Gone are the days of forbidden hand- held devices in the classroom. Students will soon be encouraged to pull out their cellphones or tablets as a new trend in education begins in Canada and the U.S.
Students at Castlebrooke secondary school in Brampton, Ont., are among the first in the country to participate in what is called a “flipped classroom”. At home, students watch a video lesson their teacher has posted on YouTube. The next day they go to school to do their homework.
A teacher at Castlebrooke, Velisa Anusic, said this method of teaching is beneficial to his students because it allows him to spend more one-on-one time with them.
“In school they get my time and instruction to actually complete homework and do engaging tasks,”said Anusic.
Serena Dhillon, 15, a student at Castlebrooke, said if students don’t understand what’s on the video they can ask questions in class.
“If I ever have a question I can ask in class rather than bringing homework in the next day and not doing it,” said Dhillion.
Students without Internet access at home can bring their mobile devices to school and watch the video at the beginning of the day.
The principal at Castlebrooke, Cathy Semler, said she is looking to have 50 per cent of the classes in her school operating as a flipped classroom.
“The plan for the school is definitely using the technology in the education setting so students can bring their devices to school and use them in an engaging and collaborative way,” she said.
Semler said using technology will teach students the skills needed for the 21st century.
“They need to be critical thinkers, they need to be problem solvers, they need to learn what collaboration is about,” she said. “That’s our focus; the technology is just a tool.”
With a report from CTV's Naomi Parness
