Flipped Classroom: Can it create a better learning environment?

Last year, I was introduced to 'Flipped Classroom' by my mentor. It is an interesting teaching and learning method that I find very different from what I have gone through in my education path, as a student and a lecturer.

The flip is to turnaround the method we use in teaching into facilitating or coaching. Instead of students attending a class to learn from the teacher and then go back home to do revision, the students now learn by themselves at home on the topics assigned first. After that, they will attend the face-to-face session for discussion activities or participate in projects. To me, it is similar to the current lecture and tutorial system in many institutions but with a little bit of tweaks.

Flipped classroom tends to transfer the responsibilities of learning to the students where knowledge can now flow directly to them without going through the teacher. Students will now play a more proactive role and self-independent learning in order to be benefit from the tutorial session.

To understand this better, you can watch the below short video on Flipped Classroom.

Share your view on this teaching and learning method. Do you think it is useful for your students (environment)? Why? Please comment :)