Today's session has been devoted to a curious active learning methodology called "flipped classroom". Its name is surprising: how can you flip a classroom? Definitely, it has nothing to do with hanging students upside down from the roof... well, that has been scary; having the students give the class instead of the teacher would be the most sensible image which comes to our mind when we first read or hear the concept of "flipped classroom", although it is something quite different.
Flipped classroom actually consists of having the students do at home what they usually do in class, and doing in class what is usually done at home. Its being an active learning methodology, the teacher is not the main source of information who provides everything in class so that students practise on their own; oppositely, students have to prepare the theoretical part at home on their own, and it is in class where they put this theory in practice, with the help of the teacher.
This way, students learn how to learn on their own without needing to rely on one only figure, and the teacher can help them apply this theory to practical situations, which is actually the difficult part. On the other hand, students usually struggle to understand why what they are learning is useful, and it makes more sense for the teacher to help them understand it practically, than the students doing it on their own.
In my opinion, flipped classroom is an interesting methodology which can be beneficial for the students' learning process. However, I think it is difficult to apply them to a foreign language class, since this content is somewhat complex, and it is by practising that they actually learn; flipped classroom might be applied to a History or Philosophy course, in which theory can be learned more easily, and then some debates, activities or reflexions can be done in class.
In any case, though, flipped classroom is always a better alternative than the traditional one.
Cover image retrieved from the following article: http://www.aikaeducacion.com/en-profundidad/flipped-classroom-y-diseno-universal-del-aprendizaje-la-conexion/