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Interview with Dr. Lodge McCammon

Editor's Note: Dr. McCammon suggests that readers refer to the websites or videos listed for more detailed and complete information than could be provided within the confines of a brief written interview.

The mission of the Friday Institute is to advance education through innovation in teaching, learning, and leadership and to foster collaborations to improve education. An integral project supporting that mission is FIZZ, of which you are project director. What is FIZZ?

http://www.fi.ncsu.edu/project/fizz/ (see the front page video)

You have stated that FIZZ professional development is all about transforming education. You suggest that the way to achieve this transformation is by "flipping" the classroom. What does this mean?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PcSafUTNd8

What advantages does the flipped classroom model have for English language learners? Do you know if any K-12 ESL teachers in North Carolina are using this model? What about students who don't have internet access at home?

The flipped classroom model has incredible advantages for English language learners. The most notable advantage is the ability to slow the fundamentals of the instruction down. All students can now work at their own pace which is a fantastic feature for English language learners who, many times, need instruction in small pieces. These learners can also revisit the materials as many times as needed in order to process the content, giving them the best possible opportunity at being successful with the lesson.

The FIZZ model is additionally beneficial to English language learners because it has a very personal feel to the videos - utilizing the teachers facial cues, gesturing and eye contact to engage the viewer. These personal aspects are helpful for all students who are attempting to process the information. research behind this statement: http://www.fi.ncsu.edu/project/fizz/pd/flippingtheclassroom/research

I know of many teachers in NC who have a high population of English language learners in their classrooms who have been very successful with the flipped classroom. I have observed these students spend one or two lunch periods each week back in the classroom, on a computer, reviewing the lecture material for the class. They listen, pause, write, and then hit play - while interacting with the teacher in a very close, personal and virtual way. These students have excelled in the flipped classroom.

FIZZ trains teachers to use paperslide video projects to differentiate instruction. Could you briefly explain what a paperslide video is?

http://www.fi.ncsu.edu/project/fizz/pd/differentiationresources/paperslidedif (example of paperslide video)
http://paperslide.wikispaces.com/PSV (how to create a paperslide video)

FIZZ also provides training to differentiate instruction via student-generated music videos and you have composed dozens of standards-based songs, with supporting materials, about advanced curriculum for K-12 classrooms. Why is music such an important part of effecting classroom engagement?

http://www.fi.ncsu.edu/project/fizz/pd/musicvids

You once stated: "It ups the value of every single activity, of every single homework assignment if that has been published to the web for everyone to see, for a global audience." This view seems to be in keeping with the current push toward open access and transparency. Will this trend indeed revolutionize the way instruction is delivered in this country?

The ease of creating digital media in the classroom, making teaching and learning transparent, will certainly revolutionize school. This new type of pedagogy creates an active and dynamic classroom environment for both the teacher and the student while providing what I call "beautiful accountability." If all teacher and student work is published for a global audience, then we as a culture have access to all that information and can better assess and support all learners.