What does a recent flipped learning systematic review reveal for K-12 educators teaching online?

Given the recent surge in online learning, due to the spread of the Coronavirus and subsequent school closures, it is particularly important for teachers to have access to recent research that might assist them in their journey.

I recently synthesised 107 journal articles, book chapters, conference papers, dissertations and grey literature, investigating how student engagement might be affected by using the flipped learning approach in K-12 schools (Bond, 2020a). Here is a summary of the results, and what this means for educators, especially those who might be teaching online for the first time.

Teachers should maintain presence through their own videos

In order to facilitate continued teacher presence in student learning, and to enhance engagement, it is important for teachers to create videos themselves where possible, rather than solely relying on videos from other sources, as this can impede student engagement and their understanding of the materials, as well as lead to students not watching them. Students reported feeling far more connected to their teacher when they could at least hear their teacher's voice in a video, and they felt that they understood the content of videos more, because their teacher was using the same instructional techniques that they use in the classroom.

Influences on student engagement (Bond, 2020b, p. 39)

Keep videos short, no longer than 7 minutes

Videos that are shorter were less likely to lead to disengagement, with the average suggested length being 5-7 minutes. Videos also need to be connected to the curriculum, with the number of videos and worksheets given per day/week kept to a minimum, so as not to overwhelm students. Students could also be encouraged to create their own videos for their peers. If using YouTube, consider embedding videos within a website or LMS, to eliminate distractions and make them more accessible.

LMS such as Google Classroom can be more effective

Studies where learning management systems (LMS) such as Google Classroom, Edmodo and Moodle were used, found higher instances of engagement than other more school-based LMS. Their ability to encourage collaboration and conversations between peers both inside and outside of school were particularly notable. This is a crucial finding, given how little contact students are currently getting with their friends. Another collaborative LMS, particularly good for primary school students, is Class Dojo.

Influences on student engagement (Bond, 2020b, p. 39)

Self-assessment quizzes are linked to increased engagement

Include questions, either as accompanying or embedded quizzes, or as guides for discussion in the next lesson/discussion forum/video, as students are more likely to successfully engage with the content. A recent meta-analysis of 114 studies also found that self-assessment quizzes positively affect learning outcomes.

Encourage collaborative learning

In order to facilitate group discussions, interaction and engagement, especially for students learning at home, collaborative technologies such as Google Docs and social media are encouraged. However, given child protection and GDPR laws, collaborative LMS (e.g. Edmodo or Class Dojo) that students need logins for, are always preferred. Twitter can be a great extra resource, as teachers and students can use unique hashtags for their own class (e.g. #MsBondYr3) to make conversations easily locatable.

Don't worry if you make a mistake in a video - just keep going!

Teachers often commented about being embarrassed to appear in their own videos, but students are used to seeing you teach every day! Students reported not caring about how their teacher looked or sounded - what was important to them was that you use a consistent instructional approach and just keep going if you make a mistake.

Blog Post References

Bond, M. (2020a). Facilitating student engagement through the flipped learning approach in K-12: A systematic review. Computers & Education. (151), 1–36. 

​Bond, M. (2020b). Facilitating student engagement through educational technology: Current research, practices and perspectives. Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg.