10.57647/jntell.2025.0403.18

Toward Learner Empowerment: A Flipped Classroom Approach to Enhancing Autonomy, Attitude, and Language Proficiency in Iranian General English Courses

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  • Masoomeh Alikhani1,
  • Hossein Vahid Dastjerdi1,
  • Mohammad Reza Talebinejad,
  • Hadi Salehi,
  • Omid Tabatabaei,
  1. English Department, Na. C., Islamic Azad University, Najafabad, Iran

Received: 2025-08-06

Revised: 2025-08-26

Accepted: 2025-09-06

Published in Issue 2025-10-19

Copyright (c) 2025 Masoomeh Alikhani, Hossein Vahid Dastjerdi, Mohammad Reza Talebinejad, Hadi Salehi, Omid Tabatabaei (Author)

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

Alikhani, M., Vahid Dastjerdi, H., Talebinejad, M. R., Salehi, H., & Tabatabaei, O. (2025). Toward Learner Empowerment: A Flipped Classroom Approach to Enhancing Autonomy, Attitude, and Language Proficiency in Iranian General English Courses. Journal of New Trends in English Language Learning (JNTELL), 4(3). https://doi.org/10.57647/jntell.2025.0403.18
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Abstract

This study investigates the impact of flipped instruction compared to traditional teaching methods on Iranian university students' language achievement, learner autonomy, and attitudes in General English courses. Grounded in constructivist and self-regulated learning theories, this quasi-experimental research involved 200 EFL learners at Islamic Azad University. Participants were assigned to either an experimental group (flipped classroom) or a control group (traditional lecture-based instruction). Pre- and post-tests were administered using standardized measures: a General English achievement test, a learner autonomy scale, and an attitude questionnaire. Data were analyzed using independent-sample t-tests and paired-sample t-tests. The findings revealed statistically significant improvements in the flipped classroom group across all three domains: language achievement, learner autonomy, and learner attitudes. These results confirm the effectiveness of the flipped classroom model in fostering learner-centered practices and enhancing educational outcomes in EFL settings. The study's implications are significant for instructors, curriculum designers, educational administrators, and policymakers. Language teachers can adopt flipped strategies to cultivate learner independence and engagement. Curriculum designers should consider integrating video-based content and collaborative activities. Institutions need to invest in technological infrastructure and faculty training, while policymakers should support instructional models prioritizing learner agency and 21st-century competencies. Overall, the flipped classroom emerges as a holistic pedagogical innovation with substantial academic and developmental benefits, offering a pathway toward greater learner empowerment in Iranian higher education.

Keywords

  • Constructivism,
  • Flipped learning,
  • EFL learners,
  • Instructional innovation,
  • Learner autonomy,
  • Learner attitude,
  • Language achievement
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