Student Survey Question 5a: How are you feeling about the Flipped Classroom?

This is "part 1" of the fifth in a series of 10 posts about a student survey I gave to my classes after four weeks of a fully flipped classroom.  Here are the trends and some responses I have chosen to share.



All survey response can be found in the following posts:

Student Survey Question 1: Describe your effort in the flipped classroom and explain

Student Survey Question 2: When DON'T you watch the videos for Flipped Class?

Student Survey Question 3: What are you doing when you watch the videos? Are you an active listener?

Student Survey Question 4: When do you watch the videos?

Student Survey Question 5a: How are you feeling about the Flipped Classroom?

Student Survey Question 5b: What could be done to make the flipped classroom better?

Student Survey Question 6: How does the flipped classroom help you in learning the material?\

Student Survey Question 7: How do the WSQ's help you as a student?  Which parts help you the most?

Question 5. How are you feeling about the flipped classroom?

I love it 48 students, 29%
I like it most of the time (I like it more than I don't like it) 89 students, 55%
I don't like it most of the time (I dislike it more than I like it) 35 students, 21%
I hate it 4 students, 2%

People may select more than one checkbox, so percentages may add up to more than 100%.

Overall, 137 of the 163 students who responded (84%) said they either loved the flipped classroom or liked it more often than they disliked it. 



Because of these results, it is important for me to remember:
1. It takes students time to come around to a change; this is their thoughts after four weeks. I will be interested to see after the whole semester.
2. There will always be resistance and students who don't like it, and I have to be okay with that.  Not every student enjoyed my class when I did a "traditional" classroom.  Some voiced their opinions, but more often than not they just stayed quiet and went with the flow.  Because this is a change, students feel "entitled" to be able to express their dislike of the change because it is "new" and "not proven" yet.


Most of the positive comments are things we hear all the time: learning at their own pace, can pause and rewind, can get support and help in class, don't have to struggle through regular hw at home, can re-watch to review for a test, don't get as distracted in class,  etc.  I was happily surprised by the number of students who commented that the Flipped Classroom makes them take responsibility for their own learning (most of them thought of this as a positive, some thought of it as a negative)


Comments that I want to comment on from students who "don't like it more than they like it"

• It would be have been easier if this started at the beginning of the year so students didn't have to adjust to a whole new system and set of expectations. Agreed. I'm looking forward to starting from the beginning in the fall!
• I get tired of doing the same thing over and over again. And students get tired of doing practice problems over and over again. The videos just make them have to think a little more than mindlessly "getting the work done". I am trying to create more variety in my at-home activities for the students (varying the WSQ so students don't always write a full summary, etc).
• I feel it is a waste of time because we are not really doing anything, so in a way it's more of a like "what's the classroom for?". This is one of my major cases of senioritis and it's only March.  She chooses to waste time in class.  She chooses to not ask questions.  She chooses to not be productive.  I try to guide her and remind her, but I can't work magic.
• It would be a lot better if we did it 2-3 times a week and not every day. I've blogged about this before.  I didn't like when I started experimenting with the Flipped Classroom and went back and forth between Flipped and Traditional.  My views may change over time, but right now I really like the consistency of the base lesson always being taught on video.  Then, follow up lessons can occur in class for those who need it or who need the more direct instruction from me live.

