Investigating Saudi English EFL Learner engagement in a Flipped learning context Using Flow Theory

Abstract

Research has emphasised that engagement is essential for effective learning (Christenson et al., 2012; Fredricks et al., 2016), and learners tend to learn better when they are more engaged in the learning process (Burke & Fedorek, 2017). Nonetheless, the engagement concept, in comparison to its related constructs such as motivation, has received little attention (Reschly & Christenson, 2012; Sinatra et al., 2015). However, within ten years there has been a growing interest in studying learner engagement especially at the university level. According to Fredricks (2004), engagement is a multidimensional construct that encompasses behavioural (action), emotional (feeling), and cognitive (thinking) dimensions. Scholars claim that student engagement is not only multidimensional but also changeable and responsive and can be enhanced through deliberate intervention (Eccles, 2016; Shernoff, 2013; Hiver et al., 2021). This mixed-methods study therefore began with the flipped teaching approach as a pedagogical intervention in grammar classes, to investigate its effect on learner engagement. However, it extended beyond only a flipped teaching context by including additional collaborative work and interactive tasks. This study also used the Flow Theory, introduced by Csikszentmihalyi in the 1970s, as a theoretical framework for the study and for the intervention design. Flow Theory is characterised by a balance of challenges and abilities, an individual’s interest (enjoyment), self-control, and concentration in learning. Forty-Six beginner L1 Arabic English learners studying grammar for one semester at a public university in Saudi Arabia were divided into two groups: the intervention group received an interactive learning environment that included a flipped content approach, while the control group received a traditional teaching approach. The data collection for the study took place during the last six weeks of the term, while in the first six weeks of the term, learners had normal teaching, and the intervention group was introduced to the pedagogical intervention approach to get used to it before the study began. The researcher was also the teacher for both groups in the study. In this study, a combination of quantitative (questionnaires, pretests, and posttests) and qualitative (interviews, observations, and voice messages) measures were employed to investigate learner engagement. The quantitative data were analysed through descriptive statistics, Repeated Measures ANOVA tests, and t-tests. The qualitative data were analysed using a thematic analysis approach. The questionnaires revealed that the intervention group learners demonstrated a significant improvement on learner engagement (F(1,38) = 22.4, p < .001) compared to the control group. However, the posttest scores indicated that there were no significant differences in performance between the two groups. The qualitative findings indicate that learners in the flipped classes were found to be more engaged in their grammar lessons across all three dimensions of engagement (behavioural, emotional, and cognitive engagement). In addition, the findings showed that the flipped learning approach enhanced the Flow state among learners, which subsequently affected their engagement. The findings also identified other factors that might influence learner engagement, irrespective of the intervention teaching method. These factors were individual differences (e.g., motivation, learning styles, and personalities) and the different experiences in the role of the teacher. The findings of the present study thus make different contributions; these are contributions to knowledge, theory, and methodology. There are also empirical and pedagogical implications arising from the research findings. Finally, the thesis addresses the limitations of the study and offers recommendations for future research.