Philosophy adjunct Dr. Christopher Haugen encourages instructors to incorporate video lectures into the classroom Wednesday during “Get Flipped: Teaching with Technology” convocation in McAllister. Haugen said, “The minimal amount of effort when producing these videos has a really high return, because of the student’s abilities to use that video over and over again.” Photo by E. David Guel
OTS acts on a new initiative for educating students.
By: Richard Montemayor
rmontemayor15@student.alamo.edu
Teachers need to know that not all students learn the same way, a philosophy instructor at this college said last week.
Christopher Haugen said he incorporates the flipped classroom — in which teachers make videos of their lectures and post them online — in his teaching.
“I started to use the flipped class method before the flipped class method was cool,” said Haugen, who spoke at “Get Flipped: Teaching with Technology” Aug. 19 in the auditorium of McAllister Fine Arts Center.
This college’s office of technology services hosted the event.
“Currently there are around 10 faculty members at this college that are using this method of teaching,” Usha Venkat, director of information and technology, said. Many K-12 schools, colleges and universities are using the flipped class method based on research that shows students are more successful in the classroom when using this method of teaching. Venkat said her office is considering doing more of these workshops in the future.
Get flipped is a new way of teaching where teachers use technologies such as videos. One of the drawbacks from the old method of teaching is not all students learn at the same speed and learn better by listening. Others learn better by doing.
First teachers would make a video of the content they are teaching in class, then they would post it online so their students can see it before their next class. By doing this, teachers have more time to spend with students in class. Students can also rewind and watch the videos as many times as they like so that they can get a better understanding of the material.
At the workshop Haugen explained to about 20 faculty members why he wanted to change his method of teaching. He was noticing his students were having trouble following through his class.
“I really began to rethink this whole lecturing thing,” Haugen said. “Part of the problem is that the average attention span is eight seconds.”
Haugen began to think about how he can improve teaching in his class.
“I decided to start making lecture videos for my classes and post them on YouTube,” Haugen said.
“Since that time I started to use this new method of teaching I’ve noticed a big improvement with my classes overall and my students also love the new method,” Haugen said.
Haugen said the videos can be entertaining as well as educational.
“I made a green screen by using PVC pipe and a bright neon green cloth that I bought at a fabric store,” Haugen said.
He said anyone could make a video as long as they had a camera and video editing software.
Venkat said her office offers training to faculty who are interested in this new method of teaching, “We do provide walk-in assistance at our office in Room 712 in Moody (Learning) Center,” Venkat said.
For more information, visit Alamo Talent on ACES or call 210-486-0030 for listings for training classes.
