Flipped learning occurs when key learning materials are provided for study and review outside the traditional classroom environment, through audio, video, screen casts, online forums or reading.

1. What is Flipped Learning Design?
"The flipped classroom model involves courses that move the traditional lecture, or content
dissemination, away from face-to-face hours and into online delivery outside of class time. The face-to-
face class time is used for practice and actual application rather than for introducing the content being
studied.” (Hill at http://www.educause.edu/ero/article/online-educational-delivery-models-descriptive-
view).
Flipped learning is when key learning materials are provided to learners prior to attending a traditional
classroom environment, through audio, video, online forums or reading materials. This means valuable
face-to-face time with the trainer is then used to work through real-life problems and to engage in
discussions.
This model of learning maximises learners’ opportunities to progress at their own pace, and then apply
their learning in a supportive mentored environment, moving training from a ‘transmission’ model to a
‘facilitated’ model.
Why should we be using flipped learning?
There are many external influences impacting the need to change the way training is delivered, eg:
• Globalisation – global citizenship, changing demands in the workplace
• Rapid Change - especially using technology, for which the NBN will have an even greater impact
These challenges mean that the future is uncertain, and the only real constant is change so to remain
employable in the digital age, people need to be able to:
• Solve unscripted problems and build on the collective knowledge of others
• Work collaboratively with people from different backgrounds and cultures, and
• Constantly change and redefine ourselves in an ever-changing labour market
Critical aspects of implementing ‘Flipped Learning’
Implementing flipped Learning design is tricky than it first appears.
Expectations around traditional classroom delivery models mean that they are many critical aspects
needed when implementing flipped learning:
Flipped Learning Design for VET

2. 1. Be learning centred
Being ‘learning centred’ is when:
• compliance and infrastructure are driving good teaching/learning and assessment practices (and
not the other way around)
• training is focussed on developing ‘industry ready’ learners and not production line, profit driven,
training methodologies
• trainers move from being the ‘teacher’ and holder of all knowledge to being the facilitator of
learning and the curator of information/knowledge
Applying ‘Assessment for Learning’ principles, where the process of learning is valued and assessed as
much as the products of learning and ‘face time’ in the classroom or training environment. Self and Peer
assessment, and effective questioning techniques are crucial.
2. New learning and assessment approaches
Investigating new learning and assessment approaches are important, such as:
• Networked Learning – where students are encouraged to use a range of ‘networks’ of people and
sources of information to obtain the ‘content’ or information they need
• Design Thinking/Learning – where students discover, interpret, create, experiment/explore and
evolve their knowledge, rather than regurgitate information or participate in tick and flick
assessments
The following is a list of delivery models which are ‘learning-centred’ and enable people to develop the
many and varied skills needed to be life-long and self-directed learners.
• Individual Learning Plans
• Action/Project based learning
• Problem seeking & solving learning (Design thinking)
• Work-based/Situated learning
• Service learning
• Peer/Collective (Tribe/Gang) learning
• Professional Learning Communities /PLNs (Circles)
• Informal/Just-in-Time/Social/Self-organised learning
• Scenario-based learning
This list is by no means extensive, but it does focus on active-learning opportunities, and they can all be
implemented more easily through the use of technology.
Implementing and assessing these delivery models requires educators have:
• Networks to be exposed to new ideas
• Time to explore new ideas
• Environments which support the implementation of new and different ways of doing things
• Resources which enable the implementation of new ideas

3. • Communication strategies to positively share how these new or different ways of doing things will
benefit everybody, etc, etc, etc,
3. Learning spaces
Don’t expect learners to be ‘flipped learners’ in traditional classroom environments.
They will need:
• 24/7 access to learning resources
• Visual/Audio resources over text based
• Support in the workplace to try new things and trial new ideas
• Learning environments which allow researching and collaborating eg computers/laptops/tablets,
whiteboards, screens, speakers/headphones
• Access to wifi for their own devices eg BYODs - this will allow them to manage their own
information more easily, and choose the e-tools they need to learn effectively
• Online spaces to share and collaborate:
• Synchronous – Skype, Google Hangout, Anymeeting
• Asynchronous – Forums, Groups
• Simulations – augmented reality, virtual worlds
4. Open and share (collaboration - interaction)
Flipped learning needs information to be openly available and shared by the trainer to student, as well as
students to students. Collaboration and interacting are important:
“Since the role of the teacher has changed from presenter of content to learning coach, we spend our
time talking to kids.”
“Since the role of the teacher has changed, to more of a tutor than a deliverer of content, we have the
privilege of observing students interact with each other. As we roam around the class, we notice the
students developing their own collaborative groups.”
Source: http://www.thedailyriff.com/articles/how-the-flipped-classroom-is-radically-transforming-
learning-536.php
5. Open and share (collaboration - interaction)
Flipped Learning will be happening in many different ways, and in many different locations, so capturing
the learning by narrating the learning is very important.
This requires learners to:
• Have online spaces to share and communicate with one another eg forums, Flickr, micro-blogs,
blogs, Facebook, LinkedIn etc
• Tag their work to enable them to aggregate or ‘bring it all together’ for mapping against units of
competence.

