Towards the pivotal factors for the influence of flipped classroom on students’ self-regulated learning and EFL speaking competence

Abstract

Self-regulated learning and EFL speaking competence are seen as crucial abilities for students to acquire in the twenty-first century. However, EFL students’ performance in self-regulated learning and speaking has not been optimal. Therefore, the implementation of flipped classrooms aims to achieve a breakthrough in self-regulated learning and EFL speaking competence. So, by taking an interpretative qualitative approach, this study explored in-depth the pivotal factors that caused the influence of the flipped classroom on students’ self-regulated learning and EFL speaking competence from the perspective of students’ own experiences and viewpoints. The data collected include students’ records of academic performance and reflective journals and in-depth interviews with eight university students to explore pivotal factors for the influence of the flipped classroom on students’ self-regulated learning and EFL speaking competence. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. The results showed student-related factors (learning style, learning interests, and self-confidence) and classroom-related factors (flipped classroom design, content and materials, and quality of instructions) influencing the students’ development of self-regulated learning and EFL speaking competence in the flipped classroom. The findings shed light on the factors why the flipped classroom influences self-regulated learning and EFL speaking competence. Moreover, the study proposes a student-oriented framework for EFL speaking flipped classrooms to help enhance students’ self-regulated learning and EFL speaking competence.

Keywords:

• EFL speaking competence
• self-regulated learning
• flipped classroom
• pivotal factors
• influence

Reviewing Editor:

• John Chiang, State University of New York, USA

Subjects:

• Higher Education
• English Language
• Language Teaching & Learning

Acknowledgements

The author contributed to the article and approved the submitted version.

Disclosure statement

The author declares no potential conflicts of interest regarding the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Ethical approval

The researcher ensured that the study adhered to the principles outlined in the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki. Ethical approval was obtained from the official Ethics Committee, known as the Jawatankuasa Etika Penyelidikan Manusia (JEPeM), at Universiti Sains Malaysia (Ethical code: USM/JEPeM/22010059). To ascertain the voluntary and informed participation of each respondent in this research, written informed consent was obtained prior to their involvement. Also written consent for the publication of study materials was secured, confirming the respondents’ agreement to the dissemination of study findings without revealing their identities.

Data availability statement

Original data related to the current study can be obtained by making a reasonable request to the corresponding author.

Additional information

Funding

There was no specific grant received for this research from any of the funding agencies in the public, commercial, or non-profit sectors.

Notes on contributors

Linling Zhong

Linling Zhong, a PhD graduate in English language education program at Universiti Sains Malaysia, an EFL lecturer at School of Humanities & Foreign Languages, Zhejiang Shuren University, and the author of this study. The responsibilities in this study included writing, revising, and editing.