Flipped Classroom Education to enhance effectiveness of digital approach

Conventional teacher-oriented teaching has diverted towards the learner centered education across the globe during the last few decades with the development of behavioural and technological dimensions.  Outcome Based Education (OBE) paved the way for developed education systems to materialize the prettiness of expected learning outcomes and to produce right candidates to the labour market.  

Learner centered education is a revolutionary shift for conventional education systems as it requires attitude alteration of all stakeholders.  Nevertheless, the evolution of generation Z and the technological unification have induced structural changes in traditional teacher centered education. 

Covid epidemic and the worst days of economic crisis in Sri Lanka forced its education system to alter the delivery mode from in class to online as a mode of connecting teacher and the learner, by initiating various opportunities for trial-and-error efforts in revolutionizing the education.  The digitalization of traditional classroom learning environment must be equipped with simultaneous learning and teaching developments to reap the expected benefits. 

Nevertheless, pedagogical dialogue is essential to implement outcome-based education with the in class digital interface.  Flipped class education as a mode of outcome-based learning and teaching mechanism could be implemented concurrently with the introduction of smartboards to classrooms.

Flipped class could be a novel experience for Sri Lankan education practices as in class teaching and teacher dependency  has been in practice for decades.  Flipped class turns the entire learning and teaching practices upside down.  Accordingly, learners explore the respective theoretical aspects pertaining to the sessions, prior to the class based on various sources of knowledge such as textbooks, lecture video, presentations, and lecture notes. The in-class session is carefully designed to briefly discuss the content and to engage in related learner-based activities or discussions to demonstrate the application of theories and concepts to meet respective learning outcomes. 

However, the preliminary phase of flipped class implementation is challenging as the conventional learning habit is to listen to the teacher.  The role of the teacher in the flipped classroom converts to an expert facilitator to nurture learners towards intended learning outcomes based on real world examples and applications.  Textbooks, lecture notes and related questions and optionally video lecture materials could be made available for learners to refer to at home. The learner with an unfinished mindset shall be facilitated with appropriate activities in the classroom to ensure the achievement of learning outcomes.  The responsibility of the facilitator is to make the in-class session interesting to the learner for a pleasant learning experience. 

Nonetheless, Sri Lankan education system may find its own prospects and obstructions in implementing flipped classrooms. Both government and private schools, universities and institutes have their textbooks for each module and teachers may perhaps share respective session notes with learners to refer to. Video recordings might not perfectly work due to various  technology and device-based issues for a portion of learners. There has to be an induced action to encourage learners for the newfound homework.  Teachers may possibly make the in-class session interactive and interesting with smartboards and activity-based context while completely revolutionizing conventional teaching role into learner centered facilitator protagonist.  Hence, appropriate training sessions as well as peer discussions are required for behavioral and attitude shift.  Accordingly, teacher training curriculums require necessary amendments and updates to inculcate early teaching careers.  Availability of continuous and complete broadband services to schools, universities and institutions is mandatory to ensure the best use of smartboards. 

The flipped classroom model ensures that the knowledge is not a heritage of teachers, but learners’ as free sources of knowledge are available at any time.  Teachers may perhaps reflect inherent expertise to enhance the analytical skills of learners to support self-reflection. 

Hence, flipped classroom practices may generate more benefits to learners as they have three phases of learning namely: before, during and after to reach higher order skills with the support of teachers. Knowing the purpose of learning is significant.  Engaging in activities and experiencing also add more values for learners to be confident.  Skills certification instead of failure is a blessing for learners to shape up their career. Availability of assistance to solve questions in the classroom rather than at home will reduce unnecessary stress and fear of learners attending school while making a strong bond between teachers. A learning environment that Induces learners to apply concepts with curios mind may perhaps produce entrepreneurial spirit. Skills based learners would be an asset to the labor market with guaranteed employment opportunities. 

Therefore, the smart board refurbishment to revolutionize the conventional classroom may have to equipped with outcome based educational principles via flipped class implementation to experience the best return on investment to ensure the benefits of free education system in Sri Lanka, not only to produce employment opportunities for the local labor market but also to the global economy. 

(Baratha Dewanarayana, Senior Lecturer/consultant,

School of Business, National Institute of Business Management.)