4. Eportfolios provide a good way of keeping all of the evidence in one place. Using templates in the
eportfolio environment means learners can easily populate the right type of evidence.
6. Timetabling and tracking learning
Organisational infrastructure needs to be flexible enough to support a range of training and resulting
requirements which support 24/7 learning, and continuous and ongoing enrolments.
Training programs needs to be designed to support learning outcomes and not individual units of
competence, so holistic learning and assessment around skills sets or clusters of units will need to be
implemented. This requires sophisticated mapping and tracking systems.
Getting learners to ‘tag’ their work with unit codes across are range of online environments can help
support this by allowing them to ‘aggregate’ their work through these tags or ‘#hashtags’ or ‘key words’
(meta-data).
Key considerations when implementing ‘Flipped Learning’
So what are the key considerations when implementing flipped learning?
1. Setting clear expectations
Introducing new approaches to teaching, learning and assessment requires a ‘change management’
process by setting expectations about why and how these new approaches are happening, so it is
important to:
• Consult widely with key stakeholders:
• senior management, teaching staff, support staff
• Industry/employers/licensing bodies/industry skills councils
• Students/Learners – and maybe parents
• Start with a new cohort of learners – they don’t know what you used to do and so won’t be able to
say ‘we prefer it the old way’
• Scaffold your approach – start small … take baby steps … you need to wean your learners off of
being given everything, so start with small trials to see what works and get feedback from your
learners along the way
• Implement systems which more easily recognise ‘informal’ and collaborative learning eg
journals/reflective logs, discussion forums
2. Building capability
Teaching and support staff will need to develop their facilitation and curation skills.
Professional development activities, such as the “Flipped Learning Design for VET” Program is a good
example, as are action learning projects where people:
• develop an idea
• trial the idea
• gather evidence

5. • reflect on progress
• refine idea, trial, gather evidence, reflect, and so on
3. Resourcing
Flipped learning doesn’t mean there is no content. It means that content is delivered in many different
ways. It also means that the trainer doesn’t have to develop all of the content themselves.
Trainer developed content should be a combination of:
• Video or webinar recordings for ‘visual’ content eg demonstrations
• Audio podcasts of ‘lecture’ style content
• Links to existing or teacher-generated online content
Other content can be sourced from:
• YouTube, TeacherTube etc
• OER, wiki-pedia; educator, veristy etc
• How to videos
• MOOCs, Peer2Peer university, Khan Academy
• National VET Elearning Strategy Learning repository
• Student created content from previous courses eg outputs from projects, where learners become
the pro-sumers of information, that is, both producers and consumers of information
4. Implementing policies and processes
Flipped learning will mean that when and where the facilitation of learning will change.
Tele-work and flexible working arrangements will need to be implemented to allow learning support to
happen outside of traditional business hours. However Workplace Health and Safety (WHS)
considerations will also need to be put into place to support this new working conditions for trainers.
Case Study 1 – TAFE SA Orthodontics (Dental) Program
The Orthodontics Program (Dental) at TAFESA needed to reduce the number of face to face sessions.
To solve the problem of having to cover the same amount of content in less time they decided to prepare
pre-readings and make YouTube clips available ahead of workshops. Learners have come to like this
alternative, more efficient method of delivering content.
Ironically, the teacher that made the decision to flip the learning had not heard of the concept of ‘flipped
learning.’ Moral: good teachers instinctively implement good practice.
Case Study 2 - Putting the Flip in Aged Care
Putting the Flip in Aged Care project is a National VET E-learning Strategy project through a partnership
with the Gordon Institutes and the City of Greater Geelong (CoGG) Aged and Disability Services division
for off-site workers located in the Geelong Region.

6. The aim of this project is to:
• delivery content outside of class via teacher-centred videos thereby allowing learners more
workshop time to work on key learning activities
• increase interaction and personalised contact time between learners and teachers
• create an environment where learners take responsibility for their own learning
• introducing technology to traditionally more mature aged learners in a supported way
They are keeping the resources simple to create and use eg PowerPoint, Screenr and Moodle.
More information: http://participationandskills.wikispaces.com/VIC87
It’s not all a bed of roses
Larry Ferlazzo’s infographic presents some of the pros and cons of flipped learning here:
http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2012/12/08/useful-infographic-commentary-on-flipped-classroom/
Conclusion
So like any digital implementation all elements need to be planned for otherwise:
• Neglect will happen if people are not engaged and supported
• Disappointment will occur if the technology doesn’t work right, and
• Frustration if people are hindered by restrictive policies and processes
For more information
This program is part of the Professional Learning Program conducted by the Queensland VET
Development Centre (QVDC). vetpd.qld.gov.au/whats-happening

7. The aim of this project is to:
• delivery content outside of class via teacher-centred videos thereby allowing learners more
workshop time to work on key learning activities
• increase interaction and personalised contact time between learners and teachers
• create an environment where learners take responsibility for their own learning
• introducing technology to traditionally more mature aged learners in a supported way
They are keeping the resources simple to create and use eg PowerPoint, Screenr and Moodle.
More information: http://participationandskills.wikispaces.com/VIC87
It’s not all a bed of roses
Larry Ferlazzo’s infographic presents some of the pros and cons of flipped learning here:
http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2012/12/08/useful-infographic-commentary-on-flipped-classroom/
Conclusion
So like any digital implementation all elements need to be planned for otherwise:
• Neglect will happen if people are not engaged and supported
• Disappointment will occur if the technology doesn’t work right, and
• Frustration if people are hindered by restrictive policies and processes
For more information
This program is part of the Professional Learning Program conducted by the Queensland VET
Development Centre (QVDC). vetpd.qld.gov.au/whats-happening