The Feasibility of an Innovative Gamified Flipped Classroom Application for University Students in EFL Context: An Account of Autonomous Learning

Abstract

Aligned with the progress of technology and the availability of online resources, there is a growing inclination to incorporate game elements or gamification into educational settings, particularly in English language classrooms. This mixed methods research endeavors to examine the potential of the Gamified Flipped Classroom Application (GFCA) named “Classcraft” to enhance student’s learning ability, motivation, and autonomy. Questionnaires were employed to explore students’ attitudes towards the utilization of GFCA as an innovative learning tool within the research context. Furthermore, semi-structured interviews were conducted to gain deeper insights into students' perspectives regarding the use of Classcraft in augmenting their learning motivation and autonomy. The study was carried out with a cohort of 31 Thai EFL students enrolled in English for import and export courses at a public university in northeastern Thailand. The findings revealed that the student’s learning ability exhibited improvement, as evidenced by a higher mean score in the posttest compared to the pretest, subsequent to the implementation of the gamified flipped classroom application in the course. Additionally, a majority of the students expressed a favorable inclination towards the application due to its effectiveness in enhancing their learning motivation, and autonomy and providing an enjoyable and engaging learning experience.