The Flipped Classroom Teaching Method: 6 Ways to Hold Students Accountable

February 15, 2023

TIn the flipped classroom teaching method, it is important to ensure that students are accountable for watching videos and taking notes. This blog post will provide some strategies that you can use to achieve this.

But first…

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One | Set clear expectations

Clearly communicate to your students the importance of watching videos and taking notes and explain why it is necessary for their learning.

Make a statement that clearly emphasizes the importance of watching video lectures and taking notes on them. For example, “Regular viewing of video lectures, followed by careful note-taking, is the key to understanding course material and succeeding in your studies.” Explain why this is important by describing the tangible benefits that come from taking this approach. For example, “Taking notes on video lectures ensures that you are actively engaging with and retaining information, which leads to higher grades and a more comprehensive understanding of the material.” Provide evidence to back up your points. You could reference studies or surveys that measure the effectiveness of note-taking, your own experiences, or those of friends or colleagues.

Set realistic expectations for students by describing the regular commitment that’s required for such an approach to work. Explain that watching video lectures and taking notes regularly is necessary if students want to achieve their goals. Describe the rewards that come from taking this approach. For instance, you could emphasize that students who follow this method are more likely to do better in exams and get better grades. Include stories and examples to illustrate your points. Students will be more likely to remember your message if they can relate to it and associate it with something they can visualize.

Finally, reinforce the importance of taking notes on video lectures by providing helpful advice and tips to make it easier for students to do so. For example, suggest using a specific note-taking strategy and highlighting the importance of keeping notes organized.

Two | Make it a requirement

Incorporate video-watching and note-taking into your assessments. For example, you can ask students to turn in their notes as part of their homework or include questions related to the video content on exams. This can be as simple or complicated as you want to make it. Me, I prefer the simplistic approach. I ask students to take out their notes and give them a couple of questions they have to answer ONLY using their notes. If they have them, then it will be no problem and if they don’t then they can give their best guess. I do not allow them to have out their computer or phones for this because they could look up the answers or fast forward to that section of the notes. I have also gone around and spot-checked their notes and had conversations with those students who didn’t do the notes.

Three | Provide a structure for taking notes

Give students a template or guide for how to take practical notes, and emphasize the importance of note-taking as a key part of the learning process. Since I teach high school, I have found that students still need some guidance in taking notes. This is where I provide them with Cornell-style notes and they must fill them out. This gives them some structure for their notes while still having them provide responses based on watching the video lessons.

Four | Use technology

Utilize technology tools such as learning management systems (LMS) or apps to track students’ progress and ensure that they have watched the videos and taken the necessary notes. This suggestion could totally depend on your student population. I know for my honors classes they would be able to handle this, but for my regular classes, this would be a huge stretch. However, I love this option because you are able to track who is (or isn’t) watching the videos and assess their learning while they are immersed in the content. This provides great feedback to the students and to the teachers about where students are in their learning.

Five | Engage students

Encourage student engagement by creating opportunities for them to discuss the content of the videos and their notes in class, through group work or individual presentations. You can get creative here. If your students are a chatty group like mine, this may work better. Give them 5 minutes at the beginning of class to discuss a prompt with their group using their notes. This gives students the opportunity to “teach” each other while those who did not do their notes are still absorbing the content. Another way to engage students in the content is to have them come up with their own test questions using their notes to create them.

Six | Offer incentives

Consider offering rewards or incentives for students who consistently watch videos and take effective notes.such as extra credit, candy, or yes even stickers! You would be surprised what these things will do for motivation. When students see they are rewarded for good behavior, then this is positive reinforcement at its finest. This shows others what is expected and how they can benefit from getting on board the flipped classroom train.

By implementing these strategies, you can help ensure that your students are held accountable for watching videos and taking notes and that they are actively engaged in their own learning.

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