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Flipping the Library Classroom: Strategies for Flipping the Classroom

This guide contains materials to help you think about and implement the "flipping the classroom" model in your library classroom.

Step 1: Identify Outside the Classroom Objectives

1. Identify a tutorial, assignment, or library session that you teach that lends itself to the "flipped classroom" model. 

2. List several learning objectives that the professors you work with typically expect as a result of a library session with you. To help you get started, answer some of the following questions:

  • What do teachers consistently ask you to address in the classroom?
  • Which of these information literacy skills might be moved easily to a video tutorial?
  • Are you trying to "cover" too much content in one library session? Do most professors you collaborate with ever mention learning objectives?

3. Consider how to get more faculty buy-in. Often, changing the curriculum requires more than just an email communication to your faculty member. Start early and offer to meet with the faculty several weeks before the library session is scheduled so that you can brainstorm the "outside of the classroom" learning objectives.

Step 2: Identify In-Class Objectives

Consider how to use your in-class time with students in ways that optimize student learning. 

As you brainstorm in-class learning objectives, think about the following questions:

1. Where are the "bottlenecks" in student research? 

2. Which areas of the research process do you see students struggling with the most (i.e. defining a topic, using reading strategies, and/or synthesizing information)?

3. Do you find yourself rehashing the same material for every library session you teach? If so, some of the more skills-based concepts could be addressed in video tutorials. Consider focusing on higher level concepts, such as reading strategies, topic selection/refinement, and evaluation techniques.  

Next considerations

Now that you have a tutorial or library session in mind, complete with in-class and outside the class objectives, consider next steps for implementing the flipped classroom model in your teaching.

1. Who needs to be at the table(s) in order for change to occur?

2.      What resources do you already have available to you?

a.      Already created videos

b.     Learning management system or other online platforms

c.      Collaborations with classes/faculty

3.      What professional development needs might there be for librarian instructors as a result of this new approach?

4.      What funding needs do you have?

5.      Equipment needs?