Flipped Classroom In India: How Is It Different From A Usual Classroom?

Flipped Classroom In India: As new methods of teaching-learning are emerging, here comes another such new innovative technique of e-learning, the flipped classroom. Especially in this time of the COVID-19 pandemic, when the entire teaching system is shifting to online mode, the importance of flipped classrooms is immense.

ALSO CHECK: Andorra Education System With 100% Literacy Rate: A Must Read!

What is a Flipped Classroom?

It is a new strategy of learning where teaching instructions are given quite differently. Flipped classroom focuses on providing study materials like pre-recorded videos of lectures, presentations, notes or other such documents to the students and later on, in the usual classes the educator and students involve themselves in doubts or questions solving or other such relevant interactive sessions.

Difference between a flipped classrooms and usual classrooms?

In simple words, in the case of flipped classrooms, the method of attaining knowledge and delivering it is completely in contrast to that of a traditional classroom. Firstly, in a traditional classroom, the knowledge and understanding of topics are incorporated in a student and later on, they are given to solve questions related to it as part of their homework.
But, in the case of a flipped classroom, the conditions are flipped or reversed as students attain the required knowledge of a topic from the materials like pre-recorded videos that are provided to them prior to a class and later on in an interactive classroom environment the students bring their doubts queries or solutions while the educators solve them so that the students have a deeper understanding.
In short, what is done in traditional classrooms, are done in homes in the case of flipped classrooms. On the other hand, home works or assignments given in usual classes, are done in classes in case of flipped classrooms.

Benefits of Flipped Classrooms in India

• First of all, it creates an interactive learning environment where teachers don’t have to spend much time in making the students understand the basics of the topics, rather they can devote themselves in solving their doubts or questions which help the students to have a better understanding of a topic.
• It increases class participation and communication as the students are already familiar with the topics which encourage them to explore more about it.
• Another main advantage is that unlike a traditional classroom, it helps students to learn at their own speed. For instance, if you are not understanding a topic, you will be able to pause on rewind a video.
• Also, as teachers are devoting more time to solve the doubts of the students, it helps them to understand the students better, their strengths and weaknesses.
• The same videos that have been created can be used for many years, so teachers don’t have to blabber the same topic years after years, rather they can out ways to increase engagement and understanding of the students.

Drawbacks of Flipped Classrooms in India

This system of learning however, can have some drawbacks too:

• Lower social economic background or lack of economic stability can be a major barrier in buying the resources like laptops or computers required by the students to take part in the learning.
• Teachers also may not be familiar with such new technologies and may have to engage themselves in extra training sessions outside their daily teaching duties.
• Also, students may find it difficult to develop their personal responsibility and in fact, in a home, not everyone has an environment to properly study and understand lessons.

ALSO CHECK: Top 10 Useful Websites For Students In Everyday Life

How to make a flipped classroom in India effective? 

To make a flipped classroom effective an educator can follow the following steps:

• Create superior educational or learning content: Making videos in such a way that the topics are explained thoroughly, yet concisely (not exceeding 15 minutes) as these days attention span of students are a very important issue. Making presentations is also an effective way in engaging students in the learning process.
• Providing other resources: Apart from creating own materials, an educator can also equip students with the best materials available online, like youtube videos, blogs, articles, etc.
• Assigning various tasks to the students: Later in the class, apart from solving doubts and queries, students can be given MCCs, quizzes synopsis writing of a topic which will be advantageous for not only the students but also the teachers can understand how much their students are learning and to what extent their materials have been helpful.
• Conducting group activities to increase interaction: Also, various group activities like online discussion forums, group discussions, debates can be conducted in order to make the students critically think and analyse a topic.

Useful Flipped Learning Apps

Some of the great platforms for flipped classrooms help in an effective learning management system. With these, both teachers, as well as students, can be engaged. Some of the apps are:

• Khan Academy
• Nearpod
• Edupuzzle
• BookWidgets
• Brain POP
• Explain Everything
• Duolingo
• ClassFlow
• PlayPosit and so on

How to make the most of flipped classrooms?

To make the most out of the learning materials sent to you, you need to go through all the materials thoroughly. Ignorance of 1 video link or one PDF will lead to your loss only. So go through the materials provided to you, then come up with doubts, highlight the points which you didn’t understand and then in the interactive classroom sessions get back to your teacher with them.

ALSO CHECK: 25 Countries With Highest Literacy Rate In The World

Conclusion

The flipped classroom learning is gradually taking shape in the world as well as in India. Indian School of Business has been one of the first institutes to introduce this system of learning in the country to teach the student a management course. A new learning tool called Creatist Technology has also been developed. It provides content and also tracks how much the learners have learned. It has been already introduced in Assam University, in ISB and in National Police Academy. In the near future, flipped classrooms may become very normal in the business schools of India.