A Design Theory of Engagement for Flipped CFL: Constructs, Mechanisms, and Principles

Abstract

This design-based research (DBR) study investigates how learner engagement can be operationalized as a set of design decisions within flipped instruction for beginning learners of Chinese as a foreign language (CFL). Flipped formats can expand learning time by shifting initial exposure to content outside class while reserving class time for guided practice and interaction; however, empirical
accounts of how to design flipped instruction for novice CFL learners, given the linguistic and orthographic demands of Chinese, remain limited. To address this gap, the study conducts iterative DBR cycles to (a) translate engagement principles into concrete features of out-of-class learning tasks and in-class activity structures, (b) examine how these features shape learners’ participation and persistence across the course, and (c) revise the design based on multi-source evidence collected during each iteration. The study documents the evolving instructional design, the data sources used to inform revisions, and the ration ale for changes across cycles. Outcomes include a set of engagement-centered design principles and implementation guidance to support the future design of flipped CFL courses for beginning-level learners.