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1 – 10 of over 8000
Article
Publication date: 13 July 2020

George Onofrei and Paul Ferry

Blended learning is an emerging trend across many educational settings, adopting the purposeful integration of traditional face-to-face and online teaching to establishing an…

Abstract

Purpose

Blended learning is an emerging trend across many educational settings, adopting the purposeful integration of traditional face-to-face and online teaching to establishing an engaging learning experience for the students. Blended learning provides an ideal platform for the implementation of reusable learning objects (RLOs) as a pedagogical tool to support classroom instruction.

Design/methodology/approach

This study had conducted a quasi-experiment followed by semi-structured interviews to determine if a blended learning approach using RLOs can enhance students’ learning in an undergraduate engineering computer-aided design (CAD) module. This study involved learners studying engineering in two different academic years.

Findings

Students from the first year were taught using traditional face-to-face teaching approach. The cohort of students from the subsequent year adopted a blended learning approach: face to face and access to a series of RLOs. The analysis revealed statistical evidence that the use of blended learning had a significant impact on the students' end of term exam grades in the CAD module in comparison to the students who undertook traditional face-to-face teaching approach. The qualitative findings highlighted the positive impact of RLOs on students’ learning behaviour, engagement and knowledge retention.

Originality/value

This study provided empirical evidence of the benefits of using RLOs as a blended learning tool in engineering domain. From a theoretical perspective, the findings highlighted the importance of good instructional design and sound theoretical underpinning of the pedagogical strategy. From a practical point of view, this study informed academics on how to improve learner's academic achievement using RLOs.

Details

International Journal of Educational Management, vol. 34 no. 10
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0951-354X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 4 June 2020

Burna Nayar and Surabhi Koul

The purpose of this paper is to critically evaluate the learning effectiveness and engagement of blended learning tools in a management course of negotiation skills. The study…

1548

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to critically evaluate the learning effectiveness and engagement of blended learning tools in a management course of negotiation skills. The study addresses the dilemma brought to light through literature regarding the learning effectiveness of roleplays as a teaching tool in negotiation training. The study compares the impact of traditional roleplays vis-à-vis roleplays fused with blended tools on learner's performance. The endeavour is to investigate the learning effectiveness of traditional tools (roleplay simulation and lecture) vs blended learning tools (flipped classroom, massive open online courses, independent study fused with roleplay simulation).

Design/methodology/approach

The current study delves into a negotiation course to conduct experimental research comparing traditional and blended learning tools. The total number of students who participated in this study were 80.

Findings

The findings indicate the improved learning effectiveness of blended learning tools vis-à-vis traditional tools. Generation Z students were more engaged with the use of blended learning tools and enjoyed the experience. The study recommends blended learning tools for educators aiming to transition from traditional learning to interactive learning to create experiential classrooms.

Research limitations/implications

Limited sample size and single group experimentation are some limitations of the study. Some latent flaws in the implementation of roleplay simulations in negotiation training were revealed during the study. The study focuses solely on a negotiations course taught to management students.

Practical implications

The study would help academic institutes to comply with the pressing need to impart experiential learning in the classroom. The research would act as a bridge between the industry expectations and academia deliverables.

Social implications

The study would help academic institutes to comply with the pressing need to impart experiential learning through blended learning in the classroom. The research would act as a bridge between the industry expectations and academia deliverables.

Originality/value

The study addresses the dilemma in the literature, which, on the one hand, upholds the learning effectiveness of roleplays as a teaching tool, and on the other hand, suggests that roleplays have lost their applicability due to advancement in students' exposure to technology. The study in itself is unique, as it addresses the need for higher student engagement in the classroom.

Details

International Journal of Educational Management, vol. 34 no. 9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0951-354X

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 5 December 2019

Faieza Chowdhury

E-learning is a very popular concept in the education sector today, and one of the best ways to implement this is through blended learning. However, the implementation of blended…

5547

Abstract

Purpose

E-learning is a very popular concept in the education sector today, and one of the best ways to implement this is through blended learning. However, the implementation of blended learning program at Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) is quite new in Bangladesh. The purpose of this paper is to explore the concept of blended learning, how to construct a blended learning program, the benefits of blended learning and some prerequisites to implement blended learning program successfully at HEIs in Bangladesh.

