It's certainly part of the model that law schools have used for a long, long time.

We just had a discussion about "flipped classrooms" in this semester's TA training session. I think its effectiveness depends on the subject matter--since I teach music, some aspects of what I teach could be really effectively addressed through a flipped classroom structure, but other concepts would fail miserably when taught this way. I'm also a visual learner, so I'd rather read a chapter than listen to a lecture. For certain subjects and for auditory learners, though, it can be a great idea.

Seems reasonable. Perhaps your instructor is doing this because they have a low degree of confidence that you will actually read the material, so they're hand-holding you through it? I hope this is a 100/200 level course.

I do agree with what the majority of people seem to be saying. We do seem to learn more in this context, as we have much more time to go over the material. However, the activities we do in class do not really relate to the lecture. (we also only started class a few weeks ago so maybe as the semester goes on, they will become more involved) I don't want to disclose what the class is due to the fact that it's a pretty unique and small class and makes me very easy to identify, but it is a major required class only taught by one teacher.

Hope this answers everyones questions :)

I run my classroom in a similar fashion. It certainly weeds out the people who try and the people who are not motivated. It also allows more motivated/advanced students to work at an advanced pace or level. Simply put, it places the responsibility on the student, not so much to learn the material on their own but to ask questions. For some students, this means I act as their personal tutor in class for 5-20 minutes, sometimes longer, at a time. But if the material is never viewed/read beforehand and questions for clarification never asked, well then the chances of success are small.

ETA: although I try to keep the lectures at 10-15 minutes per video, per night so it is maybe about 30-45minutes per week rather than an hour at a shot. I could see that being annoying.

Yes, I also don't see how this is much different than requiring you to read the chapter ahead of time. It means that the professor has more in time in class to delve more deeply into the material and really teach, try different group activities...basically, do things the students want.

Because some people take an hour to read a chapter, and some people take 15 minutes. With the situation described in the OP, you are stuck for an hour whether you could have processed the information more quickly or not.

Not to mention powerpoints kind of really truly heinously suck and I don't know anyone who likes them.

Preach.

I agree, in theory, that powerpoints suck, but if I do a lecture without powerpoints, my students complain that they have to take notes.

They complain about taking notes? Um really? They need to suck it up.

THIS. The students in my class complain about my PPTs, but then on the weeks I don't have them, they complain they can't keep up with taking notes.

Powerpoints are a necessary evil in a big lecture hall. Sometimes the only way to use a picture to show the whole class is either Powerpoint or handouts or both. A professor who took the time to put together the notes on Powerpoint or handouts ahead of time probably spends at least 2 or 3 hours putting together each lecture.

I also teach one section in a classroom so poorly arranged that there is no way the students at the back can see things I handwrite on the board.

Poor babies.

Yet somehow many of us managed to learn in big lecture halls before there was power point.

Helpful -- maybe; sometimes. Necessary -- no.

Using power point just to show a picture isn't really using power point, though -- it's not really a power point presentation. :D

I'll admit that power point can be used effectively if it's used to complement a lecture. I've seen it done.

But few people I've run across know how to use it effectively. if it's just done to put the notes or outline up there, it's a waste of time and effort.

I typically do something like ask the class "what are some reasons that companies manufacture overseas?" and as they give responses, we discuss them, I ask for examples, etc. THEN I show a slide that has the six reasons I'm looking for (usually there are one or two the class hasn't come up with, and I discuss those while the slide is on the screen). So then, they can refer back to the list, but they still have to pay attention/participate in the lecture to be able to answer the questions that might appear on the homework or exams.