Implementing A Flipped Classroom: A Case Study of Biology Teaching in A Greek High School
The purpose of this study was to investigate the application of the model of the “flipped classroom” as a complementary method to school distance education in junior high school Biology. The “flipped classroom” model attempts a different way of organizing the educational process according to which the traditional methods of learning at school and studying at home are interchanged, the learners’ active involvement is supported, their autonomy is reinforced, ICT is utilized and learning occurs partially by distance (blended learning). We performed an action research implementing flipped classroom in Biology teaching in a class of 17 students attending the1st year of junior high school. The educational platform used was the Learning Activity Management System (LAMS). The findings were evaluated qualitative rather than quantitative, and can provide evidence about the prevailing situation. During the action research, it became evident that time management in the classroom was improved. Furthermore, it was observed that students’ involvement in the educational process was also improved. Students had already familiarized themselves with the cognitive aspect of the lesson before entering the class and they considered the learning process as an individual affair which does not only depend on the teacher. The implementation of digital activities accomplished by distance led to taking action and initiative and finally to active learning. School distance education combined with the radical development of ICT can be complementary with the use of various methods, like the “flipped learning”, and give a new perspective and potential to the limited choices of conventional education in the Greek educational system which is worth further investigation.
___
- Altrrichter, H., Posch, P., Somekh, B. (2001). Teachers investigate their work. An
introduction to the methods of action research. Deligianni M. (trsl). Athens:
Metaixmio, (in Greek).
Anderson, T., & Dron, J. (2011). Three generations of distance education
pedagogy.International Review of Research on Distance and Open Learning: Vol
12, No3.
Anderson, L.W., & Krathwohl, I. (2001). A Taxonomy for Learning, Teaching, and
Assessing: a Revision of Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives. New York:
Longman.
Baker, J. W. (2000). The" classroom flip": Using web course management tools to become
the guide by the side. In: Selected Papers from the 11th International
Conference on College Teaching and Learning, Florida Community College at
Jacksonville, pp. 9-17.
63
Bergmann, J., Overmyer, J., Wilie, B. (2011). The Flipped Class: Myths Vs. Reality.
Retrieved from: http://www.thedailyriff.com/articles/the-flipped-classconversation-689.php
Bishop, J. L., & Verleger, M. A. (2013). The flipped classroom: A survey of the research. In
ASEE National Conference Proceedings, Atlanta, GA.
Britain S. (2004). A Review of Learning Design: Concept, Specifications and Tools.A report
for the JISC E-learning Pedagogy Programme. Retrieved from:
www.elearning.ac.uk/subjects/ldfold/LD/topic_view
Cleveland-Innes, M.F., & Garrison, D.R. (2010) An Introduction to Distance Education:
Understanding Teaching and Learning in a New Era. New York: Taylor & Francis.
Dalziel, J. (2003). Implementing Learning Design: The Learning Activity Management
System (LAMS), Sydney: E-learning Centre of Excellence (MELCOE), Macquarie
University. Retrieved from www.melcoe.mq.edu.au/documents/ASCILITE2003%
20Dalziel%20Final.pdf
Dede, C., (1996). The evolution of distance education: Emerging technologies and
distributed learning. The American Journal of Distance Education, Vol 10, No 2,
pp. 4-36.
Estes, M. D., Ingram, R., Liu, J. C. (2014). A review of flipped classroom research, practice,
and technologies. International HETL Review, Volume 4, Article 7, Retrieved
from: https://www.hetl.org/feature-articles/a-review-of-flipped-classroomresearch-practice-and-technologies
Flipped Learning Network. (2014). Flipped Learning continues to trend for third year.
Speak Up 2014 National Research Project Findings. Retrieved from:
http://flippedlearning.org/cms/lib07/VA01923112/Centricity/Domain/4/Speak
%20Up%20FLN%202014%20Survey%20Results%20FINAL.pdf
Gariou, A. (2012a). Division of the organisms according to their eating habits. Reference
URL: http://photodentro.edu.gr/lor/r/8521/363 (in Greek).
Gariou, A. (2012b). Detection of starch produced in the leaves during photosynthesis. The
importance of light. Reference URL: http://photodentro.edu.gr/lor/r/8521/3137
(in Greek).
Gariou, A. (2012c). Photosynthesis. Reference URL: http://photodentro.edu.gr/
lor/r/8521/1302 (in Greek).
Hamdan, N., McKnight, P., McKnight, K., Arfstrom, K. (2013). A review of flipped learning.
