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According to the NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do Statements (ACTFL, 2017), building learners’ communicative language competence should be the primary goal of language instruction. To achieve a high level of language proficiency, learners must have constant interaction with and exposure to the target language. Many students, however, encounter challenges of developing their language competence in the traditional classroom due to limited instructional time, large classes, and the lack of opportunities to use L2 beyond the classroom. Among different instructional approaches, flipped learning as a blended approach has been increasingly implemented in L2 instruction to enhance learner performance (e.g., Alhamami & Khan, 2019; Lee & Wallance, 2018; Wang & Qi, 2018). In flipped classrooms, students first learn instructional content using online materials and resources outside of class, and then apply their learning by engaging in interactive classroom activities (Bergmann & Sams, 2012). Flipping the classroom follows a constructivist framework rooted in active learning that involves students in taking a central role in the learning process, as opposed to passively receiving information from the instructor (Bishop & Verleger, 2013; Sun, Wu & Lee, 2017). Learners construct and build L2 knowledge through social engagement and expert guidance. Teachers provide learning environments, opportunities and interactions that foster active learning. Learners, however, should be held accountable for their own learning, and maintain self-directed learning skills and strategies to learn content effectively (Mori, Omori & Sato, 2016; Talbert, 2017).
In the field of language teaching, researchers have examined the effect of using technology to flip the learning process (e.g., Lee, 2017; Lee & Wallace, 2017). Most studies have been conducted by comparing the flipped classroom approach to traditional instruction in STEM education (e.g., Goodwin & Miller, 2013; Lai & Hwang, 2016), and ESL and EFL learning contexts (e.g., Hsieh, Wu & Marek, 2017; Hung, 2017; Wu, Hsieh & Yang, 2017). The results show that flipped learning improved performance, and increased confidence and intrinsic motivation (e.g., Tonkin, Page & Forsey, 2019; Tseng, Lin & Chen, 2018; Yang, Yi & Wang, 2018). Challenges in relation to flipped classrooms have also been reported, such as intensive workload, learners’ readiness and technical problems (Hao, 2016; Herreid & Schiller, 2013; Wang, 2016). Research findings to date are mixed and inconclusive. Further studies are needed to investigate the effectiveness of flipped learning on students’ engagement in the foreign language learning. Thus, this study attempts to extend the existing literature by conducting an exploratory case study in which an instructional design model for flipped learning was implemented in an advanced Spanish language course to foster and enhance L2 learning. In particular, task types, digital tools, peer interaction and teacher scaffolding were explored to address the affordances and challenges of flipped learning for L2 development.