Date of Conferral

2019

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Education

Advisor

Deborah Bauder

Abstract

Many international higher education students do not study in their native languages. Unlike their peers who would only worry about the content of the course, they also struggle with the difficulties of the language of instruction. Flipped classrooms, providing students with the learning materials prior to the class, may assist in alleviating the academic burden and the language challenge the international students are experiencing. The purpose of this study was to gain insight into how flipped classrooms may help international students with course engagement and their adaptation processes. The conceptual framework was Keller's personalized system of instruction. The research questions in this basic qualitative study focused on understanding the experiences of international students with the flipped classroom. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 international higher education students currently studying at a Polish university in a flipped classroom format. Data from the interviews were coded, and the following themes emerged during the analysis: international experience, flipped versus traditional, flipped classroom experience, and engagement in flipped classes. Results indicated a high approval rate of flipped classrooms among international students, and the PowerPoint presentations were the most preferred learning material during self-study. Hence, faculty members at Polish universities should consider the flipped classroom model to improve the learning experience for international students. Polish universities would benefit from an international student population and allowing them to overcome the initial language barriers and being successful will allow Poland access to potential employees with a global perspective.

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