Missing the (Flipped/Digital Textbook) Point

If you’re a connected educator, you’ve seen the online discussion going on about two topics- The Flipped Classroom and Digital Textbooks.

The more that I read about these two topics, the more I think that most people miss the point.

Rather than, simply making lectures available outside the classroom, the point of the flipped classroom (in my opinion) SHOULD be how to make the “flip” from teacher-centered, low-level thinking, fabricated exercises to student-centered, higher order thinking, authentic learning activities.

Rather than simply taking the profane sums of money that we spend on textbooks and other print materials and spending them on equally expensive (sometimes more) digital materials, the point (in my opinion) SHOULD be how to make the “flip” to student researched, student selected, and student created learning materials.

So, when you join the discussion about these two topics, help me turn the conversation to what SHOULD be the point (assuming you agree with my opinion).