DOES A FLIPPED CLASSROOM APPROACH WORK IN ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE (EFL) COURSES?

Abstract

Flipped Classroom (FC) has evolved rapidly as an alternative for traditional classroom instruction in higher education. The available research evidence underpins its efficacy and efficiency, on condition clear design guidelines are being followed. FC research lags behind in some academic disciplines. A key area is language teaching in general and the teaching of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in particular. Nevertheless, EFL might offer unique opportunities for implementing FC due to its reliance on active involvement, a high level of individual and social processing of learning content. This explains the focus of the present study. In total, 87 undergraduate students of three different EFL classes of one university in China (Anshan Normal University) were randomly assigned to either a control condition based on a tradition lecturer-driven classroom or an experimental FC set up. Key dependent variables were Learning Performance (LP), students' English Language Self-Efficacy (ELSE) and their Autonomous Motivation (AM). The study was set up during an eight-week period. Students of two classes in the control group (N 61) and one class (N 26) in the experimental group filled out pre-, mid- and post-tests. Repeated measures ANOVA results do not show a significant change in LP or ELSE over time in all conditions. The related results in autonomous motivation are significant with a larger increase over time in FC students. Discussion of results points at implications, limitations and directions for future research.