom, in their bedrooms or even on the school bus.  With the increase of mobile technology, Google has the perfect combination of applications that allow for learning and assessment to occur any time.  In this session, participants will learn how to set up their Google accounts to use with students, to share documents, to collaborate on documents with students, and to streamline their grading using simple tools already built into GApps.  No experience with Google Apps is required, but users are encouraged to have a Gmail account before arriving.

A Flipped Classroom is a powerful tool for improving learning and a major paradigm shift for teachers, students, and parents. While exploring the beauty of this learning jungle, many Allen High School teachers faced challenges and struggles and are working to turn them into successes. During our expedition we will shed some light on the dark corners of video assessment, student engagement and accountability, teacher transitions, and parent communication. Video concerns include whether and how to assess learning expectations. Parents need complete information on this teaching change, as well as re-education regarding the meaning of the word “teach”. A main pitfall for the teacher is a tendency to “re-lecture” and “re-teach” video content. This dishonors the work of those who watched the videos and cripples the flipped method because there is less time available for mentored/guided practice. Finally, we will explore approaches for corralling the creative chaos of the classroom.

We all know isolation is not good, but often, we are the only ones in our school flipping our classes. This session is about how you can make room for collaboration in your practice, even when you don’t have a flipped learning colleague on site. Finding a collaborative partner is just the beginning. Building a collaborative partnership that can support, encourage, question, and help you is game-changing - for teachers AND students. Collaboration isn’t something we do to just reduce our workload; it transforms the way we communicate, the way we learn, and the way we teach. This workshop will cover the reasons why you should embark on a collaborative partnership, the practicalities of how to make it work, and how to help your students become more collaborative and reflective.