Flipping The Classroom

Alex Williams

Alex Williams' presentation at the Society of Animation Studies lasted only five minutes but had more content than many I heard that ran four times as long. Alex recommends 'flipping' the classroom by assigning lecture videos as homework (as he does with Animation Apprecntice, his online course) and concentrating on work in progress during studio sessions. "The beauty of an online lecture is that if you don't get it the first time, you watch it again and again". Of course...some students don't watch the videos. These are the same students who 'glance' at reading assignments in the textbooks (translation: they stared at the cover for a few seconds but didn't open the book.) And they are the same students who won't do well in class and who won't get great grades. Ultimately, you can't make people learn...they have to want to do it. But it does make sense to maximize studio time and minimize lecture time, since we are working in visual media. Alex can 'pitch' really well, too.

---Nancy

Oy Canada! Nancy Beiman goes Metric!

Animator, teacher, and purebred New Yorker Nancy Beiman becomes a Canadian citizen today.  FLIP demanded an explanation.....

Nancy Beiman and her students.

FLIP: Why do you hate America?
NB: You never stop being American, and I don't plan to start (stopping). I am still allowed to eat New York Bagels, though I am required to have the Montreal style ones at least once a month. And a moose image must be present in my house at all times. And I can now have a passport for both of my split personalities.