Learning things the traditional way — sitting in class and listening to the teacher lecture you on the topic — can get old very quickly. It’s very easy to get distracted if the subject does not pique your interest, and the lack of stimuli does not help. That is where flipped learning comes in.

In all my classes, we have had multiple sessions of flipped learning, and currently have even more planned to take place shortly. Each of these sessions have been incredibly engaging, and has ingrained lessons into my mind in a way that is easy to remember.

But first, what are flipped classrooms?

It is a methodology of education that changes classroom learning from passive to active, where students take a livelier role in their own education. It takes on a more hands-on approach that encourages learning beyond the textbook. It can range from group activities related to the topic, to student seminars, to debates and quizzes.

We have been practicing this strategy since before the pandemic, though online class is when it truly started to flourish. This year, a few of the flipped learning activities I have taken part in are:

1. Legal Studies Role-playing Activity:

In order to fully comprehend the topic of Criminal Law, our teacher, Ms Nijo Biju split us into groups and had us come up with and act out a scenario where a crime has taken place. The rest of the students were required to answer questions related to each scenario, such as what crimes were committed, what type of crimes they were, the responsibilities to be fulfilled by law enforcement, etc.

2. Psychology Student Seminars:

Our psychology teacher, Ms Asha Kartha, allowed us to choose the topics which most appealed to us. We were then given time to prepare and conduct a lesson based on that topic. With the help of not only detailed research, but also inside jokes and movie references as examples, there is no doubt that these seminars are immensely engaging.

3. Sociology Skit:

This activity, in which the whole class participated as a team, is one for the books. Ms Geetha Isaac, the sociology teacher, asked us to orchestrate a play based on Social Exclusion. She handed us the reins for the project. We divided ourselves into teams in charge of scriptwriting, organizing, and costume & props. We all worked together in order to show several conjoining stories of characters facing important real-life societal issues, with no student being left out.

Each of these activities are incredibly fun to be a part of, while also being an informative experience. They are certainly memorable, which makes it a lot easier to remember details during exams.

Since we often have to learn the topic on our own before participating in the flipped learning session, it is a lot like learning it twice. It ensures that there is no part of the subject matter in which we have any lingering doubt.

It allows for a better bond to be built between the students and the teacher, as it feels like the distance and formality between us is greatly reduced, creating a more friendly, relaxed learning environment. It also strengthens our friendship with our peers and teaches us how to work together and coordinate better. 

I am very glad that Global Public School is conducting so many flipped learning sessions. They have benefited me a lot, by not only making me more familiar with the course material, but also teaching me a wide range of important life skills. I know that my classmates also feel the same way. We all look forward to each activity, and can’t wait to see what comes next!