The Flipped Remote Classroom in Colleges and Universities

The Flipped Remote Classroom in Colleges and Universities Josiane Banini The Covid-19 pandemic forced us to rely more than ever on technology, to the point where online learning has become the dominant, if not unique, way to acquire an education since March 2020. This new pedagogical environment has led to renewed interest in remote, hybrid, and/or flipped classrooms. The latter, as Correa points out, is a '(new) old' concept: "What has been taking place inside the classroom now takes place outside the classroom and vice versa" (115). Even though the flipped classroom is not a new model of learning and instruction, it seems to be the most suitable for the current circumstances, in which students are learning from home and interacting with their peers and instructors through virtual platforms. Like many colleagues, since March 2020, I have shifted from a face-to-face classroom to a flipped remote classroom. I remotely meet with students every week through Zoom and VoiceThread. Learners do most of their work outside of class using a textbook, lectures (PowerPoint), VoiceThread recordings, and Connect (our online homework system). In the flipped remote teaching model, students must meet on Zoom regularly and be fully prepared. During the Zoom meetings, students can practice the language through conversations, interactions, videos, listening, and writing. In these activities, they must engage in meaningful communication and learning. This combines the best aspects of guided remote instruction with in-class activities and online learning that is self-paced. The online activities and materials also help students prepare for class so that they are ready to participate with their classmates in a communicative setting. The guided instruction and independent learning have many advantages, such as scaffold learning, self-pacing, multiple attempts for assignments, immediate feedback, and direct and easy access to knowledge. A flipped remote language course is designed around a communicative approach. Class time is dedicated to communicating in French using the content (vocabulary and grammar) that students learned outside of class from the textbook and the online materials (Connect). As the instructor, I do not provide extensive instruction on the content. Instead, I facilitate meaningful exchanges and help them process it. Any additional help with the content is done during my office hours. [End Page 57] Advantages of a Flipped Remote Classroom With the flipped classroom model, students have direct access to digital knowledge and learning materials. It is imperative that they prepare beforehand, so that during our Zoom meetings, they have time to practice their learning material in order to deepen their learning process. Students must complete their assignments before class, where the content is reviewed, in order to keep reinforcing their learning. During these "learning" Zoom meetings, students put their knowledge into practice and address any problems they encountered during their learning process. The instructor thus serves as a guide, coach, and moderator "who will scaffold and 'guide them in the discovery of knowledge'" (Correa 120). In this classroom model, it is no longer the professor who provides knowledge from a new chapter through the "sage on the stage" method. Instead, the professor helps students to understand important concepts and has more time to follow them on a case-by-case basis (during class) and/or one on one (after class). The self-paced learning results in the teacher playing the role of guide and facilitator in the students' learning. In addition to self-paced learning and guided instruction, the success of a flipped remote classroom also depends on the size of the class. Smaller groups are essential to helping every student and preventing disruptive behavior in class. The flipped remote model promotes student-centered teaching and makes students explore knowledge and learn beyond the textbooks. It turns passive students into self-paced learners, enables them to manage their workload in a timely manner, gives them access to learning materials as many times as possible, and helps them personalize their learning methods. The Zoom meetings with the instructor are an opportunity to apply what they have learned outside of class in a concrete and meaningful way. Furthermore, the flipped classroom model creates a student-centered environment where they can practice and show that they are mastering...