Abstract
Conceptual understanding and collaborative skills are important outcomes of English courses for non-English-major students. Yet, opportunities for individual preparation and structured peer interaction may be limited in conventional classroom settings. This study examined the effects of Cooperative Integrated Reading and Composition-based Flipped Classroom Learning (CIRC-b-FCL) and cognitive style on students’ conceptual understanding and collaborative skills in an English course for Biology Education students. A quantitative quasi-experimental study using a nonequivalent control group design was conducted with 64 first-semester undergraduate students at a selected university in Pasuruan, East Java, Indonesia. The experimental group (n = 31) received CIRC-b-FCL, whereas the control group (n = received conventional CIRC instruction. Data were collected using a conceptual understanding test, a collaborative skills observation sheet and a cognitive style instrument. The data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), followed by univariate analyses. The results showed significant effects of the learning model on conceptual understanding (F = 19.343, p < 0.001) and collaborative skills (F = 58.073, p < 0.001). Cognitive style also had significant effects on conceptual understanding (F = 28.366, p < 0.001) and collaborative skills (F = 154.770, p < 0.001). The interaction between learning model and cognitive style was significant for conceptual understanding (F = 4.183, p = 0.045), but not for collaborative skills (F = 0.832, p = 0.365). The findings indicate that combining pre-class preparation with structured cooperative reading activities can support students’ conceptual understanding and collaborative skills. The interaction effect further suggests that cognitive style may be relevant when examining the effectiveness of CIRC-b-FCL in conceptual understanding.
Keywords: CIRC-b-FCL, Cognitive Style, Collaborative Skills, Conceptual Understanding, EFL, Flipped Classroom.