Flipgrid: Video Discussion Tool For Fostering A Community Of Learners – Media & Technology Theories
Flipgrid: Fostering a Community of Learners through Video Discussions
The divide between educational theory and practice has long been a criticism of the field. However, educational technology has the potential to bridge this gap by designing instruction that aligns with targeted learning theories. One such tool is Flipgrid, a user-friendly video discussion platform that promotes a student-centered community of learners. With features such as sharing, liking, and visual feedback, Flipgrid empowers its users to create transformative learning experiences.
Applying Theory to Practice:
Flipgrid is a flexible tool that can be used intentionally with different learning theories, but it primarily fits into the social constructivist paradigm. It provides an opportunity for students to construct their own understanding in a shared social setting. Design frameworks such as community of practice, problem-based learning, or social learning theory align nicely with Flipgrid’s underlying features, which include the ability for students to contribute their own responses, reply to peers, engage with content from within their normal communication channels, and articulate their understanding.
Fully Utilizing the Tool:
With the vast number of educational technology tools available to teachers, it is important to not only learn about the tool but also observe it in action, trial it in low-risk environments, and reflect on its use in a community of practice. To optimize the use of Flipgrid, educators should experiment and participate in their own Flipgrids. The sandbox space is a great place to get familiar with the features available in different subscription plans and to explore how the tool can be used in the classroom setting. Flipgrid can also be integrated with a Learning Management System or website. The five major features of Flipgrid are grids, topics, responses, replies, and feedback.
Grids serve as the home base for classroom content, where students can view posted topics and post their own responses. Topics are started with a video and text explanation and can revolve around any subject being studied or discussed in class. Students are able to respond to topics on a laptop or mobile device and have the power to pause, record, delete, and flip their cameras in order to share their surroundings. They can also post replies to other video postings, which fosters entirely new discussions through threaded video responses. The feedback system allows for quick and rapid assessment through an emoticon rating scale, with advanced subscriptions also providing the option for text feedback.
References:
Bergviken Rensfeldt, A., Hillman, T., & Selwyn, N. (2019). Students’ digital practices in their everyday life and the implications for higher education. Internet and Higher Education, 42, 44-52.
Limbu, Y. B., Li, Q., & Li, X. (2019). The impact of a social media-based discussion platform on students’ motivation and participation. Interactive Learning Environments, 27(8), 1043-1056.
Perez-Sanagustin, M., Hilliger, I., Alario-Hoyos, C., & Kloos, C. D. (2018). User feedback in MOOCs with student-paced vs. cohort-paced approaches. Computers & Education, 122, 113-126.
Wang, Q., Chen, W., & Liang, Y. (2020). Learning effectiveness and user experience of the mobile application-based learning model in higher education. Education and Information Technologies, 25(6), 5259-5280.
