Now that your students have watched the pre-class videos and completed their quizzes, it's time to make the most of your face-to-face classroom time. The flipped classroom model gives you a unique opportunity to move beyond traditional lectures and engage students in meaningful, hands-on learning experiences.
Below we've outlined seven activities that will help you maximize engagement and deepen understanding in your flipped classroom sessions.
To help educators make the most of their prep time, we provide a toolkit for flipped class teaching.
This includes:
🧑🏫Beautiful slides, specifically designed for flipped classes
🧠In-class problems
🧩In-class activities
💬 Discussion prompts
Students explore and discuss recent news stories that relate to the chapter topics, connecting theoretical concepts to real-world applications.
Format: Whole class discussion or small groups
Best for: Any class size
Time: 15-25 minutes
Advantages: Makes abstract concepts relevant and timely, helps students see the practical importance of course material, and develops critical thinking about media and current issues. Creates natural talking points that students can relate to.
Disadvantages: Requires instructor preparation to find relevant articles and prepare discussion prompts. Current events may date quickly. Some topics might lead to political discussions that distract from learning objectives.
🚀 Blended Teaching is launching a news feed tool soon, which will link recent events to the topics covered each week.
Students work through computational problems step-by-step, with instructor guidance and peer collaboration to reinforce quantitative concepts from the pre-class material.
Format: Individual work with whole class check-ins
Best for: Any class size
Time: 30-45 minutes
Advantages: Provides immediate feedback and support when students struggle with calculations. Builds confidence with quantitative skills. Allows instructor to catch and correct common computational errors in real-time.
Disadvantages: Can feel too much like traditional lecture if not properly facilitated. May move too slowly for students who grasp concepts quickly. Requires problems of appropriate difficulty level for the class.
🧰 Blended Teaching provides in-class problems (and solutions) for all materials.
Students work through real-world scenarios that apply the concepts from their pre-class preparation.
Format: Small groups (3-5 students)
Best for: Medium to large classes
Time: 30-45 minutes
Advantages: Connects theory to practice, encourages critical thinking, and allows students to see multiple perspectives on complex problems. Students develop analytical skills while working collaboratively.
Disadvantages: Requires significant preparation time to find or develop relevant cases. Some students may dominate group discussions while others remain passive.
Students prepare mini-presentations on specific aspects of the pre-class material and teach their peers.
Format: Individual presentations to small groups
Best for: Small to medium classes
Time: 20-40 minutes
Advantages: Forces students to deeply understand material to teach others. Builds presentation skills and confidence. Provides multiple explanations of concepts from student perspectives.
Disadvantages: Quality can vary significantly between students. Shy students may struggle. Requires advance assignment and preparation time.
Students work together to create visual representations of how concepts from the chapter connect to each other and to broader course themes.
Format: Small groups (3-5 students)
Best for: Small to medium classes
Time: 25-40 minutes
Advantages: Helps students see big picture connections, accommodates visual learners, and reveals misconceptions. Creates a useful study tool for students.
Disadvantages: Can be challenging for students unfamiliar with concept mapping. Requires wall space or large paper. Some students may struggle with the visual-spatial aspect.
Provide students with examples containing common mistakes and have them identify and correct the errors.
Format: Pairs or small groups
Best for: Any class size
Time: 20-35 minutes
Advantages: Helps students recognize and avoid common pitfalls. Develops critical thinking skills. Reinforces correct understanding through contrast.
Disadvantages: May reinforce incorrect thinking if not carefully facilitated. Requires preparation of realistic error examples. Some students may find it frustrating.
Students use their devices to find current examples or data related to the chapter concepts and share their findings with the class.
Format: Individual research, then whole class sharing
Best for: Medium to large classes
Time: 20-35 minutes
Advantages: Connects course material to current events, teaches research skills, and leverages technology students already use. Creates fresh examples each session.
Disadvantages: Requires reliable internet access. Students may get distracted by their devices. Quality of sources can vary widely.
Disadvantages: Pacing can be challenging with diverse skill levels. Advanced students may become bored early. Requires careful planning of problem progression.
The key to successful flipped classroom activities is variety and alignment with your learning objectives. Start with 1-2 activities you feel comfortable with, then expand your toolkit over time.
Remember that the pre-class preparation your students complete makes these activities possible. When students come to class having already absorbed the foundational knowledge, you can focus on application, analysis, and synthesis – the higher-order thinking skills that truly deepen understanding.
Most importantly, don't try to use every activity in every class session. Choose activities that best serve your specific learning goals for each session, and give students time to fully engage with each one.
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