#APM19 The Flip(grid) Classroom: Utilizing the Microsoft app Flipgrid to promote student learning
Editor’s Note: In this blog post, I have asked four colleagues from the University at Buffalo School of Social Work to share some information about their presentation at the 65th Annual Program Meeting for Council on Social Work Education next week in Denver, CO. Katie McClain-Meeder, Michael Lynch, Todd Sage, and Margie Quartley will share about their experiences using Flipgrid, a video-based discussion forum, in the social work classroom. In full disclosure, they did ask me to record a video for their presentation, so I may be making a guest appearance during the presentation. Also, you might be interested in reading Todd’s previous blog post about FlipGrid – Incorporating Flipgrid into the Social Work Classroom: Tips for #SocWorkEd.
On October 26, 2019 at 10:30 AM, we (Katie MaClain-Meeder, Michael Lynch, Todd Sage and Margie Quartley from the University at Buffalo School of Social Work) will be presenting an interactive workshop titled The Flip(grid) Classroom: Utilizing the Microsoft app Flipgrid to promote student learning, at the Council on Social Work Education’s Annual Program Meeting. We will be in the Governor’s Square 11 in the Plaza Building.
We know that students are increasingly expecting instructors to utilize new technology to enhance instruction beyond the traditional classroom lecture and content. It is imperative that instructors find meaningful and relevant opportunities to integrate tech into the classroom. Our interactive workshop will introduce you to the video discussion app Flipgrid, which allows students and instructors to quickly and easily interact using short video responses that can be captured via computer or mobile technology. We will highlight case examples, including use for field education, new student orientation, and ways to add depth and breadth to in-person and online instruction.
By attending our workshop, you will learn best practices for introducing and structuring Flipgrid for a variety of educational purposes as well as how to manage Flipgrid from the administrative side, including how to grade, respond and manage discussions. The workshop will also culminate with an opportunity for you to set up their own “grid” with support from us, the workshop instructors.
To learn more about Flipgrid and set up your own free account: https://info.flipgrid.com/
We are sharing information from the presentation for those of you who are all to attend and those of you who will not be with us in Denver.
First, here are the slides from the presentation: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1bVekesHrMM2PhCAsxLDbzsx6a856KApc
We also have a handout, which you can access here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1bVekesHrMM2PhCAsxLDbzsx6a856KApc
Finally, here are the learning objectives and original presentation proposal:
Learning Objectives:
- Identify the theoretical base for the use of the app Flipgrid and ways this technology can be used to enhance student learning in classroom settings (online and seated) as well as in field education
- Learn how to create a Flipgrid video discussion board and identify key features within the app
- Understand how Flipgrid is aligned with CSWE’s tech standards as well as best practices in incorporating technology into social work education
Proposal:
The use of technology, and the use of Flipgrid particularly, provides a natural space to incorporate the ethical and best practices guidelines outlined in the Social Work Technology Standards, published by the National Association of Social Work. These standards state that social work educators should be prepared to teach digital literacy skills and the ethical use of technology (CSWE, 2015). Best practices in incorporating technology into social work education include scaffolding material, facilitating conversations, utilizing assessments that are aligned with the learning objectives, and engaging students in active learning (Hitchcock, Sage, and Smyth, 2018).
Flipgrid is an accessible, mobile-ready educational tool in which students and instructors use video recordings to respond to questions or prompts, similar to a traditional discussion board, but students engage via video instead of text. Flipgrid can be highly effective in facilitating learning outcomes, supporting social presence in online classrooms, allowing for meaningful non-written assessments, allowing students to demonstrate professional communication goals, and scaffolding content and interactions that better mirror in-person communication.
The application of constructivist learning theory has important relevance to utilizing technology in social work education. Constructivist learning theory argues that we learn best when we are actively engaged with others and with course content (Meyer, 2014). Vygotsky (1978) states “language is the main tool that promotes thinking, develops reasoning, and supports cultural activities like reading and writing” (p. 57). Flipgrid relies on active learning where students lead and support video discussions in a social environment. According to Fosnot and Perry (2013), Constructivism requires dialogue within a community that enables critical thinking, reflection, and idea exploration. In a constructivist classroom, the instructor’s role is to facilitate and promote engagement and discussion. Kearsley and Shneiderman (1998) posit that technology provides opportunities for student engagement in ways that traditional classrooms do not.
Flipgrid supports active learning and engagement, and has been proven to be an effective teaching technique. Green and Green (2017) found Flipgrid to be a more effective platform to facilitate personalized discussion and deeper personal connection than traditional online discussion platforms. In a study of 5 fully online undergrad courses, Flipgrid was found to help facilitate a sense of community, social presence, and authenticity among the class participants (Koivula, 2012). Active learning classrooms that collaboratively involve students in the learning process through online environments have been found to be effective for student learning (Borokhovski, Tamim, Bernard, Abrami, & Sokolovskaya, 2012) and help to facilitate equitable opportunity for students to engage in critical thinking and academic inquiry (Gronseth, 2018).
In this workshop, we will describe the ways that Flipgrid has been utilized by several faculty at a large graduate School of Social Work. Faculty have incorporated the app within traditional seated classes as well as online and blended courses to meet traditional learning objectives and also build community and engagement within the class. Generally, Flipgrid is incorporated throughout a course as a way to discuss readings before synchronous class sessions so instructors can scaffold and build on skills and content. Flipgrid has also been incorporated within the School’s Field department as part of a skills lab before students entered their foundation placements. This provided an opportunity for students to interact with peers and faculty which built community and early engagement. It also gave field faculty a means by which to assess student communication styles and sophistication. Satisfaction surveys indicate that the majority of students felt connected with their peers through the assignments, and preferred the Flipgrid assignments over written assignments.
As we look back on the recent evolution of social work education, it is clear that social work education is increasingly reliant on technology. As we look forward, it is essential that social work educators understand how to use technology to model best practices and promote robust engagement and meaningful learning. To meet this objective during this interactive workshop, presenters will offer case examples of utilizing Flipgrid within classroom settings and field education. Presenters will explore how Flipgrid offers an opportunity to model the NASW tech standards and many best practices in integrating technology into social work education. Presenters will demonstrate the use of Flipgrid and engage participants in experiential learning by guiding them through the features of the app, including posts with their phones to a “grid” (video board) created during the session. Finally, we will end with a discussion of the strengths and limitations of the app.
References:
Borokhovski, E., Tamim, R., Bernard, R. M., Abrami, P. C., & Sokolovskaya, A. (2012). Are contextual and designed student–student interaction treatments equally effective in distance education? Distance Education, 33(3), 311–329. https://doi.org/10.1080/01587919.2012.723162
Council on Social Work Education. (2015). 2015 Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards for Baccalaureate and Master’s Social Work Programs. Alexandria, VA: Council on Social Work Education. Retrieved from: http://www.cswe.org/File.aspx?id=81660
Fosnot, C. T., & Perry, R. S. (2013). Constructivism: A Psychological Theory of Learning. In C. T. Fosnot (Ed.), Constructivism: Theory, Perspectives, and Practice (8-38). New York: Teachers College Press.
Green, T., & Green, J. (2018). Flipgrid: Adding Voice and Video to Online Discussions. TechTrends: Linking Research & Practice to Improve Learning, 62(1), 128–130. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-017-0241-x
Gronseth, S. (2018). Inclusive Design for Online and Blended Courses: Connecting web content accessbility guildelines and universal design for learning. Educational Renaissance, 7, 1-9.
Hitchcock, L. I., Sage, M., & Smyth, N. J. (Eds.). (2018). Technology in Social Work Education: Educators’ Perspectives on the NASW Technology Standards for Social Work Education and Supervision. Buffalo, NY: University at Buffalo School of Social Work, State University of New York.
Kearsley, G., & Shneiderman, B. (1998). Engagement Theory: A Framework for Technology-Based Teaching and Learning. Educational Technology, 38(5), 20-23. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/44428478
Koivula, M. (2011). The impacts of asynchronous video reflection on perceived learner social presence (doctoral dissertation). University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Meyer, K. A. (2014), Student Engagement in Online Learning: What Works and Why. ASHE High. Edu. Rept., 40: 1-114. doi:10.1002/aehe.20018
Vygotsky, L.S. (1978). Mind in Society. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
How to cite this blog post:
Lynch, M., McClain-Meeder, K., Quartely, M. & Sage, T. (2019, October 21). #APM19 The Flip(grid) Classroom: Utilizing the Microsoft app Flipgrid to promote student learning [Blog Post]. Retrieved from: https://laureliversonhitchcock.org/2019/10/21/apm19-the-flipgrid-classroom-utilizing-the-microsoft-app-flipgrid-to-promote-student-learning/
