THE ADVANTAGES OF FLIPPED LEARNING MODEL: AN OPPORTUNITY TO INTEGRATE TECHNOLOGY IN CHILDREN'S LITERATURE

Abstract

Studying children’s literature involves questioning how fantasy and representations of childhood relate to cultural contexts and a specific target audience. In an age of technology and online media, this program teaches students how to encourage young people to appreciate literature's heritage. This research examines how using the flipped classroom model provides opportunities to design and deliver courses using active learning and engagement strategies to facilitate students’ teamwork, problem solving and critical thinking skills in a collegial environment. The aims of research are: to familiarise with some of the themes and ideas explored in a selection of literature for children from the nineteenth-century to today, including works of some major writers in the field; enhance employability-related qualities and aptitudes – in particular reflexivity, a reasoned sense of self-worth and social vision; extend understanding of the development of a literature for children by providing a cultural-historical background; consider the texts in the light of some literary theories. For this reason, the main purpose is to contribute to the advances in research on curriculum innovation through implementation of an active learning methodology-flipped classroom- in teaching and learning in the classroom. The present study describes the impact of children's literature course based on the flipped learning model with 272 undergraduate students of primary and pre-primary education course at the University of Palermo. Teachers, for a flipped course, prepared videos per week for students to watch at home before coming to the lessons. Classroom time was devoted to interactive activities which would demonstrate the concepts shown in the videos. The class is highly interactive with a significant discussion component. Activities were conducted according to a schedule with specific due dates each week. Course includes online and in print literature research and classic children's literature with support of online learning environment within a flexible study format and criteria for evaluation and aids for selection of materials; determination of the reading interests, needs, and abilities of children; reading, listening and viewing guidance in the classroom. Besides, it includes a discussion of recent developments in contemporary literature for children through wide reading of the literature, including listening and viewing media. The advantages of flipped learning model provides an opportunity to technology integration with literature related activities; to examine the history and diversity of children's fiction and nonfiction through examination of a variety of recommended works. It also suggests criteria for selecting and evaluating alternative books, examines the role of children’s literature to build knowledge for developing a curriculum that promotes a progressive development of reading comprehension; evaluates the style and illustrations of contemporary picture book illustrators; develops a lesson plan for sharing the books of one illustrator; distinguishes elements of fiction, informational, and historical fiction books; creates a focus program that correlates with a content area or an author/illustrator to demonstrate understanding of the body of contemporary children's literature.