One Goal Accomplished... What is Next

As I look over this year, I am happy to say I have successfully introduced the flipped classroom environment to my Calculus Course. Again, the link to my videos is http://calculusflip.wikispaces.com/.

I reviewed one of my old posts from when I returned from ITEC- ITEC if you have not heard of it, is a wonderful technology conference that you should go to if you want to be filled with new ideas and possibly a little depressed at what is out there that you are not doing in your classroom. I am thankful to have made the realization of my life that in order to be a sane and productive person, it is best to take on just one or two goals at a time. In this scenario, you see the accomplishment and success of a focused goal, and you can move on happy. The best case of the other scenario is you have this forever long list of to-do's for goals and in spreading yourself out over the goals, it takes a really, really long time to see any success. The worst case of course is you get burned out and do not see any success. This reminds me of our fix-me-up house... so many projects, such a mess. WHY WOULD ANYONE GLUE CARPET TO BEAUTIFUL HARDWOOD FLOORS!!?

Anyway, the clear goal to implement the flipped classroom has been accomplished. Success is mine. Both my students and I have seen what it can do, and at the end of the year, we all agreed it had been well worth the transition. I have embedded some surveys that they took about the flipped classroom. The main benefit in the discussions we had is that the flipped classroom helped the students feel more college ready in that they practiced and developed the skills of self-motivation, resource use, and independent as well as collaborative thinking and problem-solving.

I still have things to do with the flipped classroom. I am still working on merging the flipped classroom with UbD. I have a goal of remaking 10 of my videos this summer in order to add more applications to the lessons, more in-depth, critical-thinking guided questions, and more visuals and media.

But, with success, I move on happy! What now? What can you expect to see this summer? Here are my three goals for the summer:

1.) I am currently working at Merrill Manufacturing for the "Extern Program." If you have not heard of this, this is another AWESOME experience that enables you to bring back a hands-on experience to your classroom. There is more information of the program at  http://www.iowamathscience.org/educators/externships.I hope to be able to create two unit projects from this experience and publish them on this blog. I also have another blog at http://extern2012-goddard.blogspot.com/ that directly follows my progress at Merrill.

2.) I want to build an energy wind turbine for operating small electronics at my house. I will use this experience and design a unit out of it for my students. Maybe having them build their own wind turbines. If anyone has ideas of the math used in making the most efficient turbines, or just any tips or advice, I would love to get in touch.

3.) Remake 10 videos for my Calculus course.

That is it. Oh, and finish the construction projects on the house...

Clearing Up Misconceptions

I had to write a letter to my students as we entered the second semester of this flipped classroom set up.  I had 5 students drop my class. 2 students dropped because they did not like the new set up. 3 dropped due to the rigor of the class.  I have 8 left.

Dear Flipped Students,

The process of flipping the classroom is still something we are all making adjustments to. We have done a survey, and I hope that you took the time to give me feedback, so I can contemplate the necessary changes and reflect on things I have not thought of. We have kind of talked things out too in class. I want you to know that I am listening, and I am trying to figure out ways to help adapt to this new learning environment.

Some key issues have come up during the discussions about this flipped classroom we have had is class. Below I tackled some of the misconceptions you and/or I may have had at the beginning of this, and I have reflected over some of the changes we could do to make this work out better:

Misconcetion 1: The flipped classroom would result in more/less work

                I want to address that if any of us thought this would make learning easier, that is not the case. This was not meant to make learning easier or reduce the work required to learn. Just as much work will need to go into practicing and trying to understand the key concepts.

 On the other hand, I do not think this is more work for you either. Again, I am going to bring up the word adjustment. I do believe there is an extra learning process that is a consequence of changing how we are learning the material. You all are going to need to learn how to learn from the videos. This initial adjustment is an extra job and challenge that unfortunately is running along side of the challenge to learn the material. As we transition into knowing this class is video-based, we have to establish techniques on how to learn from the videos. Just like learning how to take effective notes, listening actively in class, doing practice problems, etc. are study skills we have acquired over the years and developed (and still are developing), you all will need to learn another study skill of using videos to learn.

If we would have stuck with our class routine before, of course this extra adjustment and consequence would not exist. At the same time, we would never take a stab at the possible benefits of what a flipped classroom can do for us. And truly, if we are successful with this, the learning and productivity can be great.

Misconception 2: The videos should be more entertaining

                The videos are not meant for entertainment. At the start of this, I had this vision that my videos would be awesome and I could do neat effects that would get you engaged in the concepts and skills I was trying to teach through my videos. At this point, we are learning the basics of Calculus, and in all honesty, I just do not have it in my skill right now to be making explosive dramas that will relate to the things I am trying to teach you. When you learned how to add way long ago, the skill itself is not that fun to learn. The applications that come later are what make the skills more interesting.

