Modified-Flipped Algebra

For the last two weeks the Modified-Flipped Algebra class has been working on solving all types of equations.  The lessons were flipped for the first five days of this chapter.  I used Khan Academy videos with the practice problems that followed the videos.  I would assign about 10 minutes of videos and 10 minutes of practice problems for homework each night.

The data Khan provides on each student allowed me to identify weaknesses before the next class period.  I would review the problems on Khan that each student tried before they came to class.  The information is broken down by problems each student tried to complete.  I have access to how long each student took for each problem as well as the answers the students inputted.  This provided me with the knowledge of which students were struggling before they entered the classroom.  In addition, if I noticed many students struggled with a certain type of problem, I began the class with a review of that particular concept.  This is a great tool for me to focus on what the individual student needs extra help with.

The students did very well with the mechanics of solving all levels of equations (including literal equations) by having the content delivered as homework.  The mechanics were all there, however, the missing piece was the problem solving.  There are word problems the students viewed on Khan but they had difficulty applying the concept if I gave them a word problem that wasn't exactly the same.  To fill this void, I covered the problem solving techniques in class but all mechanics were covered with Khan.  The combination seems successful.

As you can probably guess, the con for me was the immense amount of time I spent looking at each students individual problems they tried on Khan.  In order for me to be the most effective in class and help the most students, I would review the problems each student practiced the night before.  The benefit of me knowing the problems each individual student encountered allowed me to be efficient when helping those in need and push those ahead who mastered the concept quickly.

In conclusion, the lesson on solving equations has gone smoothly and successfully with the Modified-Flipped version of my classroom.  But the new technology has become a time management struggle which both the student and teacher must overcome.