Whiteboarding for Accountability

Whiteboarding for Accountability

One of the major concerns in the flipped classroom environment, is are students learning the content based material from the video lessons? Are students actually understanding the material?

I personally do not like to have a quiz everyday to check for student understanding. This develops a mentality that students learn to get a grade on a quiz. And in today's world for many of our students this means that once the quiz is completed the material is no longer necessary. 

I use three methods online to share information with students and monitor their completion of the at home assignment.  I use Moodle as my LMS and have students complete GIFT format and online assignments that correlate to the material presented. I also use TED-Ed (http://ed.ted.com) and create lessons with questions based upon the videos viewed to check that students have completed the information.  The last two months, I have also incorporated SOPHIA  (https://www.sophia.org) playlists and tutorials with quizzes to check for student accountability.  

 

Now, I am a realist and I understand that students at home, left on their own could simply contact friends and get answers to complete the assignments. I hope this isn't the case, but how easy it in this world for a screen capture to be sent out with the necessary information for everyone to complete the assignment on the shoulders of a few conscientious and helpful students.

This is why we use whiteboarding in my classroom. I have 20 - 24"x24" and 10 - 24"x36" inch tile board for students to demonstrate accountability and for me to use as a means of formative assessment. (I get a 4'x8' tile board $13.00 at Home Depot. They will usually cut them for free for a teacher.)

I have students work in pairs to answers questions, solve problems, outline solutions, format lab procedures etc…. The boards are large enough for students to work together and also to share their work for the entire class to see. I have students rotate partners through several questions so that I can witness interaction and listen to explanations as they help reinforce their understanding of the material.  If a student did not actually complete the assignment, it becomes very apparent to me and their classmates. However, in this exercise they are able to catch up to the class through peer learning.