Effects of the Cooperative Learning-based Flipped Classroom Model on Chinese Students’ English Proficiency in the EFL Context

Abstract

This study investigates how the cooperative learning-based flippedclassroom paradigm affects the English language ability of Chineseuniversity students in an EFL (English as a Foreign Language) setting. Itwas decided to use a quasi-experimental study approach. In an integratedskills course, the experimental group engaged in flipped classroomactivities based on cooperative learning (CL) for 80 minutes over the courseof 24 sessions. Only standard whole-class instruction was given to thecontrol class. The students’ spoken English proficiency was evaluatedusing an oral pre- and post-test before and after the intervention. Thenational written CET4 (College English Test Band 4) scores were adoptedfor comparing their general proficiency. The quantitative results revealedthat the experimental class made greater gains in oral proficiency than thecontrol class. Despite the fact that there was no significant difference in thewritten CET4 scores (general proficiency) between the two classes, theexperimental class had a greater pass rate than the control class. Thedeployment of the CL-based flipped classroom paradigm in the EFLenvironment is further examined in connection to the results.