Learning Resources, Teaching and Proctoring Tools
27 Flip (formally Flipgrid)
What is Flip?
Flip is a video discussion platform through which students record short videos responding to questions or prompts provided by the instructor. It is a more dynamic alternative to traditional threaded discussion boards.
How is Flip Used in the Course?
Depending on your course, it may use Flip in the following way(s):
- Let’s Meet Everyone Discussion
- Evaluation Tool (e.g., graded learning activity)
Note: To determine where and how Flip is used in your specific course (e.g., welcome announcement, module page, etc.), refer to the Course Code – Flip Content document in the External Learning Tools section of the Instructor Guides: Before Your Course Begins.
Creating a Flip Account
Follow the steps below to create your own FlipAccount.
- Go to Flip- Sign Up
- Click Sign up with Microsoft
Note: It is recommended that you use your McMaster Email (instead of Gmail) to create your Flipgrid account. Your McMaster Email is a Microsoft Account. - A window will appear asking you to share your email account information. Enter your McMaster Email and password and follow the prompts provided.
- A window will appear prompting you to share the following information:
- First Name
- Last Name
- Country/Region
- Community Type
- Select: Education – University/College
- Date of Birth
- Click Let’s Go! to complete Flip account set up.
- A Welcome to Flip window will appear. Click the x to close the window.
- Your personal Flip Dashboard should now be visible to you.
Creating a Flip Group and Adding Topics
Creating Flip discussion groups and topics resembles how discussions are set up in Avenue to Learn. The only difference is that in Avenue to Learn, discussion groups are referred to as discussion forums.
Creating a FlipGroup
Follow the instructions below to create a Flip Group within your personal Flip Account.
- Click the Create a Group button
- A window will appear, click the Next button to start personalizing your Flipgrid Group.
- Under the Details section:
- A Group cover image is automatically chosen for you but you can select Change cover image if you would like a different one.
- Add a Group Name
- E.g., ACW 101: Nov 9-Dec 6, 2020
- Add a Group Status
- Active
- Select Group Notificationsif you would like your Group to receive email and comment notifications. It is recommended that this function be turned off.
- Under the Permissions section:
- Click Student Email
- Enter the following email domains in the text box:
- @mcmaster.ca
- @gmail.com
- Click Create Group to complete the Flipgrid Group set up.
- A Your Group is ready! window will appear. Click the x to close the window because you need to create a “Flip Topic” within the Flip Group you just created.
Creating a Flip Topic
Now that you have created a Flip Group, you will notice that one Flip Topic is automatically generated for you in your newly created Flip Group. If you require additional topics, you will need to create them in your Flip Group.
Note: Refer to the Course Code – Flip Content document in the External Learning Tools section of the Instructor Guides: Before Your Course Begins. This document provides the content information (e.g., title, prompt, and recording time) that you will need to create your Flipgrid Topic(s) within your Flip Group.
To update the Flip Topic automatically generated for you, follow the instructions below.
- Click the pencil icon associated with the topic
- Under the Details section:
- Add a topic title
- Add a prompt for students
- Media is provided for you, but you can update this if you want.
- Under the Permissions section:
- Guest password (Optional) should be turned off
- Under the Essentials section:
- Topic Moderation should be turned off
- Adjust your Recording Time
- Choose the style of Comments you want to allow
- Closed Captions should be set to English (United States)
- Under the Attachments section, you can choose to add attachments if you want.
- Under the Status section:
- Topic Status should be set to Active
- Scheduled Status – you can add an Active and Frozen Date if you want.
- Under the Notifications section:
- Your Notifications – you can decide if you want notifications
- Topic Notifications for Others – you can decide if you want this option, but it is recommended that you turn it off.
- Under the Video Responses section:
- You can decide which options you would like to activate.
- Under the Feedback section:
- Basic Feedback should be selected
- Click Update Topic
- Spend a few minutes reviewing the Flip Topic you just created to make sure no information is missing.
To create an additional FlipTopic within your Flip Group, follow the instructions below.
- Return to the Flip Dashboard by clicking the Flipicon in the top left corner of the screen. Ensure that Groups is selected below the Discussion heading.
- Click on the Flip Group that you want to add another FlipTopic to.
