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In 2007, the primacy of technology inspired two chemistry teachers, Jonathan Bergman and Aeron Sams with the idea that it is possible to record PowerPoint slides along with their own voice using a screen capturing software to deliver them before the classes. The purpose of this strategy, which was named the flipped classroom, was to save more time for production and interaction-based tasks to be carried out in the classroom with teacher help (Bergmann & Sams, 2012). In that case, homework, which is given in conventional classes so as to reinforce what is learnt in the classroom beforehand, could be replaced with direct instruction (Correa, 2015). However, this new method has its roots back in the 1990s, started by a physics professor, Eric Mazur, who designed his teaching strategy, peer instruction, on assigning the students with readings and handy notes as home study for upcoming classes, while doing discussions and homework in class hours (Mazur, 1997). The idea that lies beneath this approach was to give students a chance to engage in active study, rather than listening to the lectures passively in the classes. Next, Lage, Platt & Treglia (2000), in their inverted classroom method, moved one step beyond by offering students audio and/or videotaped lectures for lab or home use and they reserved the class hours for discussions on the lectures pre-covered out of the classroom. As a result, flipped classroom, receiving widespread attention recently, is the broadly accepted term for the method at present and several studies presenting its keystones have been written (Bergmann & Sams, 2012; Fulton, 2012; Cockrum, 2014). Moreover, a plethora of sources are available on the web as well as online organizations (Flipped Learning Network, 2017) introducing the flipped instruction approach by providing tips on how to flip classes.
As for the use of the Flipped Classroom (FC) in Turkey, there is only one university (Mef University) which formally declares that the FC method is adopted for all the programs offered. Although the Ministry of Education developed a website called EBA providing online content development tools and lesson videos in many subjects, its purpose is not to encourage the teachers to implement an FC type method but to support them with ample amount of online resources. On the other hand, the method itself requires the teachers to have technological knowledge besides content and pedagogical knowledge to make up their own videos and online exercises. Moreover, teachers have to ensure that each student has a device accessing the Internet and a stable connection at home. In this regard, the FC method is hard to be used in every education institution for all subjects.