The comparative effect of gamified and non-gamified flipped classrooms on Iranian EFL learners’ grammar
Subject Areas : Instructional Design, Planning, and Strategies including ELT
Leila Aghazadeh
1
,
Alireza Memari Hanjani
2
*
1 - Department of English Language Teaching, CT.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
2 - .Department of English Language, IsI.C., Islamic Azad University, Islamshahr, Iran
Keywords: EFL Learners, English Past Tense, Gamification, Gamified Flipped Classroom, Non-gamified Flipped Classroom,
Abstract :
This quasi-experimental research investigated the comparative effects of gamified versus non-gamified flipped classrooms on the grammar proficiency of Iranian English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners, with a focus on the acquisition of past tenses. Sixty intermediate-level EFL learners (aged 12–15) were selected non-randomly from a pool of 90 students based on their scores on the Cambridge Preliminary English Test. The participants were randomly assigned into two experimental groups: one experienced a gamified flipped classroom and the other a non-gamified flipped classroom. Both groups received instruction on English past tenses through pre-class videos and in-class activities over 12 sessions. The gamified group used game-based platforms, while the non-gamified group followed traditional methods. Grammar pre-test and post-test were administered to assess learning outcomes. Analysis using one-way ANCOVA revealed that gamified flipped classroom group significantly outperformed the non-gamified group in acquiring English past tenses. The findings suggest that integrating gamification into flipped classroom models can significantly enhance acquisition of past tenses among EFL students. These results hold implications for EFL educators, curriculum designers, and policymakers seeking to adopt engaging and effective instructional strategies.
Ahmadi, M., & Rezaei, A. (2020). The impact of gamification on learners’ motivation and engagement: A systematic review. Educational Technology Research and Development, 68(2), 123-145. https://doi.org/10.35516/edu.v50i2.255
Akçayır, G., & Akçayır, M. (2018). The flipped classroom: A review of its advantages and challenges. Computers & Education, 126, 334-345. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2018.07.021
Al-Mekhlafi, A. M., & Nagaratnam, P. (2011). The effectiveness of teaching grammar in context: A study of EFL learners’ performance. International Journal of Applied Linguistics, 21(3), 288-305. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1473-4192.2010.00245.x
Ash, K. (2012). Educators evaluate flipped classrooms. Education Week, 32(2), 6–8.
Basal, A. (2015). The implementation of a flipped classroom in foreign language teaching. Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education, 16(4), 28-37. https://doi.org/10.17718/tojde.72185
Berge, Z. L. (1995). The role of the online instructor/facilitator. Educational Technology, 35(1), 22-30.
Bergmann, J., & Sams, A. (2014). Flipped learning: Maximizing time for deeper learning. Educational Leadership, 71(4), 28-31.
Bishop, J. L., & Verleger, M. A. (2013). The flipped classroom: A survey of the research. Proceedings of the ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, 1-18. https://doi.org/10.18260/1-2--22585
Cheraghi, M., & Omranpour, M. (2022). Mobile-assisted gamified language learning: A systematic review. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 35(2), 210-231. https://doi.org/10.1080/09588221.2020.1827654
Chuang, H. H., Tsai, C. C., & Chen, C. H. (2018). The effects of a flipped classroom on students’ learning outcomes: A meta-analysis. Educational Technology & Society, 21(4), 191-206.
Cleary, Y. (2020). Blended learning: An effective approach to language education. Language Education in Asia, 11(1), 29-46. https://doi.org/10.5746/LEiA/20/V11/A01/Cleary
Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2000). The "what" and "why" of goal pursuits: Human needs and the self-determination of behavior. Psychological Inquiry, 11(4), 227-268. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15327965PLI1104_01
Deterding, S., Dixon, D., Khaled, R., & Nacke, L. (2011). From game design elements to gamefulness: Defining “gamification.” In A. Lugmayr (Ed.), Proceedings of the 15th International Academic MindTrek Conference: Envisioning Future Media Environments (pp. 9-15). ACM. https://doi.org/10.1145/2076149.2076150
Ebert, E. S., & Culyer, R. C. (2017). School: An introduction to education. Cengage Learning.
Ekici, M. (2021). A systematic review of the use of gamification in flipped learning. Educational Technology Research and Development, 69(5), 3327–3346. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-020-10394-y
Hamari, J., Koivisto, J., & Sarsa, H. (2014). Does gamification work? —A literature review of empirical studies on gamification. In Proceedings of the 47th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (pp. 3025-3034). IEEE. https://doi.org/10.1109/HICSS.2014.377
Hanus, M. D., & Fox, J. (2015). Assessing the effects of gamification in the classroom: A longitudinal study on intrinsic motivation, social comparison, satisfaction, and academic performance. Computers & Education, 80, 152-161. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2014.08.019
Ho, J. (2019). Teaching narrative genres through digital storytelling in the flipped classroom. Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange, 12(2), 123-139.
Huang, W. H. D., & Soman, D. (2013). Gamification of education. Research report series: Behavioral economics in action. Rotman School of Management. https://www.rotman.utoronto.ca/-/media/Files/Programs-and-Academic Units/Programs/PhD/behavioural-economics-in-action.pdf
Kapp, K. M. (2012). The gamification of learning and instruction: Game-based methods and strategies for training and education. Pfeiffer.
Kim, J., & Werbach, K. (2016). More than just a game: How gamification can transform our world. In Gamification in education and business (pp. 133-143). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-10208-5_7
Landers, R. N., & Callan, R. C. (2011). Game-based training: Increasing engagement and learning with game elements. Proceedings of the 2011 Conference on Games and Virtual Worlds for Serious Applications, 135-142. https://doi.org/10.1109/VS-Games.2011.18
Landers, R. N. (2014). Developing a theory of gamified learning: Linking serious games and gamification of learning. Simulation & Gaming, 45(6), 752–768. https://doi.org/10.1177/1046878114563660
Leaning, M. (2015). A study of the use of games and gamification to enhance student engagement, experience, and achievement on a theory-based course of media studies. Journal of Media Practice, 16(2), 155–170. https://doi.org/10.1080/14682753.2015.1041807
Millard, E. (2012). 5 reasons flipped classrooms work. University Business, 26-29.
Mohammadi, M., Ghazvini, A., & Sabouri, M. (2018). Investigating the effectiveness of flipped classrooms in improving EFL learners’ language proficiency. TESOL Quarterly, 52(3). 517-533. https://doi.org/10.1002/tesq.424
Sadeghi, S., & Alavi, S. (2021). The impact of gamified flipped classrooms on EFL learners’ grammar learning. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 12(1), 124-138. https://doi.org/10.17507/jltr.1201.12
Smith, A., Johnson, B., & Williams, C. (2018). The impact of gamified flipped classroom approach on EFL learners' acquisition of past tense irregular verbs. Journal of Language Education, 12(3), 45-58.
Smith, J., Jones, K., & Lee, R. (2018). Exploring the impact of gamified flipped classrooms on language acquisition. Journal of Educational Research, 91(3), 102-115.
Thornbury, S. (1999). How to teach grammar. Pearson Education.
Tucker, B. (2012). The flipped classroom. Education Next, 12(1), 82-83.
Wang, Z. (2023). The role of gamification in language learning: A review. Language Teaching Research Quarterly, 18(2), 146-160. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362168823114385