Exit Slip - The Flipped Classroom

I think that most of the class agreed that short educational videos can be a useful teaching tool but that they cannot fully replace a teacher's lectures. The question then becomes to what extent should we rely on these videos? Personally, I think that these videos may be best used as an opportunity for extra exposure to the material. Instructing your students to watch a short video before class gives them the opportunity to be exposed to the material and have some time to think about it before class. When they come to class the next day, they may be more prepared to discuss it and potentially have some questions that the teacher can then answer. These videos may also be useful as a resource to provide to your students after a lecture that they can use if they are struggling with a concept or as a review before an exam. Additionally, it can sometimes be useful to have a concept explained in a new way. A certain student might be struggling with understanding a teacher's explanation and just having it explained to them by someone else in the form of a video can be helpful.

I think the most important part of implementing this technology effectively lies in not relying on videos to replace lectures entirely. A good teacher is able to engage students more than a video can and can hopefully breathe more life into a subject. I think it is important that as teachers, we resist the temptation to get complacent and rely too heavily on technology. We need to be responsive to the individual needs of our students and what works best for them.

Finally, I understand that this method of instruction might not be for everybody. Just like different students have different learning styles that work best for them, different teachers have different teaching styles that will work best for them. Some teachers are great lecturers and may not need to rely as much on supplement materials. Other teachers may find them incredibly useful. The presence of technology in classrooms and in our students' lives is inevitable so I think that it is important that we all explore what balance will work best for us.

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