Flip! Flop!?

Well...it's nearing the end of the semester and it's CRUNCH time.  I'm teaching a new course this semester and apparently I didn't plan out my time all that well and it's getting down to the buzzer and I have quite a bit left to fit in.   I found myself in this dilemma AND contemplating new ways to deliver new information to students other than notes, Powerpoints, etc.  I get so bored with those "lecture" days, yet I still feel they are somewhat essential at times so I still do them, but I"m sure the students get bored too.  Between a crunch for time and a hatred for lecture, I decided it was time to try "flipping" my classroom.  I asked my class today, "Can I count on you to do additional readings at home, so that we can spend more time in class doing hands-on labs?"  They replied with a resounding "yes" as they are very anxious to do the skills labs.  So, this week, we will begin.  Instead of giving the dreaded notes I was planning, which contained the details of several jobs in the Diagnostic Services cluster, I am going to have them review the section of the chapter and then choose 1 of several YouTube videos to watch (from a list I provide).  In class, we will get to spend the extra time with a guest speaker from the field and doing a lab to practice diagnostic type skills.  We shall see how it goes!  Let's hope this FLIP doesn't FLOP!