Abstract

This paper studies the effect of flipping the classroom in undergraduate physics classes using English as the medium of instruction (EMI). Data on student use of learning strategies, course satisfaction level and perceptions of the flipped classes were collected through a survey including close-ended and open-ended questions. The sample size was 71 students in flipped classes, with 60 students in non-flipped classes used as a control group (total N=131). It was found that students in the flipped classes showed greater intrinsic goal orientation (p<.05), control of learning beliefs (p<.05), and use of critical thinking (p<.01) than those in the non-flipped classes. While the survey highlighted problems of student engagement with the pre-class activities, students who had previous experience with online classes committed more time to pre-class, suggesting that engagement may improve with exposure to blended learning. It is concluded that the flipped classroom helps students develop their identities as self-directed learners, but that more support is necessary for weaker students in the EMI context. Implications are drawn for the content design of flipped EMI classrooms.