Title: A Case Study of the Flipped Classroom in a Korean University General English Course
Authors: Erika Choe and Myeong-Hee Seong
Selected Case (Published Article):
A Case Study of the Flipped Classroom in a Korean University General English Course
Introduction
The proliferation of smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices coupled with easy access to the internet has given rise to inverted teaching and learning in higher education anywhere and at any time through the usage of the flipped classroom model. “In the flipped classroom model, some or most of the direct instruction is no longer delivered by the teacher in front of the classroom but made available using video lectures or other modes of online delivery” (Reiser & Dempsey, 2017). The flipped classroom model helps free up actual class time to allow more student collaboration and effective learning. According to the Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning at Harvard University, some of the benefits of a flipped classroom are: “It’s flexible, students can learn at their own pace, students take responsibility for their learning, students learn rather than encounter material in class, and there is an increased collaboration between students” (https://bokcenter.harvard.edu/flipped-classrooms). This article shows how the flipped classroom model when appropriately implemented in Korean schools to teach English could help Korean Students: “understand course content better, give them more time to process the information before applying it, encourage deeper thinking, allow for more participation and interaction in class with the instructor and their classmates, and lastly, provide students with more feedback and preparedness for the class” (Choe, E. & Seong, M. H. 2016).
Overview of the Case
The flipped classroom model is a reversal of the traditional classroom where lectures are prerecorded on videos and other technological devices for students to view content at their leisure when out of class. This allows students the freedom to work collaboratively in class with their peers under the supervision of an instructor. The article is about: “A Case Study of the Flipped Classroom in a Korean University General English Course” by (Choe, E. & Seong, M. H. 2016). The case study was done by the authors to: “investigate student perceptions to understand how university students entering into a Korean university would respond to the Flipped Classroom model in their English courses, and to suggest effective strategies for implementing the Flipped Classroom” (Choe, E., & Seong, M. H., 2016). To carry out the investigation, the authors implemented the Flipped Classroom model as an alternative to solving some learning difficulties students had in their previous semester English language course. Eighty freshmen students in the General English Language course at Eulji University in South Korea took part in the research. Some of the problems that were addressed using the flipped classroom model were, that the students did not have sufficient time allocated to practice their English; the students had a low level of feedback from the instructor; the students did not give serious consideration to traditional classroom lectures, and finally, the students did not receive prerecorded video lectures to watch remotely. The authors used both qualitative and quantitative assessments that showed promising results: the flipped classroom model had the strongest positive effect on encouraging students to learn English. “The flipped classroom model gave the students a better understanding of the course content; a better chance to communicate in English, and a greater participation level” (Choe, E. & Seong, M. H. 2016).
Instructional Application
To carry out the flipped classroom research, the authors used a student-centered approach. The students were given prerecorded lecture videos uploaded on Canvas, a learning management system, that were five to eight minutes long. The video lectures consisted of reading from the textbook and short online quizzes. Class activities were given to increase participation and collaboration among the students. Collaboration and participation allowed shy Korean students to become more vocal and active in class, especially for Korean students who are not vocal in class. Giving students prerecorded videos to take home allowed students to prepare for their studies before coming to class. It also gave the students freer time in class for active participation and feedback from the instructor.
Solutions Implemented
Eighty students from the freshmen English class took part in the flipped classroom research. The lectures focused on reading, writing, speaking, and listening in English. The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Language state, “Through the purposeful use of technology, student read, listen to, and view authentic, engaging, and timely materials from the target culture. Students practice interpersonal skills as they interact via video, audio, or text in real-time with other speakers of the target language” (www.actfl.org. 2017). To implement the flipped classroom model, the authors used the University of Texas (Austin) Flipped Classroom model because it represented a sample of similar university settings involving university students and instructors. The authors uploaded lectures on a learning management system (LMS) and gave the students prerecorded lecture videos that were five to eight minutes long consisting of reading from the textbook and short online quizzes. During class, students reviewed homework, and questions were addressed. Group activities were done in class to ascertain the student’s knowledge and communication skills in English from what they learned from the videos. At the end of the fifteen weeks of the flipped classroom research, questionnaires were given to the students before classes, during classes, and after classes to determine what were the advantages of the flipped classroom. What were the disadvantages of the flipped classroom, and what improvements would the students recommend in improving learning using the flipped classroom? The questionnaires were to validate whether the flipped classroom enhanced students learning of English as a foreign language at the university.
