THE 21st century has introduced us to a new wave of the future, including the rapidly advancing segments in higher education. This continuous development in technology opened up various opportunities for education and how to conduct learning.
As a leader of digital education excellence, Malayan Colleges Mindanao, A Mapúa School (MCM), first introduced Blended Learning in Mindanao in 2018 and readily implemented fully online classes when the challenge posed by the global pandemic arose. These new education media provide students online platforms to virtually interact with their teachers and classmates and encourage self-paced learning.
Among the most popular trends in education is Flipped Learning. The Flipped Learning model is a Blended Learning subtype that hinges on the process of introducing students to the learning content -- either through pre-recorded lecture videos or other necessary learning materials -- before working through the lessons with their teachers in class. This is opposed to the common practice of introducing lessons in class and giving students homework and projects to work on independently after. Essentially, Flipped Learning carries instructions from a group to an individual learning space.
Usually, each course would require students to attend one to two synchronous classes in a week. Freeing up a few days in a week allows for more individual study time. Class time can then be used for detailed discussions and collaborative learning.
Advantages of Flipped Learning
The traditional classroom setting is a teacher-centered learning environment where teachers are tasked to talk, and students are exclusively passive receivers of learning content. When given an activity, students are asked to work alone, and collaborations are not strongly encouraged. However, knowing that students are naturally curious, they are eager to seek knowledge actively.
Being a student-centered approach, flipped learning shifts the objectives of education to the students’ learning demands. Here are the significant benefits students can reap from flipped learning:
1. Students develop independent learning skills.
Being able to learn independently is a valuable skill any student can develop. Time constraints in regular classes had been among the hurdles for in-class lectures. Either lesson is taught at a fast pace or the other way around. With flipped learning, students may study their lessons at their convenience through lecture videos. These lecture videos fill in the role of the teachers as the source of information, enabling them to create their self-studying process and digest the lessons at their own pace.
2. Students learn more deeply.
Students are most likely able to build a deeper understanding of course concepts through active learning. In a traditional setting, it is the teacher’s responsibility to communicate the lessons through lectures effectively. This passive learning experience for students often results in disengagement or disinterest in studies.
Flipped learning has placed students in the driver’s seat, wherein they are provided with opportunities to grasp lessons at their own pace. They are now more involved in the discussion and the construction of ideas and insights on course topics. With the help of their teachers and classmates, knowledge acquired by students is further expanded through detailed discussions in class.
3. Students get to apply their learnings.
Understanding a concept itself does not guarantee that the learnings can be put into practice effectively. Class time in flipped learning is an excellent opportunity for students to place their understandings into practical application. This provides an avenue for students to enhance their practical skills with hands-on class activities and tasks. Flipped learning ensures that students get to apply what they have learned for improved thinking and decision-making.
Flipped Learning has reframed the roles of teachers and students in a classroom. This new approach creates new and engaging ways to acquire knowledge and gives students control over their learning. Successfully incorporating technological innovation with learning and instruction provides a space that equally benefits the needs of advanced and academically struggling students.
Malayan Colleges Mindanao continues to improve its education system by efficiently leveraging technology to heighten student experience and to cater to the educational demands of every 21st-century student, especially those who are learning remotely. In line with its mission to educate young minds, MCM aims to provide learners a premium learning environment while fostering them into globally competitive and innovative professionals.
You can learn more about MCM’s digital education methods at mcm.edu.ph, or contact 0918 918 1626, 0999 227 7493, or 0917 831 8048. (PR)