Using Flip to Promote Asynchronous Student Engagement

Updated 7/8/22 to reflect name change (and new logo/mascot) from Flipgrid to Flip.

Flip (previously Flipgrid) is a completely FREE online platform that makes it easy for educators and students to participate in asynchronous video discussions.

My first exposure to Flip was as a graduate student where it was used to facilitate discussions between students within a fully online, asynchronous course. While there was a small learning curve, one thing that stood out to me over the course of the semester was the connection I felt to my classmates despite only knowing them for 8 weeks and living states away from each other. Through the use of video, I was able to pick up on their passion via their tone of voice and facial expressions which made the discussion come alive in a way that I hadn't experienced via a written discussion board.

This experience came at a time (fall 2020) when I was actively trying to find ways to keep students engaged in a hybrid learning environment due to COVID restrictions. I was excited and eager to try Flip as an educator and was pleasantly surprised as the level of engagement I saw in students and the relative ease of set-up.

Pros:

• Relatively easy to create groups and embed links to Flipgrid within e-learning systems (after set-up, simply copy and paste the link which will allow students to access the correct group/topic).

• Can link your Flip account to your work Microsoft account so you don't have to remember another username or password. It also makes it easy for students to log-in.

• Helpful video tutorials and guides (https://info.flip.com/getting-started.html).

• Variable time limits from 30 seconds up to 10 minutes.

• Ability to provide text or video comments (can also turn comments off entirely or force students to make only video or only text comments).

• Screen sharing feature so students can present from a slideshow for more formal presentations.

• Option to record a video offline and upload later (especially helpful if students are creating a group presentation - they can record it using Zoom or WebEx and upload the mp4 video to Flip).

Cons:

• Difficult to get meaningful data re: student engagement. As an educator/admin, you can "export data" for an individual topic which provides you with a .csv (spreadsheet) file. While this is helpful, everything video and comment is listed individually so it requires a fair amount of effort and time to figure out how many comments each student made and/or assess the quality of the comments.

• Can share a link to an e-learning page but does not fully integrate or sync with the e-learning system (e.g., you cannot enter grades in e-learning from Flip).

• Inevitable learning curve to figure out a new system and fine-tune preferences for set-up.

• Requires an introductory activity to make sure students feel comfortable with the technology.

As I mentioned, I love Flip because I see greater student engagement compared to normal in-class or online written discussion boards. Flip makes it easier for everyone to share their thoughts and participate in the discussion instead of just the 2-3 students who feel most comfortable raising their hand. It also forces students to practice (or re-record) their presentations in order to fit within a designated time limit and demonstrate confident and professional speaking skills. This is helpful as students prepare to make case presentations to their colleagues and interact on a professional level with patients. Finally, I love that it saves the 2-3 minutes of transition time (x4-12) between presenters compared to in-class presentations.

Suggestions for use:

First, I like to use it as a way for students to introduce themselves to me and each other. Usually this involves basic facts (name, where you call "home", place where you would like to visit) along with a short prompt related to the class topic ("what do you want to learn?"). This helps me get to know the students (especially because I can revisit these throughout the semester) and also helps them get to know each other.

Second, I like to use it in place of in-class presentations. I mentioned these earlier but I think that their are many benefits to asynchronous presentations including greater engagement, better presentations, and increased efficiency. I also think this can help ease some of the anxiety that students may experience with in-class presentations (especially early on in their coursework).

Third, Flip can be a fun alternative to text-based discussion boards. After all, Flip is marketed as a "video based discussion app". Using Flip in this way allows for the addition of non-verbal communication (e.g., tone of voice, facial expressions) which can make the discussions feel more authentic and engaging despite being asynchronous.

Using Flip for student presentations is a two-step activity. First, I have students create their presentations which are due by a certain date (usually a specific class period). Then, instead of having in-person class, students are instructed to use class time to watch each video, fill out a feedback form (includes rating scales and open-ended questions to provide a short critique and ensure that students watch all the presentations), and then pose 2-3 meaningful questions or comments to their peers' presentations. Students must also respond to any questions posed to them.

Have you used Flip as a student or educator? What else would you like to know about Flip? Share your experience or thoughts in the comments. I'd love to learn about other ways that educators are using Flip inside the higher education classroom!