Flipped learning is quickly becoming the standard teaching method used by online educators.
Professor Carolina Rodriguez Buitrago is a flipped-learning pioneer and works as an English and technology professor at the Institucion Universitaria Colombo Americana in Bogotá, Colombia. She uses flipped learning to teach English to Spanish-speaking students.
Sparking New Ways To Engage Students
Buitrago stumbled upon the flipped-learning movement while struggling to find ways to get her students to read their course material before class. It’s a common problem for many educators. This lack of student accountability pushed Buitrago to find new ways to spark passion in her students. Inspired to find a solution, Buitrago changed her course material and incorporated the use of video.
“I discovered ScreenPal … I kind of looked for things to record my screen and talk to them [students] directly so they didn’t have to do all the content access through reading but they could also see me and hear me,” Buitrago explained.
During her face-to-face video sessions using ScreenPal, she could now focus class time on case studies and simulations and engage creatively with the subject matter.
Flipped Learning – A New Way to Teach With Video
Buitrago’s manager respected her new teaching approach and encouraged her to write a paper about her achievements. While researching, Buitrago discovered that her new teaching philosophy already had a label — flipped learning.
“I think a lot of us are just looking for ways to make our students get information better and to optimize our classroom time — and we discover flipped learning without knowing its name,” she said.
It’s often thought that online learners experience a lack of connection with teachers and fellow students. Buitrago disagrees and says that she now feels closer to her students.
“The video brings the human component into online learning and into any blended learning that you’re trying to do. With flipped learning, you’re trying to build stronger relationships with students, and for me, through video, I’m doing that,” said Buitrago.
Video Motivates and Increases Engagement
Buitrago teaches English to mostly preservice and in-service teachers. Her use of ScreenPal has made a huge impact by motivating them and increasing their engagement. The teachers began thriving in this new environment and, as a result, Buitrago said they became devoted to learning.
“We are in the language-teaching field, so to learn a language, it’s always good to have a demonstration, to see the face of your teacher, and the videos really make it easy for us,” she said.
A couple of teachers who Buitrago trained decided to use their own version of flipped learning. The children weren’t alone in their learning. “There is only one computer at home, so dad and mom sit down to do the homework with the kid so they’re learning English, too,” she said.
Years later, Buitrago is now a master flipped educator. She is listed by the Flipped Learning Global Initiative (FLGI) as one of the world’s 50 leading educators using flipped learning in higher education.
Buitrago beams with pride when speaking about her future in education and the importance of incorporating video into teaching practices.
“I would never go back to the old ways of teaching. Looking for this connection between professor and teacher is very important … by looking at you on the video, they can get much more from you even if you’re fully in an online environment,” she said.
About Carolina Rodriguez Buitrago: Buitrago is an English, Pedagogy and Technology professor at the Institucion Universitaria Colombo Americana-UNICA in Bogotá, Colombia. She is a Master Teacher in the Flipped Learning Global Community (FLGI) and is listed as one of the 50 leading educators implementing flipped learning in higher education worldwide. http://crbuitrago.com/me/
Share Your Story
ScreenPal would like to thank Carolina for her continued effort and determination to teach flipped learning. If you have a similar story to tell or would like to share the story of an extraordinary educator, email our marketing team (marketing@screenpal.com).
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