Orange, TX (PRWEB) September 26, 2013
Scientific Minds has recently released two products, Biology Starters and Chemistry Starters, in a new platform designed to aid educators in flipping the classroom.
In a flipped classroom, the teacher doesn't deliver lecture material during class. Instead, students use online video lessons or lectures to learn fundamental concepts on their own time. When students come to class, they are prepared to ask questions, apply their knowledge in problem solving, and participate in project-based learning.
The idea of flipping the classroom, or flip teaching, has been around since the mid 1990s, but the reversed teaching method has received more attention in the last few years with increasing education research and implementation at the high school and college level. Company Founder Kathy Reeves states, "High school teachers who use the flipped classroom typically spend a lot of time preparing quality, online lessons. In creating Biology Starters and Chemistry Starters, we've done this work for them."
Both Biology Starters and Chemistry Starters are digital video lessons that break down difficult science concepts into "chunks" of knowledge that students more readily learn. The new platform includes interactive flashcards, over 1,000 in the Biology product, as well as quizzes that provide feedback. In each Starter, students view a video lesson, interactively review flashcards, and take a quiz as often as needed until they feel ready to apply the knowledge.
Some colleges, like the University of Wisconsin-Madison, have been using a flipped approach for years. Others, like the Engineering and Education Research Center at the University of Pittsburgh's Swanson School of Engineering, are just beginning to give it a try. Professors at the Swanson School of Engineering are chunking their lectures into 10-minute segments that students watch outside of class.
Scientific Minds has similarly built science education products by chunking state and national science standards into 5-10 minute video lessons that clarify difficult concepts by combining informative text with engaging images, graphics, and animations. The 110 Biology Starters and 101 Chemistry Starters address 100% of biology and chemistry standards in most states and are aligned to the NGSS.
Both products are sold as a one-year site license and are updated each year to meet changing state and national standards. The company offers a free 7-day trial at http://www.ScientificMinds.com.
About Scientific Minds, LLC
Scientific Minds, LLC publishes award-winning online resources for K-12 science education. Founded in 2007 by a veteran science teacher, Scientific Minds, LLC provides tools and processes to enhance science instruction and includes strategies to support all students. The company mission is to develop quality, web-based educational products that inspire, encourage, and promote next-generation skills for student success.