Outcomes
The authors saw some positive outcomes when using the flipped classroom model in their case study at Eulji University in South Korea. From the questionnaires, when asked whether the flipped classroom was more engaging when compared to traditional classroom instruction, (61.3%) of students had positive responses; while (30%) were neutral, and (8.8%) had negative responses. The majority of the students responded positively to improvement in their English. 55.6% of the students would recommend flipped classrooms to a friend while (26.6%) were neutral, and only (17.7%) disapproved. The quantitative showed positive results in the advantages of using flipped classrooms. A greater percentage (61.3%) found the flipped classroom to be more engaging in comparison to traditional classroom instruction. 55.6% of the students agreed to recommend the flipped classroom to a friend while almost (70%) agreed that the flipped classroom gave them more opportunities to communicate with other students and helped improve their English. Similarly, the qualitative results from the questionnaire showed the flipped classroom improved the students’ communication skills by allowing them to interact with their peers and professors. The research showed a higher degree of participation and interaction in class among the Korean students which was not typical for them. According to the research, many students were motivated by the flipped classroom, and they were better prepared after watching the lecture videos before coming to class and getting positive feedback from their peers and professors. On the contrary, there were some challenges in implementing the flipped classroom: a small percentage (18.6%) of students saw some disadvantages of the flipped classroom. Namely, in the design of the course. There were a lot of assignments online and less learning during class time.
Implications
According to the University of Texas at Austin Center for Teaching and Learning, the flipped classroom allows “Students to gain necessary knowledge before class, and instructors guide students to actively and interactively clarify and apply that knowledge during class” https://ctl.utexas.edu/instructional-strategies/flipped-classroom. The research revealed the flipped classroom model had the strongest positive effect on motivating the eighty students from the Korean university in the general English class that participated in the research. The outcomes of the flipped classroom research showed greater improvement in the student’s communication skills due to interaction with their peers and professors. Additionally, the flipped classroom improved student participation. It elevated the students’ interest in learning English unlike traditional learning Korean students at the university were accustomed to: limited peer-to-peer interaction and feedback. The students transition to the flipped classroom (student-centered approach) was a success despite it being a new concept. However, there were some cultural challenges that needed consideration. Korean students in the study carried more classes (eight) a semester than their Western counterparts. The students were used to traditional learning that required them to mostly listen to the instructor doing all the lecturing with little interaction from the students. Furthermore, a lesser percentage (8.8%) of students were dissatisfied with the flipped classroom in comparison to traditional learning. Student dissatisfaction was due to too much time spent on online homework, and quizzes. Therefore, when designing a flipped classroom to teach English as a second language at a Korean university using the University of Texas, (Austin) model, researchers should take into consideration the cultural differences: differences in style of learning, differences in language, and differences in social customs and tradition. Additionally, “the essential structure of integrated course design (like FC) is a relationship of learning goals, feedback and assessment, teaching and learning activities as determined from an analysis of situational factors” (Reiser & Dempsey, 2017, p. 186).
References:
Choe, E. & Seong, M. H., (2016). A Case Study of the Flipped Classroom in a Korean University General English Course.
Harvard University (The Derek Bok Center for Teaching & Learning): The Flipped Classrooms. Retrieved from: https://bokcenter.harvard.edu/flipped-classrooms
Reiser, R. A., & Dempsey, J. V., (2017). Trends and Issues in Instructional Design & Technology.
Reiser, R. A., & Dempsey, J. V., (2017, p. 186): Trends and issues in Instructional Design & Technology.
The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Language (ACTFL): The role of technology in language learning. Retrieved from: ACTFL | The Role of Technology in Language Learning (May 19, 2017)
The University of Texas (Austin): Center for teaching and learning: Flipped Classroom. Retrieved from: https://ctl.utexas.edu/instructional-strategies/flipped-classroom.