- Click Create a Topic
- Review all of the sections and customize them according to the Course Code – Flip Content document and, where applicable, apply the same settings you used to create your first Flip Topic.
- Details
- Permissions – Topic Moderation must always be turned off
- Essentials
- Click More Options to view the rest of the sections (e.g., Attachments, Status, Notifications, Video Responses, and Feedback).
- Click Create Topic
- A Your Topic is ready! window will appear. Click the x to close the window.
- Spend a few minutes reviewing the Flip Topic you just created to make sure no information is missing.
Copy Flipgrid Topic Hyperlink(s)
You will need to complete this step for each topic within your FlipGroup.
- Return to your FlipDashboard
- Click the Share button associated with a Flip Topic within your Flip Group.
- Click Copy
- Click on the x to close the window
Share Flip Topic Hyperlink(s) in Avenue to Learn
Now that you copied the hyperlink associated with a FlipTopic, you will need to share it within your Avenue to Learn course. Depending on how Flip is used in your course, you may be required to update the Flip hyperlink within a Welcome Announcement and/or a Module page.
Welcome Announcement
To update the hyperlink in the welcome announcement template:
- On your course home page, click the Actions menu (drop-down button) to the right of (or below) the welcome announcement title
- Click Edit
- Locate the link that needs to be changed
- Click or highlight the link
- Click the Insert Quicklink button – –on the toolbar
- Replace the text in the URL field with the new link
- If applicable, update the text in the Title field
- Make sure the Target is set to New Window
- Click the Update button
- Finally, test that the new link works correctly
Module Page
To update the hyperlink within a module page, follow the instructions in the Update Links in Content document within the Instructor Guides: Before Your Course Begins.
End of Your Course: Hide Your Flip Group
At the end of your course, hide your Flip Group.
- Go to Educator Login
- Enter the following information:
- Email: McMaster or Gmail Account
- Password: Your Password
- Locate your Flip Group and complete the following:
- Click the drop-down arrow next to Active
- Select Hidden
- Log out of Flip
Tips for When You Teach the Course Again
If you teach the course again, a new Flip Group needs to be created for the online class. You do not need to recreate your Flip Group and Topics. Instead, you will duplicate your FlipGroup and Topics; update course specific information (e.g., Group Title); and then share the hyperlinks within the Avenue to Learn course.
Duplicate an Existing Flip Group
A Flip Group already exists for your course. However, you will need to duplicate an existing Flip Group associated with your course and revise the group’s title (and other information, if applicable) so that it aligns with your new course offering. Follow the instructions below.
Note: Duplicating a Flip Group and Topic(s) used for a previous course offering will not copy the videos responses and comments of the students.
- Go to Educator Login
- Enter the following information:
- Email: McMaster or Gmail Account
- Password: Your Password
- Locate your existing group for your course and complete the following:
- Click the drop-down arrow next to Actions
- Click Duplicate Group
- Click Duplicate
- Click Close to view your duplicated group
Note: Make sure the Flip Topic(s) have been copied over correctly in the duplicated Flip Group before you begin editing. If you are experiencing issues, create a new Flip Group by clicking Create a Group and copy the Flip Topic(s) and description(s) from an existing Flip Group.
Edit Your Duplicated Flip Group and Topic(s)
Now that you have copied an existing Flip Group, you will need to edit the Flip Group, so that it aligns with your current course offering. Follow the instructions below.
- Edit the Flip Group’s Name and Permissions Settings
- Next to the Flip Group title, click the drop-down arrow next to Actions
- Click Edit Group
- Under Group Name, remove [DUPLICATE] and update the title
- Under Permissions, make sure Student Email is selected and the following email domains are provided: @mcmaster.ca and @gmail.com
- Click Update Group
- Edit the Essentials Settings for each Topic in your Flip Group
- Click the pencil icon associated with a topic within your Flip Group
- Scroll down to the Essentials section
- Click the Topic Moderation button so that it is no longer green
- Click Update Topic
- Repeat the steps above (a-e) for each topic in your Flip Group
Note: During this time, if applicable, you can update the Details (e.g., title, prompt, etc.) of your Flip Topic(s) as well.
- Share the Flip Topic Hyperlinks within the Avenue to Learn course.
References
Flip. (2022, December 8). Getting started with Flip. YouTube. https://youtu.be/SRha7yA9Los