How to start planning the "in class" part of a flipped classroom

It is very important that when flipping a classroom, we do not go backwards in our pedagogy. 

Hopefully, in your classes, you've worked very hard to work inquiry and problem solving into the fabric of your lessons.  It is very easy to get away from that with flipping.  It is very easy to just have your students watch a video for homework, and have them practice in class.  And yes, sometimes this should happen.  But most of the time, the time that we free up in class should be used to not just go through skill drills, but to have deep discussion, collaboration, and hopefully have your students solve an actual realistic problem.



The Conference Board of Canada has outlined some important employability skills on their website, and they're grouped into:

• Fundamental skills
• Communicate, Manage information, Use Numbers, Solve Problems
• Personal management skills
• Demonstrate positive attitudes, Be adaptable, Be responsible, Learn continuously, Work safely
• Teamwork Skills
• Work well with others, Participate in projects and tasks

So every time I have my students work in class, I check myself and see if I've given them the opportunity to work on these skills. 

Numerous other organisations have put together other lists which they value which we should be checking our classroom practices against (click the links for the lists):

The Exeter Academy in the UK

The Rainmaker's Group - Google's approach to hiring

University of Toronto

So please, when you flip your classroom, don't expect amazing results just because you've recorded yourself and you're giving students the same homework sheets in class.  It is important that we utilize the class time to do something that we have always wanted to do - build in MORE realistic, inquiry based, collaborative learning.

Keep on flipping.