Effects of the Cooperative Learning-based Flipped Classroom Model on Chinese Students’ English Proficiency in the EFL Context

Abstract

This study investigates how the cooperative learning-based flipped
classroom paradigm affects the English language ability of Chinese
university students in an EFL (English as a Foreign Language) setting. It
was decided to use a quasi-experimental study approach. In an integrated
skills course, the experimental group engaged in flipped classroom
activities based on cooperative learning (CL) for 80 minutes over the course
of 24 sessions. Only standard whole-class instruction was given to the
control class. The students’ spoken English proficiency was evaluated
using an oral pre- and post-test before and after the intervention. The
national written CET4 (College English Test Band 4) scores were adopted
for comparing their general proficiency. The quantitative results revealed
that the experimental class made greater gains in oral proficiency than the
control class. Despite the fact that there was no significant difference in the
written CET4 scores (general proficiency) between the two classes, the
experimental class had a greater pass rate than the control class. The
deployment of the CL-based flipped classroom paradigm in the EFL
environment is further examined in connection to the results.