Pre-Service Teachers' Task Engagement in Flipped Chinese Language and Culture Learning

Abstract

The flipped classroom approach is becoming increasingly popular in higher education as a substitute for more conventional teaching methods. This study examines pre-service teachers' task engagement in flipped Chinese language and culture learning by employing three engagement facilitators as a theoretical framework. In this study, 50 American undergraduate pre-service teachers who were enrolled in an ESL methods course learned Chinese language and culture online outside of class and then engaged in practice and collaborative learning under the guidance of an instructor. Surveys, follow-up interviews, focus groups, and student documents were analyzed to explore how pre-service teachers perceived their task engagement in their learning tasks and the reasons for their perceptions. The main findings reveal that students are positively engaged in flipped learning when tasks match their abilities, offer opportunities to set their learning goals, provide instant feedback, and have clear learning goals, instructions, and directions. The results also indicate that a fixed course format, clearly defined learning tasks with step-by-step instructions, and effective assessment were essential in engaging students in learning. Conclusion and implications are generated for flipped instructional design and practice for foreign languages. Finally, limitations and future studies are discussed.