Top 10 ed-tech stories of 2013, No. 8: Flipped learning


“Flipped” and adaptive learning programs gained traction on campus. A high-profile internet hoax involving a college athlete propelled the term “catfishing” into the public consciousness. MOOCs hit some key stumbling blocks, while the notion of a college degree became more fluid.

Innovation can occur in many areas of education, said keynote speaker Frans Johansson.These were some of the key ed-tech developments affecting colleges and universities in the past year—and we’ve got a full recap for you right here.

In this special all-digital publication, the editors of eCampus News highlight what we think are the 10 most significant higher-education technology stories of 2013.

To learn how these stories have made an impact on colleges and universities this year—and how they’ll continue to shape higher education in 2014 and beyond—read on.

8. Flipped learning gains significant traction in higher education.

The flipped classroom approach, heavily reliant on technology, might have reached a level of acceptance in higher education that makes it no longer experimental.

Once pushed by higher education’s tech-savviest leaders, the flipped model—which has students watch online lectures outside of class, allowing for more substantive discussion during class time—is now used, or will be used, in half of college lecture halls and classrooms, according to a survey released in November.

Conducted by webcasting company Sonic Foundry and the National Center for Education Statistics, the survey found a growing acceptance of the once-cutting edge flipped classroom approach, with eight in 10 respondents saying “improved mastery of information” is the top benefit for college students.

Eighty-four percent of educators said the flipped model was a “better learning experience” for their students.

Ralph Welsh, a public health sciences professor at Clemson University, said that while there were more high marks on end-of-semester student evaluations, there was also a jump in low marks. This, Welsh said, showed that the flipped model had at least some polarizing potential.

“Most students want the recorded lecture, but if the tradeoff is not seeing the professor face to face, it might not be worth it for all of them,” said Welsh, who has experimented with the flipped classroom. “They liked it, but they still wanted to see the professor face to face in the classroom.”

Some low student evaluations in flipped classrooms, Welsh said, could be related to inevitable technical glitches in the viewing of online lectures. Still, the model has become popular across higher education.

Eighty-six percent of faculty who responded to the survey said the flipped model has helped improve student attitudes.

“There is an imperative to increase the real-time and real-world value of college degrees in order to meet the rising costs of higher education,” said Sean Brown, senior vice president for Sonic Foundry. “Despite the investment of time and effort required to implement the flipped classroom model effectively, the approach is clearly delivering key benefits to both students and faculty and will continue to see increased adoption in the coming months and years.”

It has been common in recent years for professors to view the flipped model with some skepticism, but the Sonic Foundry survey results should go a long way in allaying those fears, Welsh said.

See also:

Recorded lectures help ‘disaster-proof’ instruction at JMU

University establishes flipped learning training center for faculty

Nevada college to combine online, face-to-face learning through flexible classes

Flipped classroom model gains steam on campuses

Flipped classroom boosts exam grades, flips perception

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