Implementation of a blended learning course for adult learners during the COVID-19 pandemic
Quality Assurance in Education
ISSN: 0968-4883
Article publication date: 11 July 2022
Issue publication date: 10 January 2023
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to evaluate a culture-based blended learning multilingual course created for adult learners in ten languages and the development of learners’ 21st-century skills during its implementation in six European countries – Croatia, Latvia, Slovenia, Romania, Poland and Czechia in the COVID-19 period.
Design/methodology/approach
A cross-sectional survey of 638 participants was conducted using a paper-based questionnaire. Data analysis was carried out applying Bereday’s four-step model comprising description, interpretation, juxtaposition and comparison to find out similarities and differences among various groups of learners.
Findings
Overall, learners have developed their 21st-century skills, but the improvement has not been the same for all target audiences. Learners with economic, social and cultural barriers were more positive in their evaluation than those with geographic and learning obstacles.
Research limitations/implications
The research was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the face-to-face stage was replaced with online learning on virtual platforms, which impacted the research results. The results cannot be generalized to all adult learners as significant differences were discovered among various target groups of learners.
Practical implications
The course may be implemented for formal and non-formal adult education when face-to-face teaching/learning is restricted.
Social implications
The findings indicate that the course is especially suitable for learners with economic, social and cultural obstacles to learning.
Originality/value
The article focuses on the use of blended learning in non-formal/informal adult education, which is a less widely researched area. The target course implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic shows a novel way of engaging adult learners in lifelong learning, including those with certain barriers to learning.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The research was conducted in the Framework of the Erasmus+ project “Cultural Knowledge and Language Competences as Means to Develop 21st Century Skills”, Project No.: 2018–1-HR01-KA204-047430, 2018–2021. The author of the article expresses her gratitude to collaboration partners from TUSDU (Croatia), Vyšší odborná škola, Střední průmyslová škola a Obchodní akademie Čáslav (Czechia), Foundation Pro Scientia Publica (Poland), Sapientia Hungarian University of Transylvania, Miercurea Ciuc (Romania), Ekonomska šola Murska Sobota, Višja strokovna šola (Slovenia) for their participation in course implementation and data collection.
Citation
Luka, I. (2023), "Implementation of a blended learning course for adult learners during the COVID-19 pandemic", Quality Assurance in Education, Vol. 31 No. 1, pp. 91-106. https://doi.org/10.1108/QAE-03-2022-0061
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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