Comments from students who chose the following answers: 
LOVE IT

• I love the flipped classroom because when i watch the videos i can pause it if its going to fast and watch extra videos to help me. I like how we do our homework in class that way when i don't understand it i can ask questions. 
• I like flipped classroom because if you don't understand a concept you can get help on the homework in class.
• I like the flipped classroom because theirs more things i can do than a traditional classroom like pause rewind forward etc.
• It is easier than taking the homework home and struggling on it. It is easier to do the homework during class because you get to ask questions on what you don't get.It is also easier because we work with a classmate.
• the movies that you made ms kirch is the awesomest ones i ever seen but the jokes need some little improvement but all i have to say is that the movies are great.
• I like the flipped classroom because it helps me more like I learn much better like I could repeat the video when i didnt get it or pause it or rewind it and that way we could just be learning our way. and everyone can be going at their own pace like me it takes me time to learn something so with the flipped video I could watch it as many times as I want until I get it and not be in class making the teacher repeat herself and get her annoyed. and yea its a good way to learn everyone can go at their own pace and could actually be learning and understand what their suppose to be doing.
• I really like this flipped classroom because after watching the video I do my summary and if I have any question I write it down. Also the next day when I'm doing my PQ if I have any questions I can ask the teacher. I also really like it because I can watch the video at my own pace and pause it when ever I want. An example if you didn't do these videos and you were in class you would probrably be disturbed with other students talking and when your watching them at home you can go to your bedroom or anyother quiet place you can quietly watch it by yourself.
• I love flipped classroom because I can learn at my own pace. I've always been in a regular math class and this year is my first year being in an advanced fast paced class so it's been really helpful having the videos to rewind and pause. I'm very lucky to have this as an another option for learning because I know some of the other students are struggling so much with these concepts. 
• It's easy to keep up with things and it feels like I'm more in command and must be responsible.
• I love the flipped classroom because I actually do better on the tests. The videos are really helpful and doing the WSQ's helps you think more about the concept. This i why I love the flipped classroom.
• I love the flipped classroom, because you're at your own house watching the videos and you don't have to worry about not having enough time for the teacher to explain the questions, or having to worry for the teacher to go slow because of the people who don't understand it. 
• I personally love the flipped classroom because I feel like I learn better. I learn better because at home, we watch the videos and once we're done if we are still struggling we can watch the second or third part of video in which there is more problems that we can study. And then in class the next day all we do is work on our homework and if we need help we call over our teacher and she will help us. And before when we did our homework at home we couldn't ask our teacher for help.
• I love it because it has helped a lot to understand the concept and gives me chance to re-watch if I don't understand and ask my peers
• I prefer having flipped classroom because it gives you more time to sink in the information being taught, and because it simply gives you the opportunity to learn. Not only sit and listen copy anything the teacher writes as if a puppet. 
• I like the flipped classroom because I feel more focused at home than in class because it is easier to concentrate and not get distracted.  Whenever I don't get something, I can re-wind the video and go back.  In class, I do homework.  I feel relaxed when I do homework in school than at home because there are people to help me.  At home, I feel frustrated because it looks like a lot more problems than usual. 
• i love it because we can rewind the video and and pause the video. you cannot pause a teacher or rewind because then you could be pulling the whole class back instead of moving forward. Most importantly we can watch the videos in the future just in case you want to review right before a test, you can not do that to a teacher.
• I love the flipped videos because I don't get as distracted like I used to in class.
• I love it because it's like a classroom lecture that can be re-watched and isn't interrupted by restroom passes commotions or the lunch bell. The videos also can go anywhere because there on the internet and they show us in detail what to do and walks us through the steps. They also have examples of most of the things we'll cross over.
• I love the flipped classroom because I am able to depend on myself to get the work done and if I have a question on the homework I can ask in class instead of waiting for the next day and forgetting or falling behind because I don't understand something.
• They are really helpful because it feels like a one on one teaching. Usually when teachers teach to the whole class it is easy to get distracted and not listen. Then after the lesson is over, there is no way of being able to replay it. With your videos, it is easy to review and learn everything all over again because it is always available for us. 
• I used to complain about it, because I felt it was harming my education, but I've actually grown to love it. It gives me so much more time to do my work, and I'm able to finish all my work in class(usually). 
• I used to think it was alright, but now I see that it has really helped me because I can manage my own time.  In class I usually get my work done early so that I can work on other work, such as taking quizzes or watching extra videos.  Sometimes I try to figure out a concept on my own, but I always watch the video afterward to make sure I learn all the important facts that go along with the concept or to make sure I did not figure out the concept incorrectly.  This really helps me to learn, and I always have the videos for reference if I ever need them.
• I love flip class rooms, I love how we can go back and re-watch them when ever we want and that we are able to do our homework in class. 
• I love the flipped classroom because it's more organized and it helps me concentrate more
• it more independent and i don't have to wait for anyone and i have become more responsible with it
• I think the flipped classroom is really great because it would be harder to learn during the class when there are so many distractions around you or also when you really aren't focused to learn and understand it. At home, I am able to watch the videos without having to be distracted by classmates or losing focus because the teacher is going too fast/or I'd be out of energy from being at school all day and just in the mood to go home.
• I love the flipped classroom because i get to do my work with a partner and that helps me a lot because i have someone next to me explaining the things i don't understand and it get to finish most of my work here in class instead of doing it at home.
• It is a change of pace from my other classes. The flipped classroom allows me to stay ahead of the class because all of the content and information is already available.
• i love it. why ? because it gives us time to ask questions, and once our questions are asked we wont have any questions at home, and by the we will have anything understood. It makes learning easier for me, in my opinion. 
• What I'm feeling about the flipped classroom is that it's much better than the work we had in class and because it helps us understand problems in problems of the quiz packets or our chapter tests.
• I like the flipped classroom because it is easy for me to learn at my own pace and i can also rewind the video if i didnt get an problem. Also if I forget how to solve a problem I can always go on edmodo and watch the videos again. 
• I find it easier to learn from and I can work on my own speed whether it's faster or slower . If I have any questions I can ask you the next day and it would be so much easier for me than usual.
• its less homework. i can get all the information in a fifteen minute video and get all the help i need for a whole period if there are still things i don't understand.

