The effects of flipped learning approach in virtual classes on Iranian foreign language learners’ outcomes and perception

The current paper has attempted to discover whether a flipped learning approach in virtual classes have any positive effects on enhancing learning English. To achieve the goal, ۷۹ learners participated from the English language institute in Isfahan city who have taken the same English course over ۲۵ sessions in summer autumn semester. The participants were divided into two groups: an experimental group that used a flipped learning approach in virtual classes with ۴۰ learners, while the control group of ۳۹ learners used a communicative language teaching approach in their virtual classes. The researcher collected the data in three ways: the first, from the results of the learners’ performance in three main tasks; the second, from the teacher's notes on the learners’ performance during the study; and then from the learners’ responses to three surveys. The results revealed that only the mean score of the final test was statistically significant, and the scores of the participants in the experimental group were higher on averagethan the scores of the participants in the control group in their last two tasks. In spite of this result, both group findings and teacher's notes expressed another point of view, showing that the participants in a flipped learning approach virtual classroom enjoyed learning English more and had more willing on participating in the learning process than the control group.

Keywords:

Iranian learners , flipped learning approach , virtual classroom , English foreign language