Finkel, E. (2012). Flipping the Script in K12. District Administration, 48(10), 28-30,. 

Summary

This article talks about the number of  flipped classrooms taking off over the past five years. In flipped classrooms, students watch videos of their teacher teaching at their leisure and then work on projects and homework during class time. Although some are still skeptical about this untraditional "flipped" model, teachers who are using this model report that student achievement and engagement has soared. This approach allows students who need more processing time to listen to videos at their own rate, feeling free to rewind as necessary and get help directly from the teacher the next day in class. Teachers end up having more time to help struggling students with this model, whereas other students are free to explore ahead and seek greater challenges when they have mastered new material quickly. No longer do teachers try to cover material whole class, keeping everyone on the same topic at once. Students proceed at their own rate. 

For students who lack an internet connection at home, teachers try to offer alternatives such as lessons on thumb drives or DVDs. One school lets students check out laptops with DVD players from the library. Other schools allow students to watch teacher videos during class. Flipped learning does not have to look a particular way, but in order for it to be successful students must also take ownership of their learning. Some teachers are fearful of embracing a new teaching model. Most teachers who are teaching this way have at least 7 years of experience; its important to be extremely comfortable with the material you are teaching. Naturally its easier when teachers collaborate and can share videos and resources. The article mentions that students seem to prefer their own teacher making the videos, although sites like Khan Academy , Atomic Learning, and Ted Ed can provide supplemental material. The early pioneers of the flipped classroom encourage administrators and districts not to micromanage, and stress that giving teachers autonomy to meet student needs will yield the best results. 

Reflection/Application:

It is probably a sign of the times that the concept of flipped classrooms seems a little passé now! Yet  there is ample opportunity in my own district for more teachers to undertake this.Flipped classrooms embody the "guide on the side" style of teaching.  It seems more prevalent at the middle and high school level, yet I know this works with primary students as well. This week I helped a 1st grade teacher make a video of her reading test questions out loud, and then I showed her students how to access the video on an iPad, press pause after listening to the question, and then they would write the answer on their paper. The classroom teacher and I were so impressed with how focused students were, how a few students didn't need the recording, although  most did; some rewound to listen to things twice. This gave me a glimpse of how powerful teacher videos can be because they allow students to be more in control. I also appreciated learning that although tech positions are critical to successful flipping, districts with less income are getting around the digital divide by using thumbdrives, DVDs, etc. 

Professional Learning Networks Designed for Teacher Learning

Trust, T. (2012). Professional Learning Networks Designed for Teacher Learning. Journal of Digital Learning in Teacher Education, 28(4), 133-138.

Summary

This article talks about PLNs, Professional Learning Networks, specifically for teachers. PLNs allow teachers to connect and learn from  other teachers all over the world. Teachers share their collective wisdom in these forums, find resources, provide support and advice to each other, as well as chances to collaborate with one another.  The author emphasizes that teachers must model for students collaboration with others, continual learning and studying of best practices.  PLN's can take two forms, information aggregation such as following other educators via blogs and websites, or by using social media such as Twitter and Facebook. Three popular PLNs that combine information aggregation and social media are described in detail: Edmodo, Classroom 2.0, and The Educator's PLN. 

Although all three of these PLNs were mentioned positively, the author seemed to highlight Edmodo in particular for its streamlined layout, large membership numbers, 6.5 million, and its ability to let teachers create groups for their classes. Teachers are also notified of discussions and posts through their email, they dont have to be logged on to Edmodo. 

The author notes that utilizing PLNs shows "adaptive expertise," which allows teachers to be flexible and thrive despite changes they face. Reflective teachers continually improve their craft, and participating in PLNs greatly enhance this practice.

Reflection/Application

This article was helpful to read, and quite timely! I have been fairly good about staying abreast of things in the educational world by reading weekly newsletters and blogs, articles, etc. To a lesser degree I have done the same with ed tech topics. But I have not been using social media to tap into collective wisdom, ask questions, problem solve, exchange resources. And I just always thought Edmodo was for students! I didn't realize there was this whole teacher focused dimension/community to it.  Amy touched on this aspect of Edmodo in one of her postings, and explained that this existed...so reading this article now comes at the perfect time. 

I was also pretty struck by the "adaptive expertise" points, how these social communities can really help a teacher's practice improve. Because you have the ability to ask questions and also learn about other teachers struggles and findings, its only logical that this would promote professional   growth. I'm already wondering about how I can share this information with our teachers at my school. I need to participate in a PLN myself first, although perhaps giving everyone a copy of the article would be a place to start.