Flipped classroom in ESP teaching and learning: An Activity Theory perspective

The flipped classroom as an instructional approach has gained increasing attention in English language teaching and learning, including English for Specific Purposes (ESP). Effective flipped instruction in ESP settings requires a proper technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPCK) for teachers as well as a deep understanding of attributes of ESP learners. This article examined a cohort of Chinese university students' experiences of learning News English (an ESP-oriented course) through pre-class micro-lesson videos as part of a flipped classroom. The data included task sheets accompanying the micro-lesson videos prepared by the teachers as well as interviews with the students about their learning experiences, think-aloud sessions and learning diaries. Adopting an Activity Theory perspective, we were able to identify notable differences between the teacher-designed pre-class activity system and the activity system actually experienced by the students. The study also demonstrated the complicating effect of students' critical thinking disposition on the dynamics of their micro-lesson learning. The findings are discussed in relation to ESP teacher development, in particular regarding the development of TPCK for effective design and delivery of flipped instruction in ESP settings.