Flipping the classroom: training the flippers

Designing Flipped Classrooms to Enhance Learning in the Clinical Skills Laboratory

Flipped classroom is an educational technique in which content is delivered online for students to study at their own pace in preparation for in-class learning. Benefits include increased flexibility, enhanced student engagement and satisfaction, and more effective use of time spent during face-to-face teaching. However, the development and implementation of flipped classroom teaching are also associated with challenges, including time required to develop learning materials and getting students to engage with the preparatory work. This teaching tip describes a structured approach to designing and implementing the flipped classroom approach for clinical skills to allow a greater focus on practicing the hands-on skills and the provision of feedback during the laboratory session. First, the rationale for flipping the classroom and the expected benefits should be considered. On a practical level, decisions need to be made about what to include in the flipped component, how it will complement the face-to-face class, and how the resources will be created. In the design phase, adopting a structured template and aligning with established pedagogical principles is helpful. A well-designed flipped classroom motivates learners by including different elements such as quality educational media (e.g., videos), the opportunity to self-assess, and well-defined connections to relevant knowledge and skills. Student engagement with the flipped material can be promoted through different strategies such as clear communication to manage student expectations and adapting the delivery of the face-to-face component. Finally, gathering feedback and evaluating the initiative are important to inform future improvements.

Teaching "Shock Pathophysiology" by Flipped Classroom: Views and Perspectives

Flipped classroom (FCR) is an active learning pedagogical method in which the students prepare prior to class using different modalities, for example, reading materials and videos, and afterward spend the time in class discussing the content and reinforcing the concepts. We chose to replace one problem-based case on "Shock" with flipped-style teaching in the respiration circulation module of a private medical university. Our objective was to use the clinical presentation of "Shock" to open a window to interrelate basic science concepts of cardiovascular physiology and pathology. It aimed to merge the case-based discussion with small-group discussions in the form of FCR activity. The qualitative study gives an overview of comments of facilitators, observers, and leadership of the Department and University obtained during focus group discussions and in-depth interviews. Thematic analysis of responses emphasized the importance of FCR as an effective teaching learning modality, which can be made more effective by careful selection of topic and provision of facilities to support technology-enhanced learning. The discussions with facilitators, observers, and leadership revealed its usefulness through student's engagement and increased participation to build learning of the key concepts. Student satisfaction in these activities can be enhanced by construction of knowledge acquired in non-face-to-face component with substantial pre-reading materials, videos, peer discussions, quizzes, and prompt feedback.