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Writer's pictureSarah Hilton

Easy ideas for flipped learning in the business classroom

Updated: Dec 6, 2023

In brief:

As teachers we all want students to engage with the topics and flipped learning has been gaining popularity since 2014. Traditional teaching gives students information during the lesson and they can then think it over after the lesson. Flipped learning seeks to give students information before the lesson and use the classroom time to apply the concepts learnt.


Flipped learning is a methodology that is rooted in active learning where students are given materials and resources to view before the lesson. The theory is that students will learn better if lesson time is used by the teacher to direct group activities or individual tasks based on the materials given ahead of time. In essence, what a teacher sets for homework is now done in the classroom and the taught lesson content is completed for homework.


Flipped classroom – ideas for materials to send out ahead of time

  • A PowerPoint with the teacher’s narration can be sent for students to view ahead of the lesson. (Quick plug) The Revisionstation teaching packs contain PowerPoints that can be easily adapted to flipped learning. If the PowerPoints are opened in Office 365 the narration function can easily be recorded and saved as part of the presentation.

  • Students can be sent some links to video clips to view before the lesson, they should be instructed to write down any questions they had after the video ready for a discussion

  • Past paper questions and case studies can be sent out in advance of the lesson so that students can prepare a plan or a series of bullets in a feedback session


Flipped classroom – ideas for learning activities in class time

  • Class time can be used for students to plan essays to past paper questions (all topics)

  • Students can work in small groups to discuss case study materials, the problems within them and possible solutions (finance questions)

  • Students debate topics of the materials that were sent to them (ethics)

  • Give presentations (all topics)

  • Current events discussions (especially around the budget)

  • Designing games (HRM, production methods)

  • Peer reviewing (past paper essays)

  • Students writing quizzes or Kahoots (revision)

  • A carousel of activities in the room, different activities on each table and students move around the room completing each activity (CPA, Decision trees etc)

Benefits

  1. Students can choose when and where they view the materials ahead of time putting them in control of their own learning

  2. As the lesson starts students are already familiar with the material and class time will help them to clarify, digest, consolidate and solidify concepts.

  3. Students learn more deeply and retain a greater proportion of the information given

  4. Students can use critical thinking in the lesson and with active learning comes a more hands-on approach. This is more interesting, motivating and challenging to students.

  5. Flipped learning provides students with different ways to learn content and also gives them opportunities to engage in meaningful learning activities in class time. Less writing notes and more application time.

  6. More time in lessons for the teacher to give feedback to students and to introduce exam technique methods


Possible drawbacks

  1. Students won’t like the change

  2. Students dislike the more active lessons whereas they could be passively writing notes before

  3. Students will complain that they are teaching themselves

  4. In this post-pandemic climate, parents may also worry that students are not getting enough teacher guidance

  5. There is a concern that grades, scores, and marks will be lower

  6. Too much preparation time is required, although once a teacher has saved a PowerPoint with a narration this can be used for multiple groups, and for revision. It can be uploaded to Teams or to a Moodle for students to view.


Flipped learning seeks to change the role of the teacher from lecturer to facilitator, and is a useful skill to have in teaching business in the modern classroom. There is no right or wrong way to do this. I hope that you will be able to try this out using your Revisionstation business teaching resource pack by sending students the STUDENT version of the PowerPoint ahead of time.




Sarah is a business teacher trainer; she has taught business for 23 years and has been a business examiner for over 20 years. If you would like to book a staff CPD session or exam revision session for students (via Zoom) please email: revisionstation@hotmail.co.uk
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1 Comment


Guest
May 25

Hi. In my training, I practice creating video lessons using https://www.movavi.com/support/how-to/mac/how-to-record-screen-with-audio-on-mac.html . In addition to regular lectures, this works well + the student can independently study the topic, perform a practical lesson.

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