In class this past Friday, we covered H5P and other tools for multimedia learning. H5P is a tool that allows a content creator (in this case an educator) to make a video interactive via pop-up quizzes, fill-in-the-blanks, word searches, etc. These interactive add-ons can bring more value to online learning and information retention.
Do I think including H5P tools would potentially be a useful tool at the grade level you to hope to teach?
As a new student to the BEd program, I haven’t had the chance to really figure out which grade would be the right spot for me as a teacher. Currently, primary has been the most enticing area for me to pursue. Regarding H5P tools, I think this sort of digital interactivity would be great in a primary setting. When I think of primary learning I immediately think of tactile activities for the students. Because of their short attention spans, a lot of early learners rely on learning that involves touching/hands-on components. In an online learning scenario, I could not imagine how difficult it is to keep the attention of a primary student with just a video. I think that H5P could be a game-changer in that kind of situation.
What would a flipped classroom teaching model look like at the grade level I’d like to teach? What are some strengths and weaknesses of this approach for said grade level?
“Flipping the classroom” is a learning model where instruction is moved outside of class time in a digital reading or video format. This allows class time to be more focused on hands-on activities. These activities are meant to encourage students to utilize the classroom as a space to ask for help or help one another because they would have already familiarized themselves with the foundations of the content outside of class time. In my opinion, if this learning model was introduced into a primary classroom like grade 2 for example, it would be a nightmare. I believe that “flipping” a grade 2 class would consist primarily of out-of-class content relying on picture and video components. Sadly, grade 2 is still a very dependent age group. Most kids in grade 2 still need an adult around to make sure students remain on track. An easy solution to this would be to encourage parents to go through the pre-class content with their child, but that is not very realistic. Many parents won’t have the time to sit down with their child and consistently go through this content with them. The only strength I could see to come out of the flipped classroom learning model at a grade 2 level would be the fact that it could potentially encourage students to begin advocating for their own learning at a young age, but that is a very hard thing to ask of a 7-year-old.
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