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ELIZABETHTOWN, Ky. (AP) — Some Hardin County teachers are creating instructional videos for students to watch as part of their assignments.
Jamie Chenault, a fourth-grade science teacher at Lakewood Elementary, told The News-Enterprise (http://bit.ly/1rnqIkM) that she assigns her students to watch one or two videos or presentations a week. The videos were created either by herself, another teacher or an educational organization.
For students without Internet access, they watch the videos by using computers or tablets at school during breakfast.
The concept is known as the flipped classroom approach. It's a recognition that learning doesn't occur only in classrooms.
"Basically the flipped classroom takes that traditional method and puts it in video form so that the kids can watch that at home," Chenault said.
One benefit of the concept is allowing students to re-watch lectures or videos if they don't understand the lesson.
Susan Ellis, an algebra teacher at Central Hardin High School in central Kentucky, said the method is "completely self-paced."
Her flipped classroom concept started with about 30 students last November as a repeat class for students who were falling behind or not grasping concepts as quickly. She said the curriculum could be more tailored to students' weaknesses.
Ellis said she makes all of her own videos using an application called "educreations." Many of the students at Central Hardin watch their videos during regular school hours, because of lack of Internet access.
Another benefit for the flipped classroom approach is allowing children who are absent from school to not fall behind.
"If you've got kids who are sick with the flu, they can get some form of instruction and actually go and look at the lessons from home," said Central Hardin Principal Tim Isaacs.
Central Hardin biology teacher Abbey Wilkinson said the flipped classroom method has increased the amount of content she can cover in class because a lot of the lecturing takes place elsewhere.
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