Preliminary Study of Flipped English Courses for EFL Learners Using ALC Net Academy 2 and YouTube

Abstract

This case study describes the implementation and e ects of a ipped class in an English curriculum at a Japanese university in the second semester of 2015. The new approach was incorporated into English courses with the aim of improving students’ English proficiency so as to enhance their TOEIC reading scores. In the flipped course, the students (N = 34) were required to study materials before coming to each class. To help students understand English grammar, the instructor created original materials in Japanese using PowerPoint and a digital camera. The videos were uploaded to YouTube with their URLs distributed through Google Plus. The lecture videos directed students to practice off campus, where they could access ALC Net Academy 2 by logging in and studying individually. These videos, such as how to pronounce new English vocabulary, accompanied the reading materials for each class and thus encouraged the students to read English materials in the classroom. The monitoring system of ALC Net Academy 2 showed that students logged in and studied English using the software an average of 56 minutes each per day. The result of an end-of-course survey revealed that students’ perceptions and attitudes toward the flipped course were overall favorable.