Flipped Classrooms in Higher Education in Algeria during Period of COVID19: Challenges and Difficulties

Abstract

Nowadays in Algeria, the recent trend to decentralize educational powers has wheeled an increasing need for innovation in classrooms and at universities and because of Virus Corona too. As a result, one recommendation was proposed that higher education should make greater use of technology and each teacher should use a projector in his lectures, each student should have access to a portable computer and all the teachers are obliged to post their lectures on the site of their universities from March 15th, 2020 to their students. In this period all the universities and institutes are closed. Therefore, students must take and understand their lectures from universities’ sites. In the South of Algeria exactly in Bechar where the department of foreign languages fails to address the needs of students properly in learning languages and many inspectors of education criticize students of English for their lack of professional training and the resulting inability of students to discharge professional duties that lie ahead because  most of the students find it difficult to attend classes and there seems to be a need of Flipped Classrooms for greater flexibility in the course delivery. Since the flipped classroom is a hot topic not only among educators but also among the general public especially in this period of the universal virus which is COVID-19. Hence, this study aims to reflect on the use of Flipped Classrooms in higher education in Algeria by investigating its current status, assessing its pedagogical viability in higher education; exploring its different forms; identifying different options to implement the Flipped Classroom concept and related advantages and disadvantages, and considering technical and cost-related constraints of the Flipped Classroom. To fulfill this objective, the researcher used a questionnaire addressed to students and conducted an interview with the teachers of Bechar University. The finding of the research revealed that all the students are against technology; they prefer the handout (copies) which is the primitive way. They are against closing universities; they think it is just political ideas and they believe that Corona Virus cannot reach the Sahara of Algeria.