If you’re not quite ready to embrace a full-scale Learning Management System, why not dip a toe in the water by trying flipped learning?

What is Flipped Learning?

Flipped learning is a great way to “try on” an LMS platform because it eases learners into the scenario of not having someone droning on in front of them for hours on end. The concept was originally introduced in rural schools to help students who had issues with class attendance due to extra-curricular commitments, and too much distance from the next-nearest school they could attend classes at in order to make up missed work. To keep students from falling behind in their work, teachers took advantage of Power Point technology, added voice and supplemental annotations and distributed the videos online so students could easily access them from home or on other devices.

From there, lessons and lectures were recorded using screen capture software and made available online on YouTube. Some schools now have their own YouTube channels so students can access classes they’ve missed due to illness or other reasons. Pilot programs in some schools have shown that these “flipped” classes have increased student interaction and enhanced the role of the teacher in this interactive scenario. This method has “virtually” reduced class size, allowing students to learn the material at their own pace, as opposed to getting lost in shuffle of a large classroom. Teachers can better assess academic performance and organize tutorial groups, if needed, to address the needs of students who are not grasping the material.

While some educators are concerned about how flipped learning could affect the culture of learning, developers of this system believe that it has a positive effect on students, giving them learning goals as opposed to just striving to complete assignments. They come to truly understand the material instead of just viewing it as a stepping stone on the way to another topic. Flipped learning also gives students the ability to better focus, due to less classroom distraction and more engagement with the material they are working with.

Flipped Learning Can Also Benefit Learners in the Work Place

While students at all levels are reaping the benefits of flipped learning in schools, businesses that are considering a Learning Management System can try out a flipped learning scenario before heading full boar into an LMS platform. Corporate learners can acclimatize themselves by watching mini lectures and short training presentations to get used to the format of online learning. Learners obtain answers to questions, discuss examples, put what they’ve learned in context, debate, explore, and extend their knowledge. Instead of passively listening to a boring instructor, they actively engage the material. Instructors focus on helping learners understand things and coaching individuals. These activities can take place online, and people can learn from one another in virtual communities and support groups.

In all, flipped learning can be a “win-win” as an effective precursor to a more comprehensive LMS commitment.

Coggno.com is a leading provider of high quality Learning Management Systems