Articles
Flipped Learning Global Initiative Launches New Non-Profit to Head the Global Standards Project
By Henry Kronk
May 25, 2018
Earlier this week, the Flipped Learning Global Initiative announced that they would form a new non-profit to spearhead their ongoing Global Standards Project. The Academy of Active Learning Arts and Sciences (AALAS) will house the initiative that seeks to make flipped learning more regular and accessible for educators around the world. While the new non-profit will focus primarily on the standards project, it will also further research and act as an accrediting body for flipped learning.
Flipped Learning Sounds Great, but Implementing It Can Be Difficult
In recent years, flipped learning has caught on a growing trend in education in nearly every level and subject. The practice can be roughly summed up by one of the seminal articles on the new pedagogy: “From Sage on the Stage to Guide on the Side,” by Alison King. In a traditional classroom, the bulk of class time might be made up by the teacher lecturing a class of students. Flipped learning asks students to learn the material often imparted in lectures as homework and replaces this passive style of teaching with things like group work, creative problem solving, and more active forms of learning.
That sounds great in theory, but it’s also fairly vague. As a result, educators have identified the need for a set of standards to guide them with some ‘best practices.’
“I think a lot of people have a rather naive conception of Flipped Learning. They think Flipped Learning is simply watching videos before class. That’s it. Boom. Done,” said Eric Mazur, a professor at Harvard University and one of the pioneers of Flipped Learning in a statement. “But it is a much deeper process, and that is why it’s so terrifically important to have a greater conception of what Flipped Learning is.”
The Global Standards Project
That’s where the newly-formed AALAS and the Global Standards Project comes in. Both bring together some of the preeminent flipped learning instructors in the world to share their experiences so that others can learn from them.
“As we enter the Flipped Learning 3.0 era, we now know that the magic of Flipped Learning doesn’t happen in the videos, it happens in the classroom,” said Jon Bergmann, early Flipped Learning pioneer and Chief Academic Officer of the Flipped Learning Global Initiative in a statement. “Classroom mastery is the next frontier, and we are looking to AALAS to bring the general understanding of Flipped Learning into alignment with the most current global best practices.”
For the past several months, the Global Standards Project has been collecting public comment from flipped learning educators around the world. Beginning this summer, the body will begin to meet and compile the standards into a governing document. According to their schedule, it will be published and available to the public in September or October of this year.
Cover Image: Olloweb Solution, Unsplash.
How embarrassing for those of us with real Purdue degrees. 3rd rate kaplan clowns will not try to pretend they have a real degree, when all they got for their diploma mill crap was student debt.
Mike — you know not what you speak of, my friend. Kaplan University has been the leader in online education and learning technology for a number of years. As with all learning institutions, there are some dark moments and therefor some disgruntled students – who follow a career path to only find out that they made poorly in formed choices. The degree is as REAL and as VAID as the one you received from Purdue. The Higher Learning Commission – the SAME one that accredits YOUR degree from Purdue University, would not give them accreditation if the school did not meet or exceed their standards. Purdue University Global will adhere to the same collegiate standards as Purdue University does and probably more – considering the wild criticism people like you impose they have to be.
Kaplan is and has been a school unrealistic expectations for students! Highly upset with Kaplan because my educational purposes were not in the best interest of the school! I have outstanding balance of 53,000 only to be unable to complete my degree and too, the admission department explained to me, the school woul give me a certificate! Wth! Personally I had “no idea,” the school degree plan in child and family welfare had changed to adolescent and youth administrative! That simply means I waste money and Kaplan stole money because I would have never attended Kaplan under those measurements! I’m contacting the educational department and explain to them, the classes Kaplan charged me for were a complete waste because I did not need the classes and to think my education has been placed on because of Kaplan University! I’m taking a stand because I was not an average student, above average while attending Kaplan! All that did read will read more about me in the near future because I am going to show this school up!