End of Year Evaluations (flipped stuff)

My end of the year survey also included some questions specifically about the flipped classroom.   Here is the post about non-flipped stuff.

I received 149 responses out of my 178 students.  My "low-low" students who were on "individual contract" the last 6 weeks of school did not complete the survey, so almost all of the missing ones were them.   Their data would have been interesting, but I also thought it would skew the general view of the class since they weren't really involved in the regular flipped class.

YAY! GREAT RESULTS!

YAY! The students who didn't want to take another flipped math class said things such as (1) "It's your thing Mrs. Kirch and other teachers wouldn't do it as well" (2) I already know my AP Calc teacher next year won't do the flipped classroom because it's not his style (3) I'm going to college next year. (4) Yes for math but not other subjects (student didn't read the question!) So, with that, I am pretty happy with these comments from students :)

Different students took this question in different ways, so it's hard to look at the results as a whole like this.  Some students thought it was a good thing they were challenged LESS (because of the support provided in a flipped classroom), while some students thought it was a good thing they were challenged MORE (had to become more responsible, forced them to think about things in a different way, etc)

A lot of this depended on the individual student and their work ethic in class.  When I felt like the assignment was unfairly long, I would change it during class.  However, if a student brought extra work home, it was mainly because they were off task in class.  While I do try to monitor this, I wanted my students to figure this out on their own to an extent...

Great info for me to provide for my students/parents for next year.  It also confirms what I thought - double the length of the video for the time it will take students to watch it.

More good info to pass on for next year.  If I want my students spending 15-20 minutes on the video, then 5-15 minutes on the WSQ is good... this is based on the expectation that they spend 30 minutes a night on homework for my class (that is the expectation our math department has had for a while)

I'm glad to see students found these to be helpful for the most part... more than helping them, the interviews also help me because they are used as a formative assessment tool so I know who needs help and where the misconceptions are so I can help address them.

Regular practice problems

See my comments on quizzes in the previous evaluation post here.

These are usually my least favorite except with certain concepts when I think whole class discussion might be helpful.  With the flipped classroom, I have tried to avoid whole-class discussion in most circumstances and focus more on small group discussions... that way every student is held accountable for participating.

It looks like most of my students would rather just have one video to watch rather than the same length being split up into smaller clips.  I actually thought most of them would like the two clips because it gives them a structured break.  I actually only experimented with the multiple clips in Math Analysis, so most of my Algebra 1 students just went with what they knew (one 15 minute video)

How has the Flipped Classroom helped you as a student?

• it has improve my grade which proves that the FC is working.
• It was less timing consuming than a normal classroom
• It has helped me not procrastinate and do things on time no matter what.
• It has helped because I have learned how to be more independent. 
• it has sort of helped me as an individual because it has taught me to be great you need to be able to adjust and i didn't adjust
• It gave me a sense of more responsibilities.
• I have learned to create a time where all my focus is needed to study. I am also a lot more attentive to my workload and how to plan out what to do and when.It has made me see that sometimes when things you don't like or work out for you and it is the only way, you have to get out of your comfort zone and try your best.
• it has helped me tremendously, and not just about math. It helped me realize that i have to be responsible for my own education. 
• It has helped me to be able to be more confident with the material and know what Im learning.
• It has also helped me manage my time better and know where I lack in. 
• I felt like the flipped classroom just made the class easier, not making the class easy but easier indeed. This was because we would learn the subject and when we got back to school we went over the concept but with more problems and more examples and made the concepts easier.
• Helps me when I miss the content. Makes me take learning into my own account.
  the flipped classroom helped me as a student to actually really get my homework done, and also being able to understand it more. 
• The Flipped Classroom did not provide EXTRA help when it comes to my learning, but I liked the positive attitude in the classroom overall.  When I did not feel well, I loved coming to math class at the end of the day knowing I could TALK to my peers or teacher about something I needed help with.  I knew there was always someone there for me if I really needed it, and that is how I survived my junior year!
• It helped me see I need to take control of my own actions and work to my own accord.
• It showed me a new way to learn. I had to learn how to be patient and stay focused, which as a senior, is definitely not easy.
• It made me realize this was probably a more effective way to learn then a regular classroom.
• I have definitely learned that it's okay and sometimes better to work with people you wouldn't normally work with because they can challenge you in ways that you or your friends could never do. I've also learned that you need to step up and be responsible for your own learning.
• It has helped me as a student because it helped me become more organized and it taught me how managing your time is VERY IMPORTANT.
• It has helped me learned a new method of learning that I didn't know about. The flipped classroom made me into a more resourceful learner and helped me learn how to use my time wisely.
• It helped me A LOT! I went from never passing to having a B. 
• It helped me see that i will not always be guided by the hand i will have to do my own stuff soon
• The flipped classroom has helped me as a student because I now understand more than I would in traditional class. It has help me by really understanding the concept and not have a limit time to learn like in traditional classrooms.
• It has helped me be more responsible and i feel it has helped me become ready as a college student because college students take learning into their own hands and that's how i felt all year.
• It has ensured that I take my work seriously, and that I take advantage of the resources that are provided to me. Just like a college course - It is my education on the line, so there is no reason why I shouldn't give it my all. Furthermore, it helps gain character, integrity, and responsibility, more so than a traditional classroom.

