The Flipped Class: Experiential Learning Manifested

Through the “flipped class,” students are introduced to new material outside the classroom before the traditional in-class lecture occurs. Ideally, flipping the class challenges students to engage in the lower levels cognitive work (remembering and understanding) outside of class. Students, then, are free to focus on higher order cognitive work (application, analysis, synthesis, and/or evaluation) in class, where they have the support of their peers and the instructor. To drive the requisite higher order cognitive work inside the classroom, it is important that in-class teaching and learning methodologies extend beyond simple information dissemination. Experiential learning, the process of transforming information into knowledge is critical to the success of the “flipped class.” As such, the “flipped class” must challenge students to find, interpret, communicate and turn knowledge into action. Peer-instruction is an important component of the process. Researchers suggest that experiential pedagogy similar to the “flipped class” have the potential to effectively engage today’s college students, aptly called “GenMe’ers,” because they expect to learn from each other rather than a professor whose authority they don’t respect, anyway.