My driving question is: What are the effects of using an in-class flipped model for differentiation in a first grade classroom? So, my research lies somewhere in the intersection of differentiation and flipped learning.
At the core of differentiated learning is Lev Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development. The ZPD is the learning “zone” in which students are learning material that is too difficult to master on their own, but that can be learned with guidance and encouragement. This is the zone in which true learning occurs. If students are working beneath their ZPD, then the material is too easy. If they are working beyond their ZPD, then the material is too hard. Teaching students within their ZPDs is one of the goals of differentiated instruction. In the field of differentiation, one of the seminal researchers is Carol Ann Tomlinson. She is known as a major advocate for differentiation in the classroom as a way of addressing the needs of all learners. Her philosophy is encapsulated in this quote from her website: “The idea of differentiating instruction is an approach to teaching that advocates active planning for and attention to student differences in classrooms, in the context of high quality and curriculums.” Tomlinson discusses how curriculum can be differentiated by content, process, and products; within these areas, the learning can be further differentiated by a student’s readiness, interest, and learning profile. In the area of flipped learning, Jon Bergmann and Aaron Sams are two of the premier researchers. According to Bergmann and Sams, flipped learning is “a pedagogical approach in which the direct instruction moves from the group learning space to the individual learning space,and the resulting group space is transformed into a dynamic, interactive learning environment where the educator guides students as they apply concepts and engage creatively in the subject matter.” They are known for discovering the idea of flipped learning when trying to find ways to maximize the benefit of “face to face” in-class time with their students. Bermann and Sams are advocates of the “flipped mastery model,” which implements mastery learning (all students master the objectives, though at different paces and in different ways) using the flipped model. They also elaborate on additional benefits of a flipped learning, including using the recorded lessons for students who were absent or who need to review material. Coincidentally, this dovetails with differentiation, in which students learn at different paces and in different ways, depending upon their different learning needs. As Bergmann and Sams say, “Flipped learning, at its core, is individualized learning.”
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