Flipped Learning Network. Retrieved from:
http://www.flippedlearning.org/cms/
lib07/VA01923112/Centricity/Domain/41/LitReview_FlippedLearning.pdf
Hertz, M. (2012).The Flipped Classroom: Pro and Con.Edutopia. Retrieved from:
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/flipped-classroom-pro-and-con-mary-bethhertz.htm
Jukes, I., McCain, T., Crockett, L. (2010).Understanding the digital generation. Kelowna,
B.C.: 21st Century Fluency Project & Corwin.
64
Kandroudi, M., & Bratitsis, T. (2013). The Flipped Teaching as a collaborative learning
approach: Literature review. In: Proceedings of 3rd National Conference
“Integration of ICT in the educational process” of the Hellenic Union ICT in
education (EICT), Department Of Digital Systems, Univercity of Piraeus, Piraeus,
10-12 May 2013, (in Greek).
Katsarou, H. & Tsafos, V. (2003). From research to teaching: Educational action research.
Athens: Savalas, (in Greek).
Kurtz, G., Tsimerman, A., Steiner-Lavi, O. (2014). The Flipped-Classroom Approach: The
Answer to Future Learning? European Journal of Open, Distance and ELearning.Vol
17, No 2, pp. 172–182, DOI: 10.2478/eurodl-2014-0027.
Lionarakis, A. (2003). A preliminary framework for the theory of Open and Distance
Learning - the evolution of its complexity. 12
th Conference of the European
Distance Education Network, Rhodes, June 15-18.
Lionarakis, A. (2001). Open and distance polymorphic education: onsiderations for a
qualitative approach of designing teaching materials. In A. Lionarakis (Ed).
Opinions and concerns for open and distance education. Athens: Propobos, (in
Greek).
Manousou, G. (2008). Specifications of the pedagogical framework for implementing
polymorphic, complementary distance learning for environmental education,
elementary students, oligothesiwn and remote schools in Greece. PhD Thesis,
HOU, Reference URL: http://phdtheses.ekt.gr/eadd/handle/10442/15961 (in
Greek).
Mauger, S. (2002). E-Learning is about people not technology, Adults Learning, Vol.13, No
7, pp. 9-11.
Mayer, R.E. (2005). Principles of Multimedia Learning Based on Social Cues:
Personalization, Voice and Image Principles. In R.E. Mayer (ed.): The Cambridge
handbook of multimedia learning, (pp. 201-212).
Means, B., Toyama, Y., Murphy, R., Bakia, M., Jones, K. (2010).Evaluation of evidencebased
practices in online learning: A meta-analysis and review of online learning
studies. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Planning,
Evaluation, and Policy Development. Retrieved from:
http://www2.ed.gov/rschstat/eval/tech/evidence-basedpractices/finalreport.pdf.
Papadakis, S. (2010). Open Education: Designing, developing, monitoring, sharing,
adapting and reusing sequences of learning activities in LAMS, 1
st Free Open
Source Software for Education Hellenic Conference, Chania, 16-18 April 2010, (in
Greek).
Papadakis, S., Papadimitriou, S. & Gariou, A. (2014). eTwinning program implementation
for use of the “flipped classroom” methodology – workshop. 1st National
Conference on: “Utilization of ICT in collaborative school projects”, 14-16
November, Patras, Greece, (in Greek).
Papadakis, S. & Paschalis, G. (2009). Teaching with the Learning Activity Management
System LAMS: The teacher's experience. 1st Educational Conference on:
“Integration and use of ICT in educational process”, 24-26 April, Volos, Greece,
(in Greek).
65
Pearson & The Flipped Learning Network (2013). Flipped Learning Professional
Development. Retrieved from http://www.pearsonschool.com/flippedlearning
Roehl, A., Reddy, S. L. & Shannon, G. J. (2013). The Flipped Classroom: An Opportunity to
Engage Millennial Students through Active Learning Strategies. Journal of Family
& Consumer Sciences, 105(2), 44-49.
Sams, A., & Bergmann, J. (2012). Flip your classroom: Reach every student in every class
every day. International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE).
Strayer, J. (2007).The effects of the classroom flip on the learning environment: a
comparison of learning activity in a traditional classroom and flip classroom that
used an intelligent tutoring system. Ph.D. dissertation, Ohio State University.
Themelis, S. (2001). The contribution of open and distance education in equal
opportunities in education and in the fight against social exclusion. Retrieved
from: http://www.eap.gr/news/EXAG-GELIA_SYNEDRIOU/synedrio/html/
sect2/100.htm (in Greek).
Vasala, P. (2005). School Distance Education. In: A. Lionarakis (ed.). Open and Distance
Education: Pedagogical and Technological Application, Vol D, Patras: HOU, (in
Greek).