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A dynamic, interactive learning environment where students help each other creatively apply and engage with the instructor, with the course content, and with one another.

A Guide to Flipping the Classroom

Title image: the flipped classroom

Welcome! We’re so glad you’re interested in flipping your classroom.

On these pages you’ll find several resources for planning, developing, and delivering instruction in a flipped-classroom environment. After reviewing the material here, please contact the Center for Teaching and Learning for assistance in implementing flipping in a way that works for you and your students.

But first . . . what does it really mean to “flip the classroom”?

Some people believe that a flipped classroom results from simply putting videos of lectures online and then having students do homework during class time. Flipping the classroom, however, can encompass so much more.

At its best, in the flipped classroom:

  • The instructor makes thoughtful decisions about what kind of content to share, when to share it, and in what media.
  • Students engage with content they accessed before coming to class. This content might be textual, visual, audio, or multimedia.
  • Students work together on activities that deepen their understanding of the content—for example, by applying core principles of course content to a “real-world” scenario or challenge.
  • The instructor works with students during the class period. For example, she may circulate among the students, conducting on-the-fly formative assessment so she can better evaluate students’ growing understanding of the topic.

The goal? A dynamic, interactive learning environment where students help each other creatively apply and engage with the instructor, with the course content, and with one another.

Whether you’re new to flipping the classroom or an experienced veteran, we hope you’ll find useful information and new perspectives by browsing through this site. “What’s Different about a Flipped Classroom?” offers two illustrations of how teaching and learning with a flipped classroom differs from that of a traditional classroom. In other sections of the site, we’ve highlighted some of the pros and cons of flipping the classroom, and documented one model of the process involved in flipping the classroom. In “How Do I Get Started?” you’ll find a quick-start guide and links to tools and checklists.

Consult “Campus Resources” to see what assistance is available on campus, along with tools and technologies to support a flipped classroom. In “Publications” you’ll find both scholarly and practitioner-oriented articles and videos about flipping the classroom, along with general guides, best practices, and EDUCAUSE’s 7 Things You Should Know about Flipped Classrooms and 7 Things You Should Read About Flipped Classrooms. Be sure to check out the Flipped Classroom LibGuide (created and maintained by Albertson Library) and our Faculty Spotlights, in which Boise State faculty discuss their experiences flipping the classroom.