Advantages for Small Group Learning
There are numerous advantages for incorporating a small group learning format, or teams, into the flipped classroom experience. Here are some of the numerous benefits:
1. Active, instead of passive, learning experiences with peers.
1. Active, instead of passive, learning experiences with peers.
2. Students are able to intellectually process, with peers, what they have learned, helping them to clarify their understanding of the photographic topic.
3. Diversity (gender, race, ethnicity, age, and majors) within teams helps students learn from the varied perspectives of other students.
4. Development of interpersonal skills in order to effectively interact with others during problem solving challenges.
5. Accountability to a group of peers can, “Promote higher levels of achievement, greater depth of thought and improved attendance.” (Hayes, 2006) Accountability also encourages students to come to class prepared.
6. Opportunities to collaborate with peers and gain valuable feedback.
7. Encourages a sense of community within the group, within the classroom and can
expand to include the photographic community at large.
8. Opportunities for practice and application of higher order thinking skills.
9. Increased memory retention of photography information because of practiced retrieval of what is being learned. Discussion with peers helps reinforce important photography information in long-term memory.
10. Builds confidence in students’ abilities to successfully make and discuss images.
11. Working cooperatively and collaboratively with others mirrors real world situations
for live and work.
12. Encourages students to come up with authentic questions that can’t be answered by Google. By understanding what they don’t know, questions will naturally arise in an environment where they can get immediate feedback.
13. Fosters independent thinking and self-resourcefulness that leads to the ability to self-teach.
14. Improved participation due to the, “…mastery of skills essential to success in the course or in a career, and increased enthusiasm for self-directed learning…” (Stanford University, 1999).
Classroom Design for Effective, Cooperative Flipped Classes
Utilizing a cooperative methodology is reflected not only in the curriculum, but also in the design of the photography classroom. Sociotechnological designs for classrooms have many benefits for a team or learner-centered environment. For example, traditionally, photography classrooms designs are ones where, classrooms are ones, “…an instructor is in front of the classroom and all students face the instructor. In contrast, sociotechnological classrooms are student centered by design. There may not be a ‘front’ of the classroom per se—students sit in small groups, generally facing each other around a table. Sociotechnological classrooms facilitate student collaboration, making peer interactions substantially easier than in conventional classrooms. Additionally, they make use of technologies that facilitate peers working together on shared problems.” (Lasry, Charles, and Whittaker, 2014) The above study further presents compelling evidence that the use of this classroom design supports an effective learner-centered teaching approach using groups, or teams in an academic environment.
3. Diversity (gender, race, ethnicity, age, and majors) within teams helps students learn from the varied perspectives of other students.
4. Development of interpersonal skills in order to effectively interact with others during problem solving challenges.
5. Accountability to a group of peers can, “Promote higher levels of achievement, greater depth of thought and improved attendance.” (Hayes, 2006) Accountability also encourages students to come to class prepared.
6. Opportunities to collaborate with peers and gain valuable feedback.
7. Encourages a sense of community within the group, within the classroom and can
expand to include the photographic community at large.
8. Opportunities for practice and application of higher order thinking skills.
9. Increased memory retention of photography information because of practiced retrieval of what is being learned. Discussion with peers helps reinforce important photography information in long-term memory.
10. Builds confidence in students’ abilities to successfully make and discuss images.
11. Working cooperatively and collaboratively with others mirrors real world situations
for live and work.
12. Encourages students to come up with authentic questions that can’t be answered by Google. By understanding what they don’t know, questions will naturally arise in an environment where they can get immediate feedback.
13. Fosters independent thinking and self-resourcefulness that leads to the ability to self-teach.
14. Improved participation due to the, “…mastery of skills essential to success in the course or in a career, and increased enthusiasm for self-directed learning…” (Stanford University, 1999).
Classroom Design for Effective, Cooperative Flipped Classes
Utilizing a cooperative methodology is reflected not only in the curriculum, but also in the design of the photography classroom. Sociotechnological designs for classrooms have many benefits for a team or learner-centered environment. For example, traditionally, photography classrooms designs are ones where, classrooms are ones, “…an instructor is in front of the classroom and all students face the instructor. In contrast, sociotechnological classrooms are student centered by design. There may not be a ‘front’ of the classroom per se—students sit in small groups, generally facing each other around a table. Sociotechnological classrooms facilitate student collaboration, making peer interactions substantially easier than in conventional classrooms. Additionally, they make use of technologies that facilitate peers working together on shared problems.” (Lasry, Charles, and Whittaker, 2014) The above study further presents compelling evidence that the use of this classroom design supports an effective learner-centered teaching approach using groups, or teams in an academic environment.