LIKE IT MOST OF THE TIME

• it is a mixed feeling, i am so used to a traditional classroom teaching methods that i prefer it that way. for flipped classrooms i get lazy at home and easily distracted with things going around the house. However i do enjoy it because at the same time I dislike it, it teaches me to use my time wisely and to be more responsible with my education.
• I am somewhere in the middle. I feel like flipped classroom is a great tool because for example, I am one of those students who completely zones out during math lectures. But, since the videos are short simple and to the point, I listen with undivided attention. I also feel that being able to do work in class while collaborating with other students and the teacher, is a great learning tool because if it were just a standard classroom, one would be struggling at home by themselves with no one to help them. 
• I like the flipped classroom because we can watch a video at home at our own pace.If we have a question we can ask you and get it answered. If we don't get a concept we can go back and re-watch the video again.
• I am somewhat in the middle about flipped classrooms, sometimes I like it but sometimes I dislike it too. This is because on days where I don't have a lot of homework I think I can freely learn new concepts and listen to the video. However, on days where I am packed with AP assignments I feel the need to rush through the video, since I am stressed out with the other homework I need to complete. Since I have a harder time in my AP classes than math analysis.
• I like flipped classroom because I get to learn the lesson on my own time.  It is a way to get homework done easier and faster.  
• I really like it because I feel that I am actually learning the material and I've been doing much better on my quizzes, and being able to take quizzes on my own time has helped me prepare myself more! 
• I feel flipped classrooms allow students the freedom to work at their own APPROPRIATE pace. I like it because if ever feel like I dont understand something, I can go back and watch a lesson whenever i wish. Also, if I feel like I understand the materia and feel confident about it, I can go ahead and watch future concepts to get a head start on them.
• I don't have anything against it but i guess its just the transition for traditional to flipped. I think it would have been easier if the class had been flipped since day one because that way we could have known what to expect for the class instead of having to adjust to the old system and then to this new flipped classroom. 
• I like it better because we get help on our homework in class unlike at home when none of your family members understand it so practically you guess. 
• I like it most of the time its just that at times i get tired of doing the same thing over and over again.
• I chose to check the second box because the flipped classroom has its ups and downs. The ups I like more than the downs though. I like flipped classroom because I like how we do our homework in class, so we get Mrs. Kirch's help most of the time. I don't like how sometimes the videos are super long, and the whole process of writing your WSQV.
• For the most part, I feel like I really benefit from the flipped classroom as a student. It allows me to learn at my own pace, and if I was to be absent it wouldn't be as difficult to catch up like in the rest of my classes. 
• i like the flipped classroom because it does help me to understand the concept but sometime I feel like it too much for me. 
• I have to accept that the flipped classroom exists. It does help me learn, even if I dont like it. I get that it works for other people, who in class, would not get a lecture. It is there  to help people who dont pay attention in class, and that they can actually learn. 
• i like it because i get to rewatch videos before the test to remember the material.
• I like the flipped clasroom because the lesson is in a video. I like that you can pause and rewind. I also like that there isn't interuptions like there is in a traditional classroom. That the teachers don't have to repeat themselves becasue someone in class is goofing off. The only time they repeat themselves is when you rewind them. Which is the best part because if you don't understand something you could go back and watch the part again.
• i like it most of the time because i get more help than the traditional way 
• i like the flipped classroom beacuse i am able to review a concept if i forget it. it also helps me from falling behind if im ever not in class. the videos also give me a break from all other homework that i have.
• The reason i like the flipped classroom videos, is because when you're in class you feel like you understand the concept being taught, but then when you get home you completely blank. But with these videos you can watch them at home and they can help guide you. The best part of these is that you can pause,rewind,and rewatch.
• I like the flipped classroom idea because you can ask questions with your group about what is going in the concept. When you are outside of the classroom, in your home enviornment, you can pay much more attention and you are not distracted by the class. 
• If i dont catch something, i can rewind. That really helps, but sometimes, watching the videos takes up a lot of time and i have other homework to do as well as the wsq's and the classwork if i didnt finish in class.
• I've grown attached to taking responsibility for my learning 
• I like it cause we get to rewind or pause it but then again i dont like it because its tempting to always be on the computer
• everything is more organized and you know exactly what your soppose to do its really straight forward 
• I am becoming more used to the flipped classroom. I still like a traditional classroom better, when we learn in class and do homework at home; but then again I have resources that other students don't have. My dad is an AP Calculus teacher and I don't have to wait until I get to school the next day to ask questions. 
• i like it better than learning the concept in class becuase i can go at my own pace without the distraction of other classmates. In class my mind wonders and i get disstracted with EVERYTHING. Being home taking 10 minutes to learn a lesson sounds fair. If i want to learn i know i have to pay attention and when i give  my full attention to something i always learn so it helps me.
• I like it because it's something that none of my other teachers have done before 
• I think its a great way to better understand the material. its like your own personal tutor and i really like it. I think teaching is much more effective on a one on one basis and i feel i get that experience with the flipped classroom, most of the time. unless its really confusing.
• I like it because I'm one of those kids that will understand it while the teacher is teaching but as soon as I get home and have to do it myself I'm just lost...being able to try it myself in class is really helpful because I can ask you or anyone around me. 
• I like it sometimes. The benefits are that i am able to easily learn the material when needed. Also, i am more accountable for my learning, meaning i can move ahead of other classmates that may be slower than me. I also like the socializing during class. The negative is that i often don't finish the homework in class and it becomes extra hw along wtih a new WSQ. I also find that some of the videos are way too easy to spend time watching.
• i like it most of the time because i can go back and re watch anything that i didn't understand. At times i would want to be a regular classroom because theres things that we don't get and we can ask right away instead of waiting till the next day.
• I like flipped classroom because it makes things easy for me to understand since i am a visual and auditory learner. However i do not work well on my own and need structure and set agenda i do not work well with freedom -_-. i work well under pressure and business. 
• the idea of a flipped classroom is nice, because it is something different from the other 5 classes that we are in and we have more time to learn the material or for the faster people, they can control their speed. 

