Exploring the flipped classroom : possibilities and limitations

Dissertação de mestrado, Educação (Área de especialização em Educação e Tecnologias Digitais), Universidade de Lisboa, Instituto de Educação, 2016At the dawn of the Information Age, despite the slow digital integration of mainstream education for the XXI century in most of the world, there are already new trends in education using digital technology that are revolutionizing education as we know it. One of such is the Flipped Classroom, a blended learning model growing quickly throughout the education innovators in the US and around the world. Many claim this model teaches necessary XXI century skills for, and when applied correctly can help students learn faster and reach higher levels of learning. The Flipped Classroom is an education model that inverts the traditional classic teacher-centred classroom model upside down, into a student centred structured, where student use digital technology (or not) to learn the material for homework, usually in 10-15 minute videos, and use the class time for application of the material, usually using active learning and collaborative learning strategies. The following qualitative research project offers a comprehensive theoretical qualitative exploration of the Flipped Classroom Blended Learning model involving a non-directive interview with ten educational specialists in the Flipped Classroom model, including teachers, professors, and instructional designers who have converted their instruction to this model and who believe this is the future of education. Each of the interviewees were interviewed via Google Hangouts and Skype. The purpose of the study was to identify the possibilities and limitations of a flipped learning classroom environmente at of all levels, from elementary school to university. This study hopes to assist professionals in determining the value of flipped learning for any educational purpose, by helping teachers make a skift into XXI Century education based on research proven data, and effectively shift learning responsability in ways that improve learner outcomes. The nature of this study is fundamentally of informative character, exploring the possibilities and limitations of the Flipped Classroom teaching model specifically for teachers and educational professionals (as well as students and families) interested in teaching techniques and approaches to education that promote student learning in the XXI century