Engaging ESP University Students in Flipped Classrooms for Developing Functional Writing Skills, HOTs, and Eliminating Writer’s Block

Abstract

The current study aims to investigate the impact of using flipped classroom approach on improving functional writing skills of business majors. Also, it aims to enhance some Higher Order Thinking (HOTs) skills including analysis, evaluation, and creation. Additionally, the study may help in eliminating writer’s block of the study sample. A standardized functional writing skill Pre and Posttest, Higher Order Thinking (HOTs) skills test and writer’s block questionnaire have been used to assess the target gains of students at the end of the study. The Quasi-experimental research design was used to investigate progress achieved by the sample of the study which included (51) business majors; (26) business students for the experimental group and (25) for the control group. The findings revealed large gains in functional writing skills, HOTs in favor of experimental group compared with the control group with minimized writer’s block based on the T-test differences in scores. Also ANOVA statistics among the quizzes targeted individual skills during the experiment showed on-going progress in both targeted skills and reduced writer’s block. It is recommended that flipped learning approach should be used in language learning practices.

The trends and outcomes of flipped learning research between 2012 and 2018: A descriptive content analysis

“…One hundred and forty-two articles suggest a positive influence of the flipped learning approach on student performance. Some sample categories showing positive influences are as follows: “improvement in learning” (e.g., Deng 2018 ), “effective blended learning” (e.g., Fadol et al 2018 ), “enhancement in learner performance” (e.g., Salem 2018 ), “advancement in learning skills” (e.g., Shyr and Chen 2018 ), and “impact on student achievement” (e.g., He et al 2018 ). For instance, Lee and Wallace ( 2018 ) conducted an action research study with 79 students in higher education and divided an English language teaching (ELT) classroom into flipped and non-flipped sections.…”

Flipped Learning in Engineering Modules Is More Than Watching Videos: The Development of Personal and Professional Skills

“…Flipped classrooms have entailed a step ahead in shifting instruction toward a learner-centered teaching strategy. Indeed, computer-based learning (CBL) and webbased learning (WBL) maximize students' involvement and engagement [35,102], which is crucial for flipped learning techniques to be effective and to boost students' motivation, which, as suggested by results shown in Figures 3 and 4, has a strong relation with their overall performance (Mechanical Engineering students showed high motivation and these techniques proved to be effective Civil Engineering students showed low motivation and their results were poorer).…”

“…Thus, the flipped teaching model is suitable to accomplish the learner-centered experience as it can focus on a broader spectrum of competence achievements, including functional writing and transmission skills [35], and increase student active learning, social interaction [36], and performance [20,37]. The online-based flipped classroom learning method influences positively on learning outcomes [38,39].…”

“…This study proposes two evidence-based strategies based on the flipped teaching model that instructors can adopt to enhance engineering students' motivation toward acquiring transmission and communication skills: problem-based learning (PBL) and teamwork assignments. These learner-centered strategies can help students learn better and comprehend, apply, and transmit a module's core tenets to new situations [35,36,72].…”

“…Altogether, and in accordance with ABET criteria, it appears mandatory to undertake actions so that undergraduate engineering students improve their functional writing skills. The persistence on assigning essays to students and challenges based on work groups has a beneficial impact on their writing skills [35,87].…”