‘Flipped Instruction’ headlines CAREI Assembly in March

2CAREIAssembly3-9-12Over 50 educational leaders attended the Center for Applied Research and Educational Improvement (CAREI) Assembly on “flipped instruction” in March. Teachers and school leaders from more than a dozen school districts as well as staff from the College of Education and Human Development, including Dean Quam, participated in a spirited discussion on the topic.
In a flipped classroom, lessons are sent home with students as podcasts and videos, and the “homework” happens back at school with the teacher. This flipped approach allows teachers to spend the majority of their class time coaching and supporting students based on their individual needs.
Assembly presenters included: Mike Dronen, Kristin Daniels, and Wayne Feller from Stillwater Area Public Schools and Jon Fila from Intermediate School District #287. Stillwater’s pilot began with six fifth-grade teachers using the flipped model for math instruction in fall 2011. Based on the success of the pilot, 26 Stillwater teachers have agreed to flip their math classes this spring. Fila shared information and resources from Intermediate District #287 that related to using Moodle in a flipped setting. He presented on content creation, effective elements, and the benefits of using a web-based curriculum for students and teachers.
The CAREI Assembly is unique among all Research One universities in bringing together university researchers and school practitioners on a regular basis. The assembly serves a vital link between research and practice. Together, faculty, researchers, and school leaders share the latest findings, discuss upcoming issues, and debate the newest solutions to educational reform. CAREI has done so,more or less quarterly, for nearly 20 years. For more information on CAREI and the assembly visit this website.