Dr. Guillaume Jaubert from Vincennes University recorded a session for the 2020 Lilly Conference online that focused on how flipping works during a pandemic. Jaubert quoted Peter Lenn’s definition of flipping: “learner doing homework in c oh ass with help” that I had not heard! I like the simplicity and the inclusion of with help without specifying if it is instructor or peer learner help. Jaubert mentioned students have time to take notes and formulate questions, less time for homework at home, and more interaction with professor as reasons why students should be excited about flipping. Retrieval practice and the work of Dr. Pooja Agarwal was mentioned: “the act of recall an information that is not in front of you”. I loved all the carefully selected quotes in Jaubert’s presentation! Jaubert clarified the use of retrieval practice in an individual space through note taking, flash cards, and individual elaborating integration. Likewise, retrieval can be done in groups: rehearse explanations, paired quizzes, retrieval quiz, and summarizing. Jaubert emphasized retrieval practice for formative assessment, not summative assessment. Professor Jaubert asks students to complete notes before synchronous sessions. Students should also come with questions written down. Jaubert differentiated between understanding and retrieval questions. Retrieval quizzes are used as formative assessment: two or three questions for four to six minutes of work. Jaubert uses ZIP grade software to scan the class and gauge understanding: which question was answered incorrectly? As Jaubert puts it:
“Retrieval practice is about pulling the knowledge out… from one lesson to another… from one class to another… from one school to another”
Professor Guillaume Jaubert, 2020 Lilly Conference online
When is the student able to apply the knowledge retrieved? Jaubert mentions that to foster transfer, broad retrieval exercises should be used, meaningful explanation (students, not instructors, should ask why and how), and questions should be mixed in format and complexity. The wonderful book Make it Stick by Brown, Roediger, and McDaniel was mentioned to highlight that low-stakes quizzing is powerful, real learning may not feel good, interleaving study practice, and being transparent in our approach. Jaubert’s presentation summarized research and provided examples that are general and simple for instructors to readily incorporate. I was learning through an OFD RED teaching certificate module about reciprocal peer learning today, and this presentation made me think about ways of using peer reciprocal learning to promote retrieval practice. I also appreciate Jaubert’s use of Cornell notes as homework/prework before in class sessions during flipping. I’ve enjoyed reading scaffolded notes for this semester’s yeast course and think I’ll use this approach in other courses, including BIT 295. Importantly, the benefits of retrieval practices are known. Our challenge is how to effectively foster retrieval practice by, as Jaubert mentioned, starting the survival mode and realizing retrieval is uncomfortable yet important for learning and subsequent transfer.