How has the Flipped Classroom hurt you as a student? (most of the  students said "it hasn't hurt me in any way")

• This has hurt me as a student because if i have a question it cant be answered to the next day [students are able to submit questions online for immediate feedback; many students don't take advantage of this so maybe it needs to be emphasized more next year?]
• It hurt me by having to think a lot when it comes to the WSQ. [I think it's my goal to make them think :)]
• I saw that I could be quite the procastinator and that I could be lazy at moments in time.
• The flipped classroom has hurt me as a student because when i didnt have time to watch the video i had to call home and i got in trouble.
• The flipped classroom made me rely on technology too much.
• It hurt me because it leaves a lot more responsibility.  [I think that's a good thing!]

What have you learned about yourself as a student because of the Flipped Classroom? 

• I learned that I am good at teaching other students
• I have learned that being responsible is key to being a good student, and i have grown and matured a lot by taking my success into my own hands.
• I don't enjoy taking the full responsibility of controlling the amount of learning, but I know how it's important to take that control.
• I CAN LEARN ON MY OWN TIME! Class isn't the only place to learn, a good student will find all means necessary to get knowledge.
  
• I can take care of my own learning, and I do have a voice!  I do not have to shy away from a teacher when I need help, something I have been learning throughout high school as I became more comfortable with myself.  I can voice my opinions and ask questions!
• I learned that I can critically think as a student and can prove to myself that I know the material.
• I learned that I need to grow up and take care of myself. I should not need someone to force me to do my work, I should take the initiative and do it myself.
• I have learned that the concept is only hard when you are not completely focused on what you are learning. in the beginning of the year when we were in traditional classroom, sometimes the concepts would be hard for me but that was because i was not 100% focused and without distractions.
• That I can try out new ways to learn. I am a very visual learner. I can't always learn things the first time around and I have to go back to re learn it or ask someone for help.
  
• I learned how I will do in college. In college, you learn by yourself. This was good experience for me to help me learn by myself. I learned that I can survive college if I gave my full effort into everything I want to accomplish.
  
• I learned that i can be independent as student and that my education is important to me because even if it is late at night i am still going to learn to keep up and i also will work ahead if i know that i am busy
• I learned that I can actually be good at math ! (:
• I learned that with the flipped classroom, I am a much better learner since I am doing the learning instead of mindlessly copying lecture notes.
• I learned i am capable of doing the work and learning the material, i just need to go at a slower pace than others to completely get it.  
• I have learned that I can rise to the challenges that i face if i feel that they are important to me, and this class made them important for me. 
• I learned that I am more determined and honest than I originally thought. I don't like cheating because I feel as though that undermines my credibility and geniality.  
• I learned that i have become more responsible this year in my junior year, and the flipped classroom also showed me how to manage my time better 
• No one by myself is in charge of my learning. It takes a lot of responsibility to stay focused, it's truly a test of character. It proves to be a lesson for us seniors that are attending college next year it really shows how it feels to be responsible for your learning.

What tips do you have that would make the Flipped Classroom VIDEOS better?  Give a reason/purpose for each of the tips you suggest.
Let's see... students want longer videos but then want shorter videos.  Students want more examples but then want fewer examples.  Students want random facts but don't want random facts.   Students want my face in the videos but don't want my face in the video. 

One thing I really want to emphasize to my students next year is that they don't have to watch a video every night!  They are given the assignments for the week (or two weeks) and they can choose to get it done whenever they want... I still am going to keep deadlines of when they have to get it done by so they don't fall too far behind though.  "They can work ahead, but they can't fall behind".

So, I didn't really get any great tips from this question - except maybe that I'm never going to please every student and that's okay!!
 
Talk to me about the WSQ.  What parts should be kept for next year, and WHY?  What parts need to be modified for next year, and WHY?  If you think some parts should be modified, give suggestions for those modifications.
Overall the students said the WSQ was very helpful.  Any of their complaints were normal student complaints (it made me think, it took time, etc)

•  Good suggestions to consider:
• allow students to submit their WSQ orally via webcam
• For the "Q" part, if students can't think of a question, they can write their own challenging problem for a classmate to solve the next day.
• Definitely to keep for next year:
• Online WSQ spreadsheet that students could always look at to see their progress (google spreadsheet).  This means I don't have to spend time in class signing off WSQs because they are all submitted and kept track of online.
• "S" part being a Guided Summary with Essential Questions to answer.
• "Secret Questions" that students must complete on their own before coming to class.
• Online WSQ vs. Handwritten WSQ
• Do it all online because its the only way to make sure each student is actually doing their own work instead of getting the answers and copying from someone else the day the homework is due. Although, its tougher because the work can't be done during school hours easily.  
• Handwritten definitely gives you more time to think about the answers, you can also add/change them during your discussions AND you always have them with you! Online is great because then you can get a lot more feed back from you and it keeps everything organized and it can't get lost!  I think a couple of each would be good.
• I like online WSQ better because I can type faster than I can write and it also makes me do it at home.
• I like online wsqs. They are better because you can compare your answers to others and try to see what you got right.  
• i think its better if we would have stuck to just one way of doing the WSQ whether it was written or online. i thought having questions on the online wsq was very useful because they where questions that required thought. 
• The handwritten wsq did seem more convenient for me. I would watch the videos through youtube on my ipod and then answer the questions in my notebook. I didn't have to turn on my computer and could watch the videos in my room, where it is much quieter. The downside is we couldn't get feedback, which we can with the online WSQ.
• Other to consider:
• Resubmissions of WSQs - helpful but could get overwhelming for me and students (and we only did them for two units!!) - maybe choose certain concepts that need resubmissions each chapter so it's not all of them.

Random comment to make me smile:
Instead of boxes have circles. My reason for this is because circles are fun.