                My goal and focus needs to be on teaching you the concepts and skills you need to be successful in building connections and learning the concepts of Calculus. Sorry.

                I will be attempting to change up the style of some of the videos. I am not sure how it will be, but I do wish for the lesson videos to be more interactive. Let me know other suggestions that may be helpful to the objective for these videos to teach and help you discover connections and skills.

Key issues and possible solutions that will improve this experience:

Asking questions during the videos:

                Of the feedback I have received about why some students do not like this set up, I find the most concerning one to be the inability to ask questions while the lesson is going on. Some of you have said you had a question come up at certain parts of the video. Now, this set-up does allow you to come to class with those questions, but most of you cannot keep track of all of the questions that arise.

This is big. Questions should not just go unanswered.

My possible solutions for this include arranging a certain time for everyone to watch the video at night so you can post questions on Youtube.  I will be on, and I could refresh my screen and be answering questions as they are posted. Similar to this, we could also arrange for an hour Skype time, where you can be watching the video, and I will be sitting, ready on Skype.  Another solution for you would be to make a journal of questions for each video. Just record the time and your question. The next day, we can pull up that moment in the video and I can explain it in class.

Do not forget that you have an infinite number of resources out there. There is Khan’s Academy, other Youtube videos, practice problems worked out on websites, and many more. Please do not cheat yourself out on the many resources available. We can discuss in class some of these ideas for solutions.

Maintaining a pace.

Some of you may have this sense of not feeling the pressure to be keeping up with homework. This is a class now that requires self-motivation and responsibility. I understand you have a lot on your plate, which is why you do have leeway in the pace. I say at most you should be spending two days on a lesson. I think that is fair. Some lessons may only really take one day for you to understand. Go at that pace. Do not stretch out the lessons you  could accomplish within a day.  If you break ahead, it would allow you to take three days on a section you may be struggling with.

I do assign large homework practice sets. However, if you look at it like this:                    

 The pace gives two days to a lesson. Night one, you go home and spend 45 minutes to an hour taking notes over the 30 minute video. Day one, you have 45 minutes to work on the assignment with me available which leads you to night 2 of homework for 45 minutes. You return back to school for your day two of in class time to finish it off- asking any more last questions. You go home that night to watch the next video and repeat the process. Overall, the reality is that there is no less than 2 hours and 15 minutes dedicated to practice problems/”homework.”  Yes, there are quite a few problems, but you also have a decent amount of paced time.

Try not to fall behind. Feel the pressure and the necessity of giving this time.  I am asking for at least 1.5 hours of homework over the span of two nights.45 minutes of that 90 minutes is note-taking/videowatching. I promise you, I am spending just as much time on this process at home as you are.

The progress grade I hope is sufficient incentive to make you keep up with pace. Your progress is worth 30% of your Calculus grade. As long as you are keeping up with pace, completing the majority of the homework assignments, and taking good notes for your binder, you have 60% in this class. The tests are 40% of your grade which you need to receive at least 70%.  Do the math. You sit at a 90% with the lowest test scores possible as long as you do your homework and stay to pace.

Understanding by Design and Flipped Classroom?

The video productions have been going a lot smoother these days. The school ordered BAMBOO tablets, and they are great! Instead of being at school, talking to myself into my Topgun headset and microphone, I can be at home now to record my videos. My dog stares at me and knocks my camera over to tell me I look strange. If only she could understand that I am talking to myself for a reason.

I am very fortunate to have all that I do. Now, I just need to harness my fortunes and get ahead of my class. Looking back, I know now this was an undertaking I jumped into way too quickly. I truly needed to have gotten ahead with the videos before I started running the class like this. I take too long in planning the video, videotaping, and editing. It takes me at least three hours to complete two 15 minute videos.  These are very basic videos at that. I am not complaining, or maybe I am a bit. It is a sad reality I have come to almost peace with. I am just slow at this.  

Though I have made progress, as I have indicated above, I am worried about the direction I am taking with this Calculus class. Right now I do not think the format is up to the standards of the “Understanding by Design” program we are diving into at my school. I am a huge supporter of this “new” teaching technique. I believe in it, for I truly believe the students that learn in this manner will be the better student for it. I know I am always very frustrated with the lack of confidence I see in my students in terms of problem-solving and trying new things. It can completely urk me some days, in fact, when I find myself giving them every step to work out a problem, and I see no leaps of effort or use of resources to make connections and rise to the problem solving challenge.  I believe the underlaying success of UbD is that it teaches students to be in the spot of facing unknowns, and it builds them up to be comfortable with discovering and reasoning out a solution.

I will be working on trying to format my unit on integration to fit the Understanding by Design Criteria. Can they co-exist? Can I make videos that do not just cover the material, but that open the students' eyes to the big picture and bigger goals? Can I have them developing ideas and concepts? I could really use a snow day to figure this out. Since this December thinks thunderstorms are the appropriate precipitation, I think I will not be figuring this tough question out until break. See you then.

Getting Along

About two weeks have passed since I made this goal of flipping my Calculus classroom. We needed to acquire some new hardware and software, and then of course we needed everything to connect together. Let us just say, things were not getting along for a while. My old computer did not like Camtasia, and while my new computer did like Camtasia-as did I- my smartboard did not like my new computer. With the efforts and time of our great technology crew here, all things are getting along now, and I am up and running.

The hardware I am using includes a Starboard smartboard, my new computer with a larger processor, and a Flipvideo camera. I use PowerPoints to structure my presentations and then the program Camtasia to edit and produce the lessons.

I have done three sections so far using the flipped classroom approach. The conditions up until this point were not the best for creating these flipped videos. If anyone views my videos at http://calculusflip.wikispaces.com/ ,  I blame the shaky and blurry footage on my inexperienced and incompetent camera lady (me). She is still working on her skills and techniques for making videos, but I can promise you she is improving.

 I will say I am not proud of the products I have created so far. They will NOT be the videos I would use again if/when I do this for next year. They are in no means the polished, clever, perfect productions I envisioned. I was using an older computer and a trial run of Camtasia at the time.

I do want to put it out there that flipping a classroom is not an easy task. The time it takes has been a lot more that I had thought it would be. Youtube does limit videos to under 15 minutes for users like me. At first I thought this was something I needed to try to conquer, but I do think a 15 minute video of vocabulary and concepts and a 15 minute video on working out examples is a good structure for my kids. They appreciate the efficient and not too talky videos. Ironically, but not surprisingly when you think about it, it takes a lot more time to make a shorter video.

Another thing I am finding is that to keep my students engaged, it takes a whole different style and technique to teach through a video medium- especially right now since my creations are very “monomedium.”  I would compare it to writing effective essays versus giving effective speeches; these mediums are received differently and so they need to be delivered differently. I am still working on finding how to deliver videos that will be effective and not just boring and hard for my students to learn from. I do know I need to work on bringing in more resources/mediums. I also need to work on bringing in conceptual thinking and UbD techniques.

Flipped Classroom Project

It has been a rough week for me. Going to the ITEC conference helped me gain awesome ideas and an excitement for trying new things in the classroom. It has also given me great dissatisfaction with how some of my classes are running. I am so tired of students looking at a problem for maybe 20 seconds,- saying "I don't get it", and then looking at me. I blame myself for this immediate give up because I have always been one to jump to explaining right away. I need to work on my guided questions.

It is somewhat ironic to me that at one point in time, I considered one of my strengths of teaching as being my ability to explain things. Studies now are showing that mere coverage is not enough. My strength of explaining is not necessarily a strength at all when it comes to students learning to be independent, explorers of knowledge. I need to work on developing that confidence in trial and error. I need to build the problem-solvers I know they can be.

During my day, I have one class that is absolutely a joy to see. My Calculus class is phenomenal! They work so hard for their answers and they take joy and satisfaction in fighting through. I love it.

With the maturity and the trust relationship I have with my Calculus class, I am going to be creating a flipped classroom. In hearing about some of the other flipped classroom experiences from teachers, I truly believe this will benefit the students. I envision it will allow for a faster pace class, deeper understanding due to more one-on-one time, and more efficiency and relevance in the practice problems.

At the moment, I run the pattern of lesson day, workday, lesson day, workday. This will knock out the lesson day, and allow us to tackle more and more quickly. They can take the notes at home, and then come to class with the ability to discuss, piece together, and absorb fully the deeper concepts.

When students watch the lesson on video at home, they can rewind me if I went too fast for their note taking/understanding. Then, as they come to class to work on problems, they KNOW they are doing the problems correctly. I have felt awful to be checking over about 15 long-winded problems where all 15 problems/3 pages/many hours of work are wrong and wasted. Students will feel more secure and confident in their work.

It will also create a more differentiated classroom. The students that get it can move on, and I can work more often one-on-one to answer questions of struggling and not struggling students alike.

I talked with my very supportive administration and technology coordinator, and I quickly found myself with equally enthusiastic support and resources. In fact, all of the equipment I was thinking would be somewhat tricky to get my hands on are sitting at this very moment on my desk. I will be trying to work with Camtasia. I am downloading the free 30-day trial. I have an Interwrite Learning pad, and will be getting a microphone soon. This weekend I hope to have produced my first couple flipped movies.

Just like that, I am a movie maker. Watch for "EXTREME Minimums and Maximums" Monday, October 24 in Youtube near you!