So You Flipped It?

Flipping your classroom is in vogue, reaching a level of enthusiasm previously enjoyed by problem‐based learning (PBL) and team‐based learning (TBL). Briefly stated, flipping is accomplished when students are asked to complete tasks previously conducted in the classroom as homework before completing homework tasks during the face‐to‐face class time. This simplistic approach has been shown effective in engaging students and increasing test scores. The work students are asked to do outside the classroom, before class, must be carefully crafted to provide the foundation for the in‐class activities. This should go beyond traditional textbook assignments and may involve watching videos of traditional lectures, viewing voice‐over PowerPoints, etc. The activities to be conducted in class should be designed to enhance the student's understanding by encouraging discussions of case examples, scenario questions, problem sets, etc. This crucial step in the “flip” is an essential part of the learning process. While no one activity can be considered most appropriate for all situations, our experience suggests that it should expand on the knowledge gained outside the classroom in a way that “demands” the students complete their outside assignment before class. Something similar to the initial readiness assurance test (iRAT) used in TBL would seem appropriate to help ensure that students have gained the essential knowledge to engage in critical‐thinking during these class activities. For maximum effectiveness in medical physiology courses, the classroom activities should expand the basic knowledge and include higher‐level thinking to ensure success of the flip classroom pedagogy.