Blended Learning for Diverse Classrooms: Qualitative Experimental Study With In-Service Teachers

Abstract

The concept of blended learning, a combination of online and face-to-face learning, has become popular in educational settings. Using qualitative methods, this study investigates the role of blended learning and in-service teachers’ perceptions. Blended learning was used for 19 in-service teachers during their summer degree program at a Chinese university. After the course, teachers were asked to write their reflections on blended learning, its role in diverse classrooms, and using it in their teaching career. The results showed that the teachers appreciated the use of blended learning for diversity, but they were against adopting it in their teaching due to limited pedagogical skills and the exam-oriented education system in China. Moreover, some teachers believed that traditional teaching is more effective for providing students with the necessary knowledge, while blended learning was viewed as difficult to manage. The study provides a better understanding of teachers’ perception of blended learning which contributes to global educational development.

Online Teaching during COVID-19 Pandemic: Teachers’ Experiences from a Chinese University

“…In contrast, others depended on external support, such as family support. This study also revealed that, at first, many of the teachers had a negative perception towards online learning, which affected teachers' and students' confidence and motivation [7,54,55]. However, they gradually recognized the benefits that online teaching and learning could offer.…”

“…The disconnection between instructional approaches and learning needs influences the students' social and intellectual development to function in the modern world [39]. Hence, teachers need to shift to interactive teaching methods to help students advance their thinking ability and increase their interest in education [7,37]. Considering the traditional learning methods used in China, we argue that introducing online learning due to COVID-19 could be a 'blessing in disguise' for the country's higher education system.…”

“…With lockdowns forcing most or all family members to stay at home, many students face difficulties finding a conducive environment to focus and learn from home [6]. Moreover, teachers need to design a new method of teaching and learning which might require additional ICT and pedagogical training [7,8]. This is a major challenge for many teachers who have been focusing on traditional teaching and learning [7,9].…”

“…Moreover, teachers need to design a new method of teaching and learning which might require additional ICT and pedagogical training [7,8]. This is a major challenge for many teachers who have been focusing on traditional teaching and learning [7,9]. Conversely, research indicates that teachers who had been accustomed to interactive technology could adapt to online teaching quickly [10].…”

“…Despite its vast educational reform and development, Chinese educational institutions are commonly focused on exam-oriented education and, thus, teaching approaches with a tradition of lecturing and limited student participation [9,[12][13][14]. Many scholars argue that such teaching practices are connected to the cultural perception of teachers and the academic participation and performance of students [7,9,[15][16][17]. Teachers who perceive that they are the providers of knowledge while students are the receivers tend to use teachercentered teaching, resulting in low student participation and collaborative learning [18].…”