THE FLIPPED CLASSROOM APPROACH IN MATHEMATICS CLASSES- TEACHER TRAINING IN THE ERA OF CYBERCULTURE

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to present an experiment with the Flipped classroom approach, combined with Facebook, as educational practice in teacher training. Our aim was to provide undergraduate students of Pedagogy with the experience of a differentiated teaching practice, based on the principles of the Flipped classroom approach, along with Facebook use. The potential and challenges of such experience have been analyzed, in relation to initial teacher training. As theoretical foundations, our paper is based on studies by Bergmann & Sams (2016), Bruno & Pesce (2012), Borba (1999), Bairral (2013) and Schlemmer (2006), who address the Flipped classroom approach, the teaching of Mathematics and  Digital ICT (Digital Information and Communications Technologies). Our study - of exploratory type - was conducted with 38 students enrolled in the subject "Knowledge and Methods in the Teaching of Mathematics 1". The approach was qualitative and the data were collected by means of semi-structured interviews answered by students. Our findings show that it was useful to work with the Flipped classroom approach in initial teacher training, as it propelled a reflection on the importance of such approach and on the need to develop pedagogical practices that can successfully deal with the specifiities of the teaching of Mathematics, and that can be superior to the current educational paradigm, being closer to the context of the subjects at the same time.