An Almost Flipped Class

Tomorrow my 3C class and I are starting on an adventure together.  We are starting to flip our math class. 

Now it is not what you are exactly thinking; we are not 100% flipped yet, but we are moving in that direction. 

In talking to the students, they do not feel comfortable with going out and learning and material on their own and bringing their knowledge back to the classroom and talk and think deeper about it.  They told me that they would now know how to approach it and with finals just around the corner (and Christmas vacation), they do not want to jump into too much that they cannot handle. 

So we compromised.  Tomorrow the students will be using Chromebooks in our math classroom and using D2L to access all of their learning materials.  There are 8 activities for them to complete which will allow them to discover and learn about the world of trigonometry.  The students will complete the online activities and discussions to help strengthen their understanding.  They will be completing this in the classroom, so if anything goes wrong, or if they are stuck, they have the teacher there to help them right away.  

Although we are still not having the time for those deeper discussions, we will have "check-in" discussions scheduled throughout our classes (known in advance) when I will be able to formatively assess their understanding of the material they are independently learning. 

The benefits I hope to see from this method of instruction: 
1) Greater self-confidence
One of the biggest struggles I see with 3C students is their lack of confidence in their math work.  I am hoping by giving them the opportunity to control their learning, the students will see that they can understand it themselves and they are "smart" when it comes to math.  

2) Instruction based on student needs 
Now that the students can focus on what they understand and what they do not understand, I can help with more individualized instruction.  Instead of the entire class going over review topics, or a specific concept within a lesson, I can individually help each student with "that specific part" they are stuck on.  I can also see who is "ahead" in the class and provide them with additional learning opportunities to develop that deeper understanding. 

3) Skills for the Future 
Many Colleges and Universities are embracing the "online learning environment" so giving the students an opportunity to get their feet wet is a great skill development opportunity for them.  I am hoping that from this, the students will be less timid about learning new concepts on their own and start to foster that lifelong learner in each student. 

I am really excited to try this.  I have heard many success stories, and I am hoping that my mix of "flipped" and "regular" classroom will provide the students with their ultimate learning experience.

What have your successes and challenges be with the idea of "online learning"?