The Flipped Model Classroom Experience for 8th Grade Students Enrolled in Algebra 1: A Case Study
Finding time to teach, assess, and reteach all required standards in an Algebra 1 course made it challenging for me to incorporate student-driven activities designed to engage students in learning mathematics. To address this problem, I changed to a flipped model classroom defined as the switching of the primary place where direct instruction took place from during class to homework. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to reach a deep understanding of my teaching using the flipped model classroom through the lens of student experiences and researcher reflection. This case study was conducted using semi-structured interviews with students, observations of implemented activities, and a teacher reflection journal. The inquiry was guided by the three research questions: What was the nature of the implementation of a flipped model in my Algebra I classroom? How did students experience my implementation of a flipped model in an 8th Grade Algebra I class? How did my implementation of the flipped model classroom provide opportunities for students’ active engagement and to take ownership of their learning? Through the course of the study, students watched short instructional videos as homework, allowing me to meet their needs by incorporating research-based strategies to reinforce, challenge, and help students to take control of their own learning. The prominent themes that emerged from the data were: a) teacher challenges of the flipped model, b) student experiences of active engagement, c) student experiences of ownership, and d) student experiences of support. The data showed that students had a positive experience with the flipped model of learning and confirmed the findings of previous research on the success of a flipped classroom. In addition, the study added to the literature base regarding in-class activities and experiences that were unaddressed in prior literature. Through using the flipped model classroom this year, students have shown good study habits, how to be a self-advocate, and how to support their peers. Implications of the study include providing other teachers with ways to incorporate a flipped model classroom and how that can increase student active engagement and help students take ownership for their learning.
Flipped classroom, Algebra 1, Active engagement, Student ownership, Middle School, Curriculum and Instruction, Secondary Education
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