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Defining flipped learning

Flipped learning refers to the redesign of teaching and learning activities in ways that change the traditional relationship between what happens during ‘class’ or ‘contact’ time, and what happens outside of that time.

One of the most common applications of flipped learning is to invert the standard approach to classroom/’face-to-face’ learning.

In this approach, teacher-led content that might have previously been delivered to students as live lectures will be supplied to them in advance, usually online. This typically entails revising the delivery of the more didactic or instructional elements of the module and presenting them as videos, readings, or other online resources or activities.

Students would be expected to engage with these learning materials asynchronously, before the staff/student synchronous contact session.

Staff-student contact time can consequently emphasise higher-order activities that encourage students to apply and analyse their learning. These may include student-led investigations and practical work, problem-based learning activities, discussions, or debates facilitated by teaching staff.

Note on terminology

There are a broad range of terms associated with flipped learning, many of which are poorly defined. This is particularly true when distinguishing the asynchronous and synchronous components of a flipped approach.

  • Asynchronous learning is generally understood to mean learning that takes place outside of a specific time and place. In the flipped learning context this term is often equated with the online learning component.

  • Synchronous learning is a term that can be used broadly to describe all learning that takes place at a specific time and place, online or in person. In practice this term is often used more narrowly to describe 'same-time' online learning activities, while phrases such as 'contact', 'class' and 'face-to-face' time are used to describe 'in person' learning.

In this resource a range of terms will be used. However, the terms 'synchronous' and 'asynchronous' learning will appear most frequently, and should be understood in their broader sense.