Flipped Classroom Strategy 1: Taking Notes with VideoNot.es

Instructors who had success with flipping their classrooms realize that students have to take initiative and be held accountable for viewing content (i.e. videos, text readings, websites, etc.) before class and time is dedicated to learning experiences in which students apply what they have learned.  A common question, however, is "how do I know my students are watching the videos (or readings) before they come to class?"  This is a valid question that needs to be addressed for a successful flipped lesson or module/unit to be implemented.  One common strategy instructors implement is to have students complete a short assessment through a learning management system's (LMS) quizzing/survey tool or Google Form to (1) hold students accountable for watching or reading content prior to class and (2) to self-assess understanding of a concept or other content presented on the video and/or reading.  As an additional incentive, instructors may make completion of these short assessments as part of an assignment or participation grade.  Another "before class" strategy in conjunction or in replacement of a traditional short assessment is to have students summarize or identify "burning" questions that students may need some brief explanation on at the top of the face-to-face class session.  

One tool worth exploring in supporting "before class" writing tasks in the flipped classroom environment is VideoNot.es.  VideoNot.es allows users to watch a video that resides on a video hosting service, such as YouTube and Khan Academy, on one side of the screen while having the capability of typing notes on the other sides of the screen (see image below).

Students can easily take notes, write summaries, and/or jot down questions regarding the contents of the video.  Currently, VideoNot.es works with video content posted on YouTube, Khan Academy, and Vimeo.

VideoNot.es integrates with Google Drive as an added application.  You can learn more about enabling additional applications within Google Drive here.  Because of this seamless Google Drive integration, students can easily open/modify their video notes and even share their notes with other classmates and/or the instructor.  Best of all...VideoNot.es is free!

To get started, visit VideoNot.es and click on the green "Connect with Google Drive" button.

Do you have experience with VideoNot.es?  Do you have other tools or ideas for "before class" activities/assessment in flipped learning environments?  Share your experiences and ideas in the comments section below.