OER

Open education resources are using modern technology in the best way possible.  OER's are educational resources published online for anyone to use.  They are often free and as this article says, many come from educational institutions.  There are so many benefits to OER.  It is instant access to vast amounts of reputable information.  It allows people who can't go to those insitutions or talk directly to experts to access their knowledge.  Before I read 7 Things You Should Know About OER I had heard about these resources but I learned a lot about the vast quantities of open educational resources out there.

I began looking into OER's that will be beneficial to me.  When I was in middle school I had a serious issue with bringing home books for homework.  I left them at school all the time and thus could not complete my work and then suffered the consequences.  Open education resources often included textbooks that are completely online that would eliminate this problem. This algebra book is actually one I have seen in a classroom.
As a student now there are times when I feel that the resources given in classes just do not explain a given topic accurately. Also some teachers offer biased points of view.  For example my philosophy teacher presents everything from a very Catholic standpoint, and admits it.  This course from M.I.T. talks about similar topics but from another point of view.  I feel that it helps me see perspective.\
Finally as a future teacher I can use these resources to go beyond the materials my school can offer me.  I may teach in a school that doesn't have the budget to buy new books or there are gaps that need filled in a curriculum.  Or maybe a student just needs extra help. Resources such as this one can help me in my endevors as a teacher.

This site from Penn State offers up their resources as part of an initiative. PSU Open Education Resources. This site tells you about top OER sites and materials. Finally this site seems good for elementary education teachers.

Teaching Channel

Teaching Channel is an incredible resource for teachers.  Often teachers and students seek educational videos to help drive home their point. This often leads to youtube which can be incredibly unreliable. You can spend hours searching for what you need, which makes sense with the immense content of youtube.

Teaching Channel is the (much, much) easier way to find edcuational videos.  It divides the videos into catergories based on subjects, grade level, and topics.  There is a vast array of content from.  I really enjoyed watching these videos and I know that I will keep this site in mind when I become a teacher.  Not only can I show this videos in my class, I can also find things like planning tools and classroom management ideas. (If you have an account you can even save content into an online drive called your "lesson planner"!!)

This video interested me in particular:

Flip Learning

Well What Is It?

     I think K. Walsh, from Emerging Ed. Tech, states the goals best "students consume learning content (i.e. ‘the lecture’) outside of the classroom, usually as homework, thereby freeing up valuable face-to-face classroom time to reinforce materials and work on assigned work."
     In a traditional classroom teachers lecture and instruct during meeting time and then assign homework, which is students are responsible for. In a flipped classroom the lectures, or instructional material are recoreded or delieved electronically and then actual class time is spent on application.

Possible Outcomes?

     This has so many benefits in today's day and age.  Teachers are being pressured to teach more and more and there simply isn't time in the day.  If students are responsible for watching and taking notes on a lecture at home then time with the teacher can be spent on higher order thinking.  When you have limited time to discover a topic you do not always get to those higher levels. This article reviewing Sam's and Bergman's book "Flip Your Classroom" breaks down other benefits.  Walsh states flipping has benefits for all types of students: busy students, students who are struggling, students of all ability levels and they can all excel.  Also it helps teachers interact with their students more, get to know your students better, differentiate styles, talk to parents and can even help with classroom management. There is something in it for everyone.  You can reach students it ways you never though possible and allow students that could never succeed to do great things. 
     Students who have special needs can benefit from a flipped classroom as well.  Many of these students need to work at their own pace or have adaptations. A flipped classroom is a wonderful way to make adaptations that do not affect your whole class.  Peggy Hammeken talks about differentiated intstruction in her book "The Teacher's Guide to Inclusive Education." Differentiated instruction focuses on a students' strengths and breaks apart content, process, and evalutaion.  A flipped classroom is an excellent vehicle to teach this way.  You can evaluate the appropriate content, and then in the actually teaching process you can use a flipped classroom to allow these students the time and style they need to learn. 
     21st Century Learners are being called to do different things than learners in the past. This video describes this very well.


This algebra teacher shows how beneficial flip learning has been in her classroom.

Drawbacks?

While Bart over there is meant to be a joke there are some downfalls to reverse instruction.  On the other side of special education flipped classrooms could be harmful to these students.  If they can not use the technology or do not understand they can become easily frustrated.  In fact any student can become easily frustrated.  They would be exposed to new content without the teacher, who is the expert instructor, to answer questions and help them work through any issues. Also when looking at this type of instruction you must think about your student's home life.  Some of your students may not have access to a computer when they are away from school.  In a flipped classroom there is really no way for them to recieves the lectures other than that computer, unless you make special arrangements.  This could pose some issues.  As with any new technique you try you must think about your students and what is best for them and what they need to get out of your class.

Implications?

     As a student I think this is great.  There is nothing more boring than sitting in a lecture that the teacher is reading off of a PowerPoint.  I am not dumb. I can read. Give me the notes to read before class, or let me watch a video or several and then use those facts and topics during class.  Make us apply the knowledge we have gained in a discussion, or a project, or a blog post (such as this one).  A teacher who uses reverse instruction could be much more effective and cover a greater amount of material in a college course which has so much flexibilty.

     As a teacher I could one day be teaching in a school such as Clintondale High School in Detroit.  The school has completely flipped and is seeing great amounts of success. They refer to their teachers as exceptional facilitators of learning, which is exactly what Edinboro is aiming to train us as.  As a teacher this gives you so much more time to actually spend with your students, working on the material as a team and allowing for discovery.  When all that flexibility in instruction is taken away by standards and AYP this gives you that back.  This gives you the chance for more in class time to develop ideas and confirm understanding rather than gaining basic knowledge. 
     A flipped classrooom has endless possibilities for both teacher and student.

     This site has many great ideas about reverse instructions and 21st century teaching and learning overall.