Flipped Classrooms
In general, flipped classrooms focus on switching class time
into opportunities for students to engage with one another and the assignments while
watching videos of the lectures outside of class. There are very loose
definitions which fluctuate based on who is leading the instruction and the
students involved. A lot of higher education programs are moving towards flipped
classrooms. I’m skeptical of flipped classrooms for students and teachers both.
The results for my future students as a special educator are mixed. The option
to watch the lecture multiple times, go at their own pace, pause, rewind, etc.
would be highly beneficial. Yet at the same time, it would be hard to ensure
that students actually do listen to the lecture outside and have a solid
understanding of the material because additional explanations aren’t necessary
factored in. Students who are organized, responsible and can learn more independently
will likely love this style, but I don’t know if that group is large enough.
Interactive Whiteboards
It’s very common now to see at least one interactive
whiteboard (IWB) in a school, if not in every classroom. This topic is very pertinent
to me as a future educator, but often times the decision isn’t up to the
teacher whether or not to have an IWB. I feel this is a growing trend with more
and more schools buying into them, but without an effect on student interaction
with content. In most cases, I think that IWBs are glorified projectors. I’m
skeptical about them because I don’t feel that they are used at full capacity,
which many of us are unaware of. It would be exciting to have one in my future
room, and my students would likely benefit only if I were using it efficiently.
The students that benefit from IWB will benefit solely because of the educators
use of it, not just because it’s there.
