PolyTeach 2020: Do the Flip!
Update Regarding COVID-19 (coronavirus)
3/5/20, 11:45pm: PolyTeach 2020: Do the Flip! will take place as planned. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has NOT identified a risk to the Cal Poly Pomona campus. The university is aware of the changing nature of the situation and is continuing to monitor any related developments.
If you are feeling ill, we ask that you refrain from joining us. For everyone, we recommend avoiding close contact with others and washing your hands frequently.
For more information, visit Cal Poly Pomona’s Health Alert website.
Welcome to the 8 th PolyTeach: Technology and the Innovative University event! This Cal Poly Pomona conference provides an opportunity for campus conversations about technology, particularly highlighting the creative ways that faculty use technology to support student learning.
This year, the theme of PolyTeach is “Do the Flip!” We’re focusing on “flipping” the classroom as a way to help students to learn better, succeed better, and to have a great sense of classroom community. PolyTeach “Do the Flip!” is also the closing event of a four-year “First in the World” grant collaboration among Cal Poly Pomona, Cal State Los Angeles, and San Jose State University (the lead institution). PolyTeach “Do the Flip!” will feature talks from some of the faculty who participated in our collaboration.
The First in the World program, initiated by the Obama administration, supports innovative solutions to address challenges in postsecondary education for students who face challenges in completing college. The CSU, of course, has many working students, part-time students, students from low-income backgrounds, students of color, students with disabilities, and first-generation students – and some students who identify with all of these characteristics. Our collaborative 3-CSU project focused on flipping seven “gateway” courses in math, physics, and engineering, while encouraging flipping to spread among other faculty as well.
“Flipping” is still a pretty controversial pedagogical strategy. A major concern is that if a flipped class is not carefully designed and implemented, it will actually perpetuate learning and success gaps between students who are “haves” vs those who are “have-nots,” rather than leading to inclusiveness and equity. Our keynote talk at PolyTeach “Do the Flip!”, “Designing Flipped Courses for Learning Equity,” offered by Dr. Kevin Kelly, will address the potential of flipping to be inclusive.
As a special treat, we’ll enjoy the 2020 Wall of COOL awards. This light-hearted recognition from the eLearning team “Celebrates Outstanding Opportunities for Learning,” especially those that involve enhancing the learning experience with technology in some way. Our COOL faculty will take a few minutes to talk about their classes, hopefully inspiring others to think in new ways about their own courses.
Please join us!