teachers and learners’ attitudes towards blended learning for information technology program for first year students at fpt polytechnic college

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING HO CHI MINH CITY OPEN UNIVERSITY NGUYEN THI THU MY TEACHERS AND LEARNERS’ ATTITUDES TOWARDS BLENDED LEARNING FOR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM FOR

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING

HO CHI MINH CITY OPEN UNIVERSITY

NGUYEN THI THU MY

TEACHERS AