Hip-Hop Education and 4 Other Approaches to Teaching and Learning

Zepnick, Jaclyn
ET

Emdin, C. (2014). 5 New Approaches to Teaching and Learning: The Next Frontier. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/christopher-emdin/5-new-approaches-to-teaching-strategies_b_4697731.html 


Famed professor and pedagogy in the hood expert, Christopher Emdin, explores five different ways teachers can engage students in a more effective and exciting manner. Examples include: Hip-Hop Education, Reality Pedagogy, and the Flipped Classroom.

The first video especially lured me in as I have never heard of a science teacher using hip-hop and rap to entice students to learn about photosynthesis. It is inspiring to see new ways of teaching that actually make students want to come to class and engage. Christopher Emdin in himself is inspirational. 

Knewton Infographic - Flipped Classroom

I've never heard of a flipped classroom, until this semester. So in my research to find out more I ran across this very cool infographic explaining what a flipped classroom is and it compared a high school before it flipped and after. Very interesting results. As far as I know classroom flipping is not used in my school district. I feel this method of instruction would benefit many students especially the students who learn better by active learning or learning by doing rather than teacher-centered instruction.
Knewton Infographic - Flipped Classroom 

Projects with Technology Do Good Things

Post by Lora Poser-Brown

ET

Kingston, Sally and Lenz, Bob. “Blending Technology into Project Based Learning.” Partnerships for 21st Century Learning. Jan. 21, 2016. http://www.p21.org/news-events/p21blog/1832-blending-technology-into-project-based-learning

Overview: This article discusses many ways to incorporate projects and technology in regular instruction. In addition, justification is given for more projects with evidence that doing so increases attendance, scores, engagement, social skills, and more.

Analysis: The article was a quick read with great concrete examples for teachers. Furthermore, the ideas given can easily be adapted for different ages and subjects. The article makes project based learning seem less daunting for those new to the teaching style.

Cover, Sara

ET

MADDrawProductions. (2012, May 27). The flipped classroom model [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojiebVw8O0g

Summary:

This animated YouTube video shows the basics of the flipped classroom method of teaching.

Evaluation:

The brevity (the video is just under three minutes long) and simplicity of the video makes it perfect for introducing the flipped classroom method of teaching. This can be used as an introduction to the flipped method for faculty who have never heard of it before, or those that just need a brief refresher. The video can be shown at the beginning of a workshop or meeting exploring the flipped method, and then used as a springboard for discussion and implementation.

Cover, Sara

ET

PBS News Hour. (2013, December 11). What a ‘flipped’ classroom looks like [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_p63W_2F_4

Summary:

This short YouTube video from PBS news hour details what a flipped classroom actually looks like in practice. The video shows a school that has completely flipped every classroom, so that the students do the legwork for homework (reading, researching, studying, etc.), and then come to class prepared to discuss, have questions answered, clarify, etc.

Evaluation:

This is an excellent example of what a school could look like should they choose to adopt this method of teaching, or a taste of what a flipped classroom looks like if one or two classrooms within a school choose to try this teaching method. In addition, the video is under eight minutes long, so it would be good to show at workshops, faculty meetings, or other events where you want to introduce the flipped teaching model.

The Flip: End of a Love Affair

Wright, S. (2012, October 8). The flip: End of a love affair. [Weblog post]. Powerful Learning Practice. Retrieved from http://plpnetwork.com/2012/10/08/flip-love-affair/

Summary: This Weblog post discusses a teacher’s experience using the Flipped Classroom and its effect on instruction and education. Wright references a previous post where she describes implementing the flipped classroom and how she enjoyed this method of instruction. The author still holds by everything in her previous post but reflects that the flipped classroom did not provide the “transformative learning experience” she wanted for her students. With a shift from a teacher-centered to a student-centered classroom, Wright’s students took more and more control over their learning. Over time, her role changed and her classroom became one of inquiry and problem based learning.

Evaluation: Wright’s experiences in the flipped classroom are comprehensive and enlightening. It would be beneficial if she expressed how she guided the class (if at all) towards its new manifestation or provided some guidelines on how to shift a class from flipped class to a problem based learning class. Wright could better explain how students took ownership of their own learning. Further, did this effect occur with only one cohort or subsequent classes? This post led me to wonder if Wright’s experiences are common or not or if the flipped classroom is just a step towards something else entirely, rather than an ending point for instruction. 

7 Things You Should Know About a Flipped Classroom

Boyer, Allison

ET

7 things you should know about a flipped classroom. (2012). Educause. Retrieved from https://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/eli7081.pdf

Summary: This is more of a brochure set-up, but it still offers a lot of information in a short space.  Educause released this to detail 7 important facts about a flipped classroom, which is when the instruction and the the homework is reversed.  With this method of instruction, the teacher (and/or teacher librarian) prepares video lectures (either original or compiled from other sources) for students to view on their own.  This way, classroom time is devoted to hand-on, practical, active learning activities.  With this, students are responsible for their own learning.

 

Review: While this isn’t exactly an article, this brochure gives an excellent and quick debriefing on flipped classrooms.  The seven points are clearly defined and explained.  The layout makes it easy and quick to read.  The scenario they use as an example is also beneficial to understanding the idea of a flipped classroom.  It gives a “real life” example of how to use this method of instruction. The 7 facts contain both the positives and downsides to flipped classroom, which gives a fair representation.

Present Research on the Flipped Classroom and Potential Tools for the EFL Classroom

Nadine Loza
ET, IL

Mehring, J. (2016). Present Research on the Flipped Classroom and Potential Tools for the EFL Classroom. Computers in the Schools, 33(1), 1-10. 

This article is an evaluation of current research on the "flipped classroom" strategy.   The author points to the lack of research done on how teachers of  EFL (English as a Foreign Language) students would benefit from using the flipped model.  The article also offers recommendations and technology tools that could be used and adapted in the EFL classroom.  The flipped classroom is a technique where the teacher uses online video tools to present information to students as homework.  Class time would be used for interactive and engaging activities such as discussions, labs, and group projects.  Recent research conducted on flipped classrooms in K-12 and university have shown positive learning outcomes for students.  Mehring is interested in understanding how English language learners could benefit from this teaching strategy, and offers free technology tools that teachers could use to help adapt their classrooms into a "flipped" model.

In order to truly understand the benefits of the flipped model, more research must be done.  The article points to benefits, however, he focuses on university students in Japan who are studying English as a foreign language.  Mehring should include research on using technology in English language learner classrooms.  The article should also include additional instructor voices on using the flipped classroom.  For example, does it add to their workload?  How many schools and students are equipped with the technology needed for the flipped classroom to be successful?  Overall, the article give a good overview on the flipped strategy and offers free tools that most teachers would find useful.

Beyond Mechanics: Reframing the Pedagogy and Development of Information Literacy Teaching Tools

Posted by Karen Kotchka

IL

Margolin, S. & Hayden, W. (2015). Beyond Mechanics: Reframing the Pedagogy and Development of Information Literacy Teaching Tools. Journal of Academic Librarianship, 41 (5), 602-612, doi: 10.10161.j.acalib.2015.07.001.

Summary

This article focused on the debate around whether the internet has made research papers an obsolete assignment as information is so readily available that students just look it up, gather it ad post it without doing any deep thinking about it.  The authors proposed writing from sources as a replacement for the research paper.  They advocate the process of research rather than the mechanics being taught to learners.  They have created an online Research Toolkit at Hunter College where they work that takes learners through various skills and processes of conducting research.

Evaluation

I thought the article was useful to proposing a new idea to repace the tired research paper but I wish they had included a link to their Research Toolkit.  I was able to do a search and find it through Hunter College and it was a good example of online tutorials

FLIP Instruction

Successful Flipped Instruction

SNIPES, P. p., & SLONE, M. m. (2015). Successful Flipped Instruction. School Library Monthly,31(6), 17-19.

Summary:

Flipping is when the initial low level skills of a lesson are taught at home before being started in a more involved fashion in the classroom or school  library.  Flipped instruction includes use of things like role playing, Web 2.0 tool activities, augmented reality, video conferencing, and makerspaces.    The goal is active engagement of the students in their learning.   Talks about how student motivation in this model is often lacking due to being used to being told the answer and not having to work to discover it themselves.  Talks about the importance of teachers and librarians in the motivation process by providing engaging, interactive, and enjoyable.    The article gives some tips to successful flipping including collaborating with teachers on ideas and tools, building a good toolbox of online tools that can be used at home, assisting in video creation, knowing resources that align well with different standards, and turning the library into an exploratory classroom.  

Evaluation:

This article really provides a good description of flipped instruction and different ways that school librarians can provide the best experience for students using this type of instruction.    I had not heard of flipped learning before and now that I read this article I feel like I have a good grasp on the concept.  I like how it talks about how many students do not like this type of learning because they are used to just finding the answer for test purposes and how librarians can motivate them in various ways to help them enjoy this type of learning more.  It is often hard to change habits but I see this change would be beneficial to the students learning and help enhance it.

How 5 Inspiring Tablet Classrooms Are Changing Edcuation

Megan Westcoat

IL

Noonoo, S. (2014). How 5 Inspiring Tablet Classrooms Are Changing Education. THE Journal (Technological Horizons In Education), 41(7), 11.

Summary:

                                    As much as I appreciate research and theory, articles that give examples of how something is being done inspires me.  I may take something mentioned and do it exactly as described using my own curriculum, or I might take something and tweak it (either the next time or right off the bat).  The idea being that specific ideas give way to greater thinking not more narrow thinking, even though we are often groomed to believe to seeing another’s ideas leads to “copying.”  In any case, this article highlights the work of various instructors and how they are using tablets in their classrooms.   Readers are introduced to a high-school history teacher, a middle school special ed teacher, a 2^nd grade teacher who works with ELL students, and multiple upper level science and math instructors.  In each case they expounded on the ways they are using tablets in the classroom and the benefits of doing so.  The overwhelming theme being that they don’t use the iPads to do things in new ways, but rather, “. . .to do new things in ways not possible before going 1-to1.”

Review: 

21rst century literacies and instruction are somethings I wanted to focus on in my reading plan.  While nowhere in the article does it specifically mention the SAMR model, they present gleaming examples of it.  I particularly liked that the article include the voices and experiences of teacher who are involved in special education and instruction of ELL students. Often those learning groups are forgotten or only included in topic-specific articles.  Furthermore, one high school instructor discusses using tablets to flip his classroom, which in turn allowed him to better know his students.  I think that idea is incredibly powerfully, especially as an instructor of older grades.  In middle or high school teachers are more likely to see upwards of 100 students or more in a day, decreasing the level of personalized instruction feasible.  However, these teachers have found that technology has increased the amount of feedback they can give students and the amount they are able to know about each individual.   

A Half-Flipped Classroom

Friel, Holly

Westermann, Edward B. (2014). A Half-Flipped Classroom. Educational Research Quarterly. 38.2, 43-57.

Summary:

The main focus of this article is to report on an upper division university history course where students accessed primary sources online and shared their thoughts before class through short essays and discussion posts, and during class they were guided through a “student-centered collaborative exercise based on the primary sources.” The approach discussed in this paper is different from a typical “flipped” classroom where the on-line component is usually a professor’s lecture (that person’s interpretation of the material) because students develop their own perspectives of the primary sources rather than having the professor tell them what to think about it.

Review:

If you’re not familiar with the concepts of a “flipped classroom” and “blended learning,” this article, while not its central point, provides good definitions of these two terms.  For example, “flipping” is defined as “an instructional technique [that] focuses on the creation of a student-centered learning environment that leverages technology and emphasizes application and collaboration.” The author references Bloom’s Taxonomy, and how “flipping” is supposed to push students to work at a higher cognitive level.  The author also explains that “blended or hybrid learning” is a combination of in-class meetings and an online component.  In addition, the article describes very interesting uses of primary sources, questioning, and short essay topics.

The Four Important Models of Blended Learning Teachers Should Know About

Bailey, Rachel
ET

The four important models of blended learning teachers should know about. (2014, April 28).   Educational Technology and Mobile Learning. Retrieved from http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2014/04/the-four-important-models-of-blended.html

Summary- This article gives a quick overview of the four models of blended learning. They include: The Flipped Classroom Model, The Flex Model, The Lab Rotation Model, The Station Rotation Model. The article also includes 3 videos of schools that use the models on a day to day basis.

Evaluation- Probably my favorite model is the Flex Model. It showcases persoalized learning at its finest. For this model to work, a lot of thought and collaboration would have to happen behind the scenes and teachers would have to be willing to step out from the confines of the traditional classroom.

Teaching Tip: The Flipped Classroom

Bailey, Rachel
ET

Mok, H. N. (2014). Teaching tip: The flipped classroom. Journal of Information Systems Education, 25 (1), 7-11

Summary- This article discusses how a college professor implemented the flipped classroom concept in one of his computer science classes. For homework, the students watched programming videos and completed online quizes about the videos. Then, they went to class armed with new information and worked with a partner to solve various coding problems. Overall, the students were positive about the flipped classroom experience.

Evaluation: I had never heard of the term "flipped classroom" before, but after reading this article, I realized that I have seen this technique in action. My last year of teaching, the math teachers in my building used this strategy, by assigning math videos for homework and then having the students tackle math problems in the classroom. 

The Use Of Flipped Classrooms In Higher Education: A Scoping Review

Bullard, Sherrie

IL, ET

O'Flaherty, J., & Phillips, C. (2015). The use of flipped classrooms in higher education: A scoping review. Internet & Higher Education, 25, 85-95. doi:10.1016/j.iheduc.2015.02.002


Summary:

There is increasing pressure for Higher Education institutions to undergo transformation, with education being seen as needing to adapt in ways that meet the conceptual needs of our time. Reflecting this is the rise of the flipped or inverted classroom. The purpose of this scoping review was to provide a comprehensive overview of relevant research regarding the emergence of the flipped classroom and the links to pedagogy and educational outcomes, identifying any gaps in the literature which could inform future design and evaluation. The scoping review is underpinned by the five-stage framework Arksey and O'Malley. The results indicate that there is much indirect evidence emerging of improved academic performance and student and staff satisfaction with the flipped approach but a paucity of conclusive evidence that it contributes to building lifelong learning and other 21st Century skills in under-graduate education and post-graduate education.

Evaluation:

I like the idea of the filled classroom. This article provides evidence that the flipped classroom can improve academic performance for students.

Free Technology for Teachers: 100 Practical Ed Tech Tips Videos

Beverly Rupe
IL

Byrne, R. (2015, April 21). Free technology for teachers: 100 practical Ed Tech tips videos [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2015/04/100-practical-ed-tech-tips-videos.html?m=1

Free Technology for Teachers: 100 Practical Ed Tech Tips Videos

Richard Byrne's blog (http://www.freetech4teachers.com/) is a great resource for teachers and librarians. I seem to always find something personally useful, or useful to someone else at work. This is a link to just one very practical example, but every visit to this blog is always worthwhile. A must-add to any PLN.

To Flip or Not to Flip?

Michael Ayala

Bergmann, J. & Waddell, D. (2012). To Flip or Not to Flip? Learning and Leading with Technology, 39 (8), 6-7.

ET

Link: http://libaccess.sjlibrary.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eft&AN=83178471&site=ehost-live

An opinion piece from Learning with Technology, two teachers face off and talk about the virtues and vices of flipping classrooms - leaving lectures to be reviewed at home while class time is used for projects and labs. Jonathan Bergmann, a science teacher, explains once he flipped his class he never went back to the traditional class lecture times. Eliminating lectures in the class results in a more focused curriculum, he explains, and frees up time for teachers to take a close look at their projects
and determine if they are really worthwhile. He concedes not all subjects are good flipping candidates, as math, science, and foreign language would likely benefit more from a lecture format.

Teacher Derrick Waddell argues flipped teaching isn't an advancement in education - it's a side-step. Students are still submitted to lectures, but the difference is they have to wait to go to class to have their questions answered rather than receiving immediate feedback. Flipped teaching also contradicts the push for greater teacher accountability, he argues, as it shifts the responsibility of teaching to students. Finally, flipped classrooms may serve to widen the digital divide, as only students and communities with the finances to support it will be the ones to benefit.

Evaluation:

A good article focusing on the pros and cons to flipping classrooms. This shouldn't be the first article for students new to the concept to read, however once they are familiar with the subject it is a great one to read to understand both sides of the issue. Many articles talk about the virtues of flipped teaching, so exposing oneself to the other side of the matter is highly beneficial.

Can Any School Foster Pure Creativity?

Shawn Pomatto

IL

Soling, C. (2014). Can any school foster pure creativity? Mind/Shift. Retrieved from http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.kqed.org%2Fmindshift%2F2014%2F03%2Fcan-creativity-truly-be-fostered-in-classrooms-of-today%2F%3Futm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Demail%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Bkqed%252FnHAK%2B%2528MindShift%2529&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNHR8pcR4DeAfPVpEWEozd3Dj7QxnQ

The question is how can we promote creativity in schools?  Studies show that creativity can lead to innovation and problem solving capabilities.  So how can we provide an environment which nurtures this type of growth?  The problem is that schools are designed around discipline and rigidity of rules enforcement. Standardized tests results try to suggest that creativity can be measured by a single number.  That is impossible.  Creativity is not designed to be defined by one single definition.  If we are to teach creativity in a school, then we must make fundamental changes in the way in which a school operates.  Creativity is reliant upon unconventional means.  it is the invention of something new and unique.  Therefore a school who doesn't embrace differences, but instead relies upon maintaining order, may not be the right environment for fostering creativity.

What one needs to realize is that we cannot simplify change by only attacking curriculum.  We must also shake the very foundations from which schools are run.  Promoting creativity must be all inclusive and not merely specific to the confines of a classroom.  The entire school needs to comply with the movement in order to significantly make a difference in the lives and learning experiences of students.  Previous standards based tests frowned upon failure.  It was not o.k. to miss test questions.  When in reality, we learn best when we have experienced failure, as we now know what steps will bring us to failure, and which steps will bring us success.  Failure is a necessary step in the process of learning.  If we are to successfully promote creativity in schools, then we must be prepared to let some of the control escape our grasps, and allow that control to be embraced and facilitate by our students.

No More MOOCs

Jack, Gordon

Levinson, M. (2014, March 4). No More MOOCs: Pay Attention to Beyonce. Edutopia. Retrieved March 5, 2014, from http://www.edutopia.org/blog/no-moocs-learn-from-beyonce-matt-levinson?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+EdutopiaNewContent+%28Edutopia%29&clReload=7844bd28

Summary

In this article, Levinson makes the analogy between changes in the music industry with changes in education.  Just as listeners are buying singles rather than a whole album, Levinson recommends that educators allow students to assemble pieces of information themselves instead of taking an entire course.  He states the weak completion rates of online MOOCs as evidence that today’s student doesn’t want an “album” of curriculum.  Instead, more and more learners are gravitating to YouTube to select the “singles” of content they are most interested in.

The article suggests that educators take note of this phenomenon and crowdsource their course content.  “When the learning experience is constructed for students to find problems, generate questions and devise solutions to authentic challenges,” Levinson writes, “then the need surfaces for students to seek information.”  Levinson quotes Dr. Mark David Milliron who suggests that educators “turn students loose” on a topic and let them gather all the material they can from any source they can and then share the resources they used.  From there, the teacher can “create customized playlists for units of study.”

Evaluation

I don’t quite buy Levinson’s music analogy to education.  Some of the best music on an album isn’t always the hit singles, just as some of the most important information isn’t the kind students will easily find.  Also, sometimes a song needs to be heard in the context of the entire album to appreciate its value, just as parts of class only become significant in light of the other information presented in the course.  Still, I appreciate his suggestions for making learning more meaningful to students by engaging them with compelling topics and questions and allowing students’ curiosity to drive their information seeking behavior.  I think this is a great way to hook kids, present a variety of content, and make learning more relevant.  From there, the teacher needs to help organize this information to give it some coherence and meaning.