The flipped classroom approach in an English for specific purposes (ESP) course: A quasi-experimental study on learners’ self-efficacy, study process, and learning performances

Abstract

The flipped classroom approach has been extensively adopted in STEM disciplines, while little empirical evidence has been found in language teaching and learning, especially in the English for Specific Purposes (ESP) context. This quasi-experimental study aimed to explore how the flipped classroom approach affected non-English majors’ self-efficacy, study process, and learning performance in English learning. An 18-week semester-long flipped approach with pre-class materials and in-class interactive activities was implemented in a university ESP class in Taiwan. The results showed that the experimental group attained significantly higher self-efficacy, and outperformed the control group on the examinations. Moreover, the flipped approach promoted learners’ higher-level skills and enabled them to scrutinize new ideas critically and connect them to their existing cognitive structures, and make numerous associations between ideas.

Keywords:

• Flipped classroom
• ESP
• self-efficacy
• study process
• quasi-experimental study

Additional information

Notes on contributors

I-Chun Vera Hsiao

I-Chun Vera Hsiao received her master’s degree in the Department of Applied Foreign Languages at National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taiwan. Her research interests include language testing and assessment, foreign language teaching and learning, technology-enhanced language learning, and English for Specific Purposes.

Shao-Ting Alan Hung

Shao-Ting Alan Hung is a Professor and Chairperson in the Department of Applied Foreign Languages at National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taiwan. His research interests include Technology-enhanced Language Instruction and language teacher education. He has published articles in British Journal of Educational Technology, Computer Assisted Language Learning, Computers and Education, Interactive Learning Environments, The Encyclopedia of Applied Linguistics and TESOL Quarterly. (Website: http://alanhung.com.tw/).

Heng-Tsung Danny Huang currently works as an Associate Professor of Foreign Languages and Literatures at National Taiwan University in Taiwan and serves as the Editor-in-Chief of Language Education & Assessment. His research interests include language testing, technology-enhanced language teaching and learning, and individual differences in second language acquisition. His academic works appear in several international journals, including TESOL Quarterly, Language Testing, Language Assessment Quarterly, System, Learning and Individual Differences, and so forth.