The flipped classroom in ESL teacher education: An example from CALL

The flipped classroom is one of many technology-enhanced teaching strategies. In this approach, students are responsible for initial learning at home (often via instructional videos) and class time is used for problem-solving and activities to deepen understanding. Although research on and use of the flipped classroom in language education is growing, little work has examined its use in teacher education, particularly for language teachers. To address this gap, this study examined the flipped classroom through the eyes of pre-service language teachers to reveal what hinders them from or encourages them to adopt this approach. Data were collected from students in a Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) course; they experienced two flipped class sessions (complementing the traditional instructor-led sessions) and completed a survey about their experiences. Semi-structured interviews were also conducted with a sub-set of students to examine their perceptions in greater depth. Three major themes emerged regarding benefits of the flipped classroom: learner autonomy, learning by doing with support, and preventing cognitive overload. Four challenges emerged: learners’ technology access and technical ability, technical support for instructors, ambiguous student responsibility, and an inability to provide immediate clarification. Three additional notable themes emerged: heightened awareness of peers in the classroom, different reactions to content-oriented versus technically-oriented instructional videos, and student workload. These themes are discussed in detail, along with suggestions for teacher training and professional development. Also considered is the need to establish guidelines for best practices in flipped classrooms and to develop high-quality approaches to flipping without a dependence on instructional videos

Bridging technology and educational psychology: an exploration of individual differences in technology-assisted language learning within an Algerian EFL setting

The implementation of technology in language learning and teaching has a great influence onthe teaching and learning process as a whole and its impact on the learners’ psychological state seems of paramount significance, since it could be either an aid or a barrier to students’ academic performance. This thesis therefore explores individual learner differences in technology-assisted language learning (TALL) and when using educational technologies in higher education within an Algerian English as a Foreign Language (EFL) setting. Although I initially intended to investigate the relationship between TALL and certain affective variables mainly motivation, anxiety, self-confidence, and learning styles inside the classroom, the collection and analysis of data shifted my focus to a holistic view of individual learner differences in TALL environments and when using educational technologies within and beyond the classroom. In an attempt to bridge technology and educational psychology, this ethnographic case study considers the nature of the impact of technology integration in language teaching and learning on the psychology of individual language learners inside and outside the classroom. The study considers the reality constructed by participants and reveals multiple and distinctive views about the relationship between the use of educational technologies in higher education and individual learner differences. It took place in a university in the north-west of Algeria and involved 27 main and secondary student and teacher participants. It consisted of focus-group discussions, follow-up discussions, teachers’ interviews, learners’ diaries, observation, and field notes. It was initially conducted within the classroom but gradually expanded to other settings outside the classroom depending on the availability of participants, their actions, and activities. The study indicates that the impact of technology integration in EFL learning on individual learner differences is both complex and dynamic. It is complex in the sense that it is shown in multiple aspects and reflected on the students and their differences. In addition to various positive and different negative influences of different technology uses and the different psychological reactions among students to the same technology scenario, the study reveals the unrecognised different manifestations of similar psychological traits in the same ELT technology scenario. It is also dynamic since it is characterised by constant change according to contextual approaches to and practical realities of technology integration in language teaching and learning in the setting, including discrepancies between students’ attitudes and teacher’ actions, mismatches between technological experiences inside and outside the classroom, local concerns and generalised beliefs about TALL in the context, and the rapid and unplanned shift to online educational delivery during the Covid-19 pandemic situation. The study may therefore be of interest, not only to Algerian teachers and students, but also to academics and institutions in other contexts through considering the complex and dynamic impact of TALL and technology integration at higher education on individual differences, and to academics in similar low-resource contexts by undertaking a context approach to technology integration

Students' Perceptions on Using the Flipped Classroom Method to Support Their Self-Regulated Learning in Arabic Speaking Skills: Exploratory Study

Many research results have documented that the application of the flipped classroom method in language learning can improve students' speaking skills. However, very little attention has been directed to the impact of the use of flipped classrooms on the students' Self-Regulated Learning (SRL) abilities in improving their Arabic speaking skills. Therefore, this study intends to fill this void by investigating university students' perceptions regarding the impact of using flipped classrooms on their SRL skills in Arabic speaking skills. Exploratory research is used in this study. 21 students were recruited and interviewed to obtain research data. The research data were analyzed by adopting three aspects of Zimmerman's SRL: metacognition, intrinsic motivation, and learning behaviour. The results of this study report that the flipped classroom has been shown to positively impact these three aspects to improve learning outcomes of Arabic speaking skills. This study recommends using flipped classrooms for broader learning of Arabic skills

The Attitudes of Saudi Intermediate Students towards English Speaking Tasks in Flipped Learning via an Online Learning Community

This paper investigates Saudi intermediate students’ attitudes towards using flipped learning via an online learning community to enhance their speaking skill at a Saudi female’s public-school number 186. The writer observed and analysed the effect of using flipped learning in an online community on the development and engagement of students in speaking tasks. The study uses a quantitative quasi-experimental method to describe and analyse the student’s attitudes and development of the speaking skill among Arabic-speaking students in the public-school number 186 in Saudi Arabia during the academic year 2019-2020. The researcher applied a questionnaire and an observation checklist as the main instrument to achieve the study goal. The findings of the study were not statistically significant regarding the effect of flipped learning via an Online Learning Community (OLC) on the development of students’ speaking skill. However, there was a slight difference in the mean scores in favor to the post-test of the experimental group. The students’ attitudes were positive towards the flipped learning via OLC for speaking tasks

