In a digital age, where people in UK spend on average 3 hours and 23 minutes* on mobile devices, where information is at our fingertips all the time, how can we provide classroom experiences that deliver great learning?

Benjamin Franklin ‘s words are powerful: “Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.”

Tell me and I forget – Research shows that passive learning techniques (having students memorize textbook content) fail to engage learners. Traditional instructing methods are still common in education: where communication is usually one-way (an educator talking at the class) and the educator controls the information/conclusions. With this approach there is much uncertainty on how much of the content will be committed to memory. What will be remembered in a test? Is that learning?

Teach me and I remember – I have met many educators that are Masters of Teaching: at passing on knowledge, making the topics come to life and enriching the content with their own passion and professional experiences. All of this makes the content more memorable; They make the classroom experience more enjoyable and the information more memorable. In what is the most memorable CPD  I took part in my previous career as a teacher, John Jones told us “Don’t be teachers, be magic weavers.” What he meant was create those moments of magic: grow students’ confidence so that they feel they CAN do it, they understand, remember and learning feels great.

Involve me and I learn – amazing learning really happens when we involve and engage students. What will the students do with the knowledge they receive? How will they apply this knowledge? They are the ones who will benefit from the content, sit the exam, apply the knowledge given by the educators. They need to own this! They need to feel part of their learning. For some years now in the secondary and higher education sector, the Flipped classroom has been adopted by many educators to boost student learning, progress and outcomes. The idea of the “flipped” classroom is that core content can be reviewed and digested outside of the classroom. Class time can then be used for practice, discussion, collaborative learning and practising exam skills and techniques.

Flipped Classrooms should not only be used in secondary or higher education. They are now starting to be applied to adult learning, professional training and are producing some incredible results in terms:

  •  Learners retain the information faster
  • Student focused approach forces the learners to become their own coach to some degree, it will become easier for them to take their new skills and apply them on the job.
  • Assured knowledge base: learners complete pre work before the class begins to enable educators to spend less time expaining concepts and more time practising /  applying them with students.Providing classroom experiences that deliver great learning is essential. We need to involve and engage learners by providing them the opportunity to own their learning journey, their success and to become lifelong learners.

** Survey conducted by digital agency Code Computerlove**

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