Flipping the Classroom

The chapter explores and describes the use of flipping the classroom approach in a Kazakhstani university language class. Flipping the classroom means that students gain first exposure to new material outside of class, depending on the preferred learning style it happens via reading or lecture videos, and then use class time to do the harder work of assimilating that knowledge, perhaps through problem solving, discussion, or debates. The idea that lies behind this approach is not new. However, the access to these reading and writing materials using digital technology is relatively new. The research question of this study was, How does flipping the classroom work in the language classroom? In law schools, for example, the approach was a traditional way of teaching in which students prepared ahead of time to participate in Socratic seminars.

Critical Thinking, Socratic Seminars, and the College Classroom

In many college classrooms, the requirement that students engage in critical thinking is missing. Students have become point gatherers and not thinkers. The Socratic Seminar, derived from the teaching techniques of Socrates, is a proven method to increase the critical thinking in class, and out. This structured discussion is not a debate. This chapter includes a description of, the purpose for, and successful strategies for conducting a Socratic Seminar, based on the researcher's experiences. The use of a foundational reading grounds the discussion on a common reference point. The purpose of the seminar is to improve the quality of discussion by having the students be more precise in their questions and answers. Questioning clarity, precision, accuracy, relevance, depth, and breadth of statements forces graduate students to move past the shallow parts of discussion to areas which more fully explore a topic. Graduate level work requires this depth of understanding and this method improves their ability for in-depth discussion.