Mobile Technology for Language Learning and Instruction: Investigating Beliefs and Attitudes of Indonesian EFL Preservice Teachers

This study is primarily aimed to investigate beliefs and attitudes of Indonesian EFL preservice teachers toward the use of mobile devices such as smartphones or tablets for learning and instructional practice in Indonesia. Furthermore, this phenomenological study attempted to reveal the factors affecting these two constructs from 20 Indonesian EFL preservice teachers through semi-structured interviews. The findings revealed participants’ beliefs that mobile devices could positively contribute to the development of language performance as learning tools and the development of language instruction as instructional tools. Regarding attitudes of EFL preservice teachers toward the use of mobile devices for learning and teaching, this study revealed mixed responses. As learning tools, all participants expressed their positive attitudes toward this technology and intention to use this technology more intensively. As for teaching tools, the majority of the participants expressed their negative attitudes which were reflected in their disappointment through their experience during their student teaching program and their lack of interest to adopt this technology for their future classes. However, they acknowledged that this technology was helpful to facilitate online learning and agreed that this technology would become more popular in the future. Analysis of the data also revealed factors affecting beliefs and attitudes of preservice teachers toward the use of mobile devices as learning and instructional tools comprising perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness and other influencing elements of self-efficacy: enactive mastery, vicarious experience, and physiological arousal. Finally, this study presents implications and recommendations which can be a reference to optimize the integrated mobile technology for class instruction and identifies which aspects in the implementation of mobile technology that require further investigation

Scrutinizing online instructional approach: What drives faculty to adopt synchronous virtual classroom

The successful implementation of a method appliance can be attributed to the method itself. The matter of synchronous virtual classrooms is influenced by several factors. The adoption of synchronous virtual classrooms by faculty members provides a valuable experience for both students and lecturers. This study aims to identify the triggering factors that motivated faculty members to adopt synchronous virtual classrooms. Additionally, it seeks to examine the challenges faced by students and lecturers in implementing this method. The researchers utilized interviews and literature sources as instruments for data collection. A total of five lecturers were selected as respondents for this research. The criterion for selection was their implementation of this method in their department's courses and their experience with synchronous virtual classrooms. The collected data was thematically analyzed. The results revealed that the main triggering factor for adoption was the Covid-19 pandemic. The challenges faced by students and lecturers were not limited to technological and internet issues but also included a lack of preparation from the faculty. Based on the data analysis and interviews, future research could explore the potential of combining methods to create a more effective approach in different situational conditions

Podcasts’ effects on the EFL classroom: a socially relevant intervention

ICT tools have gained particular importance in the English as a foreign language classroom in order to promote students’ interaction, exchange of opinions, negotiation of meaning, or digital competence. Technological development and the impact of multimedia and virtual spaces on students’ lives make educational institutions and teachers explore new tools and strategies to learn the target language. Podcasts present content available on the Internet and can become an influential teaching strategy that may improve the teaching–learning process of EFL. This study aims to investigate the effect of audio podcasts, which deal with social inequality issues, on secondary education students’ EFL linguistic competence. A sample of seventy-eight students was randomly distributed into a control and an experimental group during a term in a high school in Madrid (Spain). As instruments for data collection, the grades obtained in the different skills in the pre and post-tests and the different task performance scores were analysed in both groups. The methodological framework is defined as a quasi-experimental design that provides quantitative data. The results confirm the hypothesis that the creation and use of podcasts are beneficial for improving EFL linguistic competence, especially speaking and listening skills. Practical implications aimed at organising English classes to improve EFL proficiency are discussed. Graphical Abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.]

Systematic Review on Virtual Pedagogical Models in University Contexts, Years 2011 to 2021

Virtual pedagogical models for education refers to the various practices of instruction in a learning environment where teacher and student are separated by time or space, or both. The objective of this study was to systematize scientific evidence on virtual educational models for university contexts between 2011 and 2021. The method used corresponds to a systemic review, the data bases Scopus, Eric, ProQuest, Gale Academic OneFile, and Ebsco Host were explored, and then rigorous inclusion and exclusion criteria for the study were used. 31 records were identified that responded to the previously posed investigation questions. The results, which were divided into three major categories (pedagogical models, technological tools, and approach and instruments), were further analyzed and discussed

The Benefits of Flipped Classroom Model for Efl Learners

The flipped classroom model is an instructional strategy that is currently gaining popularity among educators and instructors. It differs from the traditional teaching approach, in which teachers primarily give instructions in classrooms. Before class, students are asked to watch video that contains the materials which are going to be discussed in class. The teacher then encourages them to participate actively in class and work together with their classmates. The advantages of applying FCM in the context of EFL learners have existed since its application in every field, however only few scholars discussed it with the limited aspect. The purpose of this study is to present the benefits of FCM for EFL learners through discussing the ideas proposed by some scholars that have seen some advantages via their research. The discussion focuses on the benefits in the context of EFL learner with some elaborations concerning the importance of FCM in education field with a short elaboration of the benefits for teacher as a part of the learning process