Cite as: Azamat Akbarov, A.; Gönen, K.; & Aydoğan, H. (2018). Students' attitudes toward blended learning in EFL context. Acta Didactica Napocensia, 11(1), 61-68. DOI: 10.24193/adn.11.1.5. The scope of this article is an investigation into students' attitudes toward blended learning and related concepts (e.g. paperless and traditional classroom). There were 162 students who participated in this study (100 females and 62 males, with the mean age of 18.80 and its standard deviation of 1.16). The study revealed that students prefer blended learning to traditional classroom in EFL context. However, they liked to take English exams in paper-and-pencil form, rather than in digital form. As for submitting English assignments online or personally, their opinions were divided. They also similarly trusted to analog and digital English teaching/learning materials. Students had a moderately positive attitude toward infographics and paperless classroom within EFL environment.Their English proficiency levels were in a positive correlation with their preferences toward blended learning for EFL purposes. The obtained results were discussed in line with contemporary approaches in educational sciences. Additionally, some recommendations for future work in this field were made.

In this investigation, a virtual classroom for Uşak University's Electricity Program is designed, implemented and then tested by using the 3D virtual environment Second Life. When online, learners and instructors are able to correspond with each other by using their own avatars, chat vocally, make presentations and watch videos, as well as utilise all opportunities of a 3D virtual environment. Furthermore, learners can access the educational materials of the Electricity Program and interact with each other even when the educator is not available, giving opportunities for both synchronous and asynchronous distance education. The 3D virtual environment is analysed and evaluated here in terms of education costs, and advantages or disadvantages for both learner and educator.

Thanks to the development of education and internet technologies, two-dimensional educational environments such as internet pages in distance education are starting to leave their places to three-dimensional virtual worlds with more communication and interaction tools, that offer with–without instructor, synchronous–asynchronous and individual–collaborative learning environments. In this study, a new basic programmable logic controllers laboratory was designed, simulated and virtually implemented on Second Life, a 3D virtual world with powerful features such as object construction and programming language. Then, this virtual programmable logic controllers laboratory was introduced to the students of Electricity and Energy Department of Usak University who had previously taken the programmable logic controllers course theoretically, and a survey about this laboratory was administered. One-hundred percent of the students who participated in the survey found this lab to be helpful, and 95.45% found it to be useful. Based on this lab design and evaluations, the specific and general conclusions including the pros and cons are discussed.

No abstract

No abstract