Design/methodology/approach

Nature of the study is explanatory, descriptive as well as evaluative. Primary data were collected through face-to-face interviews using structured questionnaire having both open- and close-ended questions including personal observations. Secondary data comprise relevant documents available from government agencies, archives, and library and research organizations.

Findings

By utilizing the blended learning tools, HEIs in Bangladesh can achieve radical improvements in education quality as well as in the accessibility and cost-effectiveness of learning programs. Moreover, any innovative educational reform will be successful only when it is fully accepted and adopted by all the key stakeholders: students, parents, teachers, academic administrators, researchers and policy makers.

Practical implications

Several practical solutions have been presented in this paper: how to create a blended learning program, how to overcome the obstacles for successful implementation of blended learning and how to create a flipped classroom with the aid of technology.

Social implications

A country’s soul and economic well-being depends to a large extent on the quality of their citizen’s education. Implementing innovative teaching programs within the education system will enhance the quality of education at HEIs in Bangladesh, creating more efficient labor force hence benefiting the overall society.

Originality/value

Originality in terms of exposing the hurdles that needs to be addressed for successful implementation of blended learning programs at HEIs in Bangladesh and providing an easy guideline to educators on how to create flipped classrooms.

Details

Journal of Research in Innovative Teaching & Learning, vol. 13 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2397-7604

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 1 January 2019

Siraj K. K. and Azzah Al Maskari

The main purpose of this study was to evaluate students’ perception of blended learning instructional design in a Higher Education Institution (HEI) in the Sultanate of Oman. A…

3637

Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to evaluate students’ perception of blended learning instructional design in a Higher Education Institution (HEI) in the Sultanate of Oman. A course in a bachelor degree was offered using blended learning instructional mode, and students’ feedback was obtained on the impact of blended learning. The study was conducted in Ibra College of Technology, one of the seven colleges under the Ministry of Manpower in the Sultanate of Oman. A course in Business Strategy and HR Management was offered during Summer 2016 using a combination of traditional and online instructional design. A structured questionnaire was administered at the end of the semester to solicit feedback from students. The results of the study highlighted a positive attitude among students towards blended learning courses. The research stressed the requirements for proper infrastructure, training and development initiatives for staff and students, shift to a more focused practical assessment methods to measure the graduate attributes. Student engagement, learner autonomy, connection of learning to real life environments and flexibility all appeared to benefit from the blended learning course.

Details

Learning and Teaching in Higher Education: Gulf Perspectives, vol. 15 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2077-5504

Article
Publication date: 15 December 2021

Ifeanyi Benedict Ohanu, Taiwo Olabanji Shodipe, Chinenye Maria-Goretti Ohanu and Josephine E. Anene-Okeakwa

This study aims to investigate the effects of quality blended learning systems (QBLS) on the improvement of undergraduate students’ skills through the use of the Technology…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the effects of quality blended learning systems (QBLS) on the improvement of undergraduate students’ skills through the use of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) model.

Design/methodology/approach

The study sample includes 1,200 subjects of which 126 and 1,074 are lecturers and students, respectively. The subjects were selected from seven post-secondary institutions in Nigeria. A stratified sampling technique was used in data collection. Collected data were analysed using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses.

Findings

The results reveal that QBLS influences the perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, attitude, subjective norms and perceived behavioural control towards intentions that culminate in the usage of blended learning tools (BLTs).

Originality/value

The study supports the belief that QBLS enhances users’ behaviour towards system usage with the TAM and the TPB predicting real usage of BLTs via users’ intentions. Practically, teachers should adjust the existing BLTs not only to create new ones but also to suit personalized teaching and learning activities.

Article
Publication date: 14 April 2020

Nimer Abusalim, Mohammad Rayyan, Marwan Jarrah and Moayad Sharab

This research paper aims to explore blended learning implementation in universities that are on a low budget, essentially determining the more important steps to invest during the…

Abstract

Purpose

This research paper aims to explore blended learning implementation in universities that are on a low budget, essentially determining the more important steps to invest during the initial stage of implementation and investing in costly IT infrastructure or training faculty for student-centred learning and relevant pedagogies.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey of 254 students at the University of Jordan (UJ) has been administered. Student satisfaction with blended learning is related to the two main variables of IT infrastructure and teacher training for blended learning strategies.

Findings

The results indicate that faculty training has a significantly higher impact on predictability of satisfaction than IT infrastructure. Therefore, low-budget institutions should focus first on helping instructors shift to student-centred styles of pedagogies before making large investments in IT infrastructure.