DON'T LIKE IT MOST OF THE TIME

• I like how lessons were taught in the beginning of the year better and how homework was then as well. I always did my homework back then and it wasn't as much that way. Also, if i was present, I'd never miss a lesson but if I miss a lesson one night, I'd being spending more time to go back and learn that lesson the next night as well as the assigned lesson. Sometimes, I don't feel as productive as i should be in class as well. 
• Well... there are times when i have to work on my homework at home. In class, the homework might take a long time, so i would have to take it home and in addition to the homework i have to watch a video. Since i have other homework from other classes, it takes up about 30 mins of my time to watch a lecture when it can be easily done in class. Also the WSQ became an addition to the video so my work load increased.
• i feel that when doing flipped classrooms, we basically are learning on our own and i like being in the classroom and learning from the teacher and being able to stop and ask you questions. Also, with videos, it is easier to slack off and not actually watch them. 
• I do like the flipped classroom because i am able to learn at home, go over it in class, rewatch it if i need to, and i am able to understand the concept better. However at times when i don't have time and i just skim through it i don't completely learn what i am suppose to and fall behind without meaning to. 
• Though I completely understand your way of thinking, I still prefer to be lectured. This is only a personal opinion but I find school more eventful when the teacher teaches the material instead of it being self study. My entire schedule consists of AP classes which require me to study alone. I would really appreciate it if you reverted back to the original teaching method but it's a bit greedy when there is proof that the flipped classroom method produces results.
• I sometimes don't like flipped class because i can get internet access all the time.But besides that i like it. 
• I'm not used to it.
• I do not feel like I am learning very much from just watching a video about the material.
• I feel like it has its pros & cons. A pro is that you can take you time and review the videos as many times you want. A con is that aybe some lessons may be very hard and very difficult to understand over youtube or schooltube .
• I feel like it's the same as a traditional classroom except I have to learn in an environment where I would be easily distracted and not be motivated to learn.
• i still dont really know who i feel about this, i dislike it more than I like it because then in class, i feel is a waste of time because we are not really doing anything, so in a why is more of a like " whats the classroom for?"
• surprisingly i don't hate it as much as you think. it's ok but i perfer learning in class and doing homework at home. It would be a lot better if we did it 2-3 times a week and not every day.
• I like when there is a teacher right in front of me teaching me and going through the motion live. I'm not a fan of technology because i get extremely distracted. I want to ask questions but i want to ask now, not later with a real person in front of me. I don't know i guess I'm just too use to the traditional.  
• I don't like it becase I feel like I need more explanation about what the video is talking about.
• i dont like it most of the time because i have to watch a video and i dont have a computer.i try to come early but sometiimes i cant make it.

HATE IT

• I dont like it most of the time because it gives a lot of work.I hate it especially on the days when I am up like until 12 am working on asignments.
• i rather be paying attention to you in class..i know it won't work and stick as much by watching the videos..
• I was really used to the way I learned before. I hate having to write a summary and a question after watching a ten to fifteen minute video. I would rather flip the classroom back to the way it used to be. Sometimes we even have to watch two videos, do a few word problems and still do a summary with a question. I never even have a question.
• I LIKE MOST when you used to teach us cause when i had a question i would ask that same moment .