Reflection on Flipped Classroom

 On reflection I think that the flipped classroom is an interesting idea if you want to do learning that is largely based on presentation. You use presentation outside of the classroom. Then you do your understanding of the presentation and further steps from the presentation inside the classroom. I think it is a step forward.But while we see the benefits of creating flipped classroom we also have to deal with the fact that some educators will never get to this stage, simply because to them tradition may be the mightiest force. A lot of them are not excited about the idea that they might have to move out of their comfort zone.  Some educators just do not know how to make the transition from a lecture-based classroom to one that includes more student-centered activities.  As an educator becoming a facilitator and tour guide of learning possibilities and  offering these possibilities to the learners and then getting out of the way  makes more sense than be forever standing in front of the class acting as if I know it all.

Flipped Classroom

I am of the view that flipping the classroom can  transform our teaching practices here in SVG. We will no longer have to stand in front of our students and talk at them for thirty to sixty minutes at a time. This radical change will allowed us to take on a different role with our students.
Flipping can transformed our classes in so many ways, but I am going to look at two very important ways I think will be benefical in our context here in St.Vincent and the Grenadines.

•  Student interaction and;
•  parent responses to flipping.

One of the greatest benefits of flipping is that overall interaction increases.The interactions between the teachers and the students increase, because the teachers now acts as a facilitator instead of acting as the person who has all the knowledge, there is also more interaction between, students and students, which allows for the development of  their own collaborative groups in the classrooms. The students work together to help each other to learn and they learn from each other.
Flipping also changes the way that teachers and parents communicate about their students . Gone will be the days when parents scome to to our open days to find out how their children are behaving in class. With this type of classrooms there will be one need for that; as parents would be coming specifically to find out how  as teachers can make their children better learners.They would therefore be seeking answers to the following questions;

•  Do they have some missing background knowledge?
•  Do they have personal issues that interfere with their learning?  Or are they more concerned with "playing school"  or "wasting time"rather than learning. 

When we (the parents and teachers) can diagnose why the child is not learning we create a powerful moment where the necessary interventions can be implemented.

Reflection Assignment 2

At first when I looked at the assignment I thought it was very difficult, but after doing my readings and some research I realise it was not difficult and I did enjoy doing it. Working on this assignment was also an eye opener for me. It made me reflect deeply on the present situation here in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, where most educational institutions who are integrating ICT into their programmes wants a computer lab. They often are not advised to look at other options to ensure that students would have optimum benefits from the integration of these ICT’s. I am now better able to advice the Ministry of Education  and schools on how best to implement ICT's to advance our educational systems.

 

Hi, I,m Albena Samuel Jack. Literacy Officer at the Curriculum Development Unit , Ministry of Education. I was a classroom teacher for 24 years before being transferred to the then CCETT Programme at the division of Teacher Education. When that programme ended I was assigned to the CDU in January 2011. I am of the firm belief that Information Communication Technology (ICT) is a connstantly developing subject within the society, it has become a part of our culture. Therefore, it is important that as educators we understand fundamentally how ICT can be used to help our students solve problems. It is generally believed that ICTs can empower teachers and learners, making significant contributions to learning and achievement. With the rapid change in technology that has happened  here in St. Vincent, by the introduction of the  one laptop per child initiative, I firmly believe that as educators we must teach children to use these technologies to their advantage. We should ensure that our students's level of interest is harnessed and that the combination of effective use of the available resources and teaching would yield a society of ICT thinkers that can use technology to their advantage, and seek to become effect problem solvers.