Research limitations/implications

Because of the fact that the chosen setting did not completely lack IT infrastructure, the results may need to be retested with at least two individual institutions, one where advanced IT infrastructure is available and one where it is completely lacking. More can also be done to vary the limited location of the study.

Practical implications

This paper suggests that making costly investments into technology is not a necessary first step during the initial stages of blended learning adoption in developing countries.

Originality/value

This paper addresses the need for more research on blended learning adoption in developing countries with scarce finances and lack of resources sufficient to achieve faculty training and IT infrastructure improvement together. Several universities make costly investments only to lack sufficient blended learning pedagogies which often results in failed blended learning implementation.

Details

International Journal of Educational Management, vol. 34 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0951-354X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 20 June 2023

Nedal Sawan, Krayyem Al-Hajaya, Rami Ibrahim A. Salem and Mohammad Alshhadat

This study aims to explore the perceptions of accountancy students on the use of technology, blended learning and flipped classroom in two emerging UK higher education…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to explore the perceptions of accountancy students on the use of technology, blended learning and flipped classroom in two emerging UK higher education institutions (HEIs).

Design/methodology/approach

The primary data for the study were collected using a questionnaire survey and descriptively analysed.

Findings

The findings revealed that there is some use of technology in terms of the Blackboard and PowerPoint presentations but blogs and wikis have very limited use. An aspect that does not seem to be integrated fully yet is the use of blended technology and a flipped classroom.

Practical implications

The study findings offer a picture of how technology, blended learning and the flipped classroom technique were utilised with accountancy students prior to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This information is valuable for accounting educators and by extension to other aspects of business studies disciplines in providing a comparison between the pre-COVID-19 scenario and the current one and thus enabling an evaluation of advancement in the application of these teaching strategies as a result of the pressure imposed by social distancing. Such intelligence will facilitate the identification of areas where enhancing learning outcomes has been possible and point to opportunities for improved student experience.

Originality/value

Where COVID-19 brought about significant structural change in teaching and learning in the HE environment, this study represents a pre-COVID-19 consideration of student perceptions on blended learning and flipped classroom. This study thus has the potential to anchor future relevant studies that consider the post-COVID-19 environment.

Details

Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, vol. 16 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2050-7003

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 2 November 2020

Sultan Saleh Ahmed Almekhlafy

Due to the recent coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, a temporary interruption of education activities occurred all over the world. The sudden and quick shift from blended or…

8357

Abstract

Purpose

Due to the recent coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, a temporary interruption of education activities occurred all over the world. The sudden and quick shift from blended or face-to-face learning mode to the sole online learning mode affected the perceptions of students toward the Blackboard application and the usage. This study aims to investigate the perceptions of students toward the Blackboard application in the process of learning Preparatory Year (PY) English courses as the mere tool of learning and the impact of the students’ perceptions on the students’ use of Blackboard.

Design/methodology/approach

The results are based on a survey conducted with 228 of PY students: 1st level n = 126 and 2nd level n = 102 at Najran University. The data are analyzed to compare the two levels, as the students’ prior experience with Blackboard is not the same. The 2nd level students have prior experience of blended learning through Blackboard, whereas 1st level students have no prior experience of learning through Blackboard.

Findings

The data of the perceptions of both levels showed that 1st level students’ perceptions toward online learning of English via Blackboard were higher than 2nd level students. The data on the frequency of the use of the Blackboard application reflected the perceptions of students.

Research limitations/implications

The findings suggest that the students’ prior experience of e-learning via Blackboard has an impact on the students’ perceptions.

Originality/value

The findings of the study contributed to the learning through the management systems research field and online learning of English during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Details

PSU Research Review, vol. 5 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2399-1747

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 21 November 2016

Aleksander Aristovnik, Damijana Keržič, Nina Tomaževič and Lan Umek

In higher education, blended learning is already strongly established. The e-courses vary in their structure, assignments, prompt examinations, interaction between students and…

Abstract

Purpose

In higher education, blended learning is already strongly established. The e-courses vary in their structure, assignments, prompt examinations, interaction between students and teachers, etc. Such aspects may influence the students’ perception of usefulness of blended learning. The purpose of this paper is to identify the factors which influence that feeling and to look for possible differences in perception by different subgroups of students.

Design/methodology/approach

Students in the survey evaluated 13 aspects of e-courses in which they were enrolled. From enrolment documents, additional demographic data were collected (gender, high-school grade, study programme, etc.). A multiple linear regression was used with perceived usefulness as the response variable and the 12 other e-course aspects as predictors. Further, the same regression analysis was performed on different subgroups of students based on demographical data.

Findings

The empirical results showed that the general impression regarding the e-courses, their consistency with the face-to-face teaching and the teachers’ responsiveness had a significant influence on the students’ perception of the usefulness of e-courses. Further analysis based on demographic data revealed several subgroups of students where the perception of usefulness was influenced by different aspects. The teachers’ feedback and supplementing the tutorial play an important role in higher years of study, while the general impression loses its influence.

Originality/value

The paper is the first to explore the importance of demographic determinants of perceived usefulness of e-learning tools in EAPAA (European Association of Public Administration Accreditation)-accredited undergraduate public administration programmes.

Details

Interactive Technology and Smart Education, vol. 13 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1741-5659

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 30 August 2019

Burna Nayar and Surabhi Koul

The millennial students are disengaged in the current classrooms. Hence, there is a definite need to evaluate and compare the current learning tools. The purpose of this paper is…

1171

Abstract

Purpose

The millennial students are disengaged in the current classrooms. Hence, there is a definite need to evaluate and compare the current learning tools. The purpose of this paper is to assess the effects of three learning tools – listening, structured doodling and note-taking – on recall ability of students in the classroom. The authors have specifically compared the effect of Andrade’s (2010) and Boggs et al.’s (2017) structured doodling condition (i.e. shading in shapes) vis-à-vis note-taking and listening.

Design/methodology/approach

An experimental research design was used for the study where three groups of around 40 participants each were created. The participants were Indian students (72 males and 48 females) who were undergraduates at NMIMS University, Navi Mumbai. Each group experienced all the three learning methods that are listening, note-taking and structured doodling. It was a 3×3 mixed model design. Listening, note-taking and structured doodling were compared on recall ability. This was assessed using a questionnaire extracted from Boggs et al.’s (2017) study and a self-designed evaluation sheet.

Findings

Across all three groups, structured doodling and note-taking had a higher impact on recall ability than the traditional method. However, the difference in the impact of note-taking and doodling on recall ability was not practically very large. The current finding assumes higher significance in the Indian education set up as Indian students are accustomed to note-taking as a learning tool yet structured doodling had a statistically analogous effect on recall ability compared to a systematically documented note-taking. Hence, a future direction could be to assess the impact of a blended learning tool that utilizes both note-taking and doodling or note-taking through doodling.

Research limitations/implications

First, the authors did not capture doodling habits of the students. Second, the study limits itself to a small sample size of 120 management graduates. The study can be extended to other disciplines like science and technology and also on how the higher engagement learning tools can be utilized in the normal environs of a course in a classroom. A future direction of the study can be to engage students in an activity as long as a regular lecture of about 60 min. A fusion of learning tools that effectively combines note-taking and doodling can be suggested to enhance recall ability and classroom engagement.

Practical implications

Higher order learning tools characteristically require technologically advanced infrastructure setups. In developing economies like India, most educational institutes may not have access to technologically advanced classrooms; hence, the implementation of higher engagement learning tools becomes a huge challenge. The endeavor in this study has been to study the impact and effectiveness of learning tools like doodling and note-taking which do not inherently call for access to advanced technology.

Social implications

In today’s age of globalization, emerging economies like India are seen to be taking center stage. Thus, ensuring that Indian education system is geared up to train students to compete globally and in the same vein, these students have access to higher engagement learning tools – the absolute need of the hour. Hence, the current research aims to bridge the gap between global education innovations and Indian classroom teaching method implementation.

Originality/value

The research has assessed the effectiveness of three different learning tools, namely – listening, note-taking and structured doodling – in Indian higher education setup. The current research is in harmony with the current literature and would function as an adaptation and augmentation of Andrade’s (2010) and Boggs et al. (2017) studies. A very scanty research body on understanding the impact of learning tools on recall ability exists in the Indian education setup. Current research will act as a bridge between global path breaking education research and implementation of in-class teaching methods in Indian higher education.

Details

International Journal of Educational Management, vol. 34 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0951-354X

Keywords

1 – 10 of over 8000