Flipped Classroom Resources

Posted by on Apr 24, 2014 in Flipped Classroom, Instructional Technology

I wanted to pass along a list of “starter” resources based on our flipped conversation yesterday – as requested by the doctoral students at UDESC and other blog readers. This is by no means a complete list of anything, just a place to start in each of the broad categories. Each educator’s needs will be specific depending on content, personality, and access to resources. Your needs will also change as you become more skilled in the technology and specific in your interests.

Please feel free to add your own additions to this list and provide any advice to new flippers or those interested in utilizing this methodology.

Readings

Flip Your Classroom: Reach Every Student in Every Class Every Day – This is the text I use with my students. It is a simple and practical guide that also introduces them to the idea of Mastery Teaching.

Should You Flip Your Classroom? – A short article that gets you to ask some good questions of yourself before you take the leap.

Turning the Traditional Classroom on its Head – I like the infographic, but I am not as Khan Happy. If there is one thing we know, the students want to see/hear you. Khan can be good for remediation, but if you are going to implement flipped elements make sure they reflect your personality and style. Also, Knewton is trying to sell something here, so be wary.

Flipping Math – As a teacher, I like to read what real teachers think, not just theorists or flipped business owners. This blog follows the experiences of a math teacher taking the flipped plunge. You may agree or disagree with a lot, but at least he is frank and open about the experience.

27 Simple Ways to Flip – This brings us right back to what is at the core of the concept. Screencasting and at home videos are not required. It is a belief and philosophy for learning.

Desktop Software & Devices

Screen Recording Tools
OSX
  • QuickTime Player (Free, bundled with computer purchase)
  • Voila ($30) – Very sophisticated, lot’s of features.
  • QuickCast (Free) – Simple, online storage of videos.
Windows
Drawing Tools (to be used as you record your screen)
OSX
  • GIMP (Free) – A very capable tool. Can be as easy or a hard as you want.
  • Sketchbook Express (Free) – There is a paid version, but this is probably enough.
Windows
  • SmoothDraw (Free) – The choice of the Khan Academy
  • Windows Paint (Free) – Probably already on your computer
  • Pencil (Free) – More difficult to use but has sophisticated features
Video Editing Tools (to add features or edit content)
OSX
  • iMovie (Free) – I am not sure you need anything else. Easy and feature packed.
  • YouTube Video Editor (Free) – Very quick and simple cutting and splicing.
Windows
Drawing and Audio Devices

Intuos Drawing Tablet (used to be Bamboo) – For screencasting, a tablet is a must as the mouse will not give you the dexterity needed to create legible handwriting. This product market has ballooned and there are numerous versions to choose from. A pressure sensitive tablet will give you results more realistic to using pencil and paper, but it is also a personal preference. You have many options and many are very cheap.Wacom is known for its tablets and has a full range of choices.

USB Microphone – As you get more serious about your screencasting, you will begin to desire a clearer audio experience for your students. Much of this clarity can be achieved by switching from the built in microphone on your computer and making the leap to a dedicated USB mic. This does not have to be an expensive purchase. A quick Amazon search shows options from $9 – $300. I have had the best luck with the company Blue Microphones. They are a bit more expensive (even the cheapest is good), but they get excellent results – and they look pretty cool!

Tablet Software

Android (market is not as advanced as iOS, yet)

Lensoo Create (Free) – Lensoo Create turns your Android tablet into a virtual whiteboard with voice recording, video and smooth digital writing. Using Lensoo Create you can quickly share your ideas through email, Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn from virtually anywhere. Whether you are a teacher looking to instill knowledge, a student wishing to present your ideas or simply a person with an impressive skill to share, Lensoo Create is for you. (From Google Play)

UTGreat (Free) – UTGreat is a voice-over whiteboard recording tool for PC/Android/iOS, allows you record a short idea-sharing video or make light mini training courses, and easily share with your friends or students. (From Google Play)

Whiteboard Cast ($4.99) – Whiteboard cast is a whiteboard based screencast maker. All you need is just writing anything to canvas and speak to mic, then it will become screencast video and stored locally in your device. You can share it to YouTube, google+, or other service if you want. Or just store locally and use it for internal purpose. It’s up to you! The result becomes standard webm video file, no app specific service, no app specific own format. You can create standard video file only by this Whiteboard Cast. Final result is stored under /WhiteBoardCast folder. (From Google Play)

iOS (from least to most features)

Screen Chomp (Free) – Share a great idea… Explain a tricky concept… Help kids with their homework…ScreenChomp for iPad helps you do it all. A simple doodling board, markers, and one-click sharing tools make spreading your ideas and know-how easy and fun! Just – Record It. Sketch It. Share It. – to create a sharable, replay-able video that tells your story clearly. (From iTunes App Store)

Educreations (Free) – Educreations turns your iPad into a recordable whiteboard. Creating a great video tutorial is as simple as touching, tapping and talking. Explain a math formula… Create an animated lesson… Add commentary to your photos… Diagram a sports play…With voice recording, realistic digital ink, photos and text, and simple sharing through email, Facebook or Twitter, now you can broadcast your ideas from anywhere. (From iTunes App Store)

Explain Everything ($2.99) – Explain Everything is an easy-to-use design, screencasting, and interactive whiteboard tool that lets you annotate, animate, narrate, import, and export almost anything to and from almost anywhere. Create slides, draw in any color, add shapes, add text, and use a laser pointer. Rotate, move, scale, copy, paste, clone, and lock any object added to the stage. Add new or existing photos and videos. Import PDF, PPT, DOC, XLS, Keynote, Pages, Numbers, and RTF files from Evernote, Dropbox, Box, GDrive, WebDAV, Email, iTunes, and any app that allows you to open these files types using “Open In…”. Export MP4 movies, PDF documents, PNG images, or XPL project files directly from your iPad. (From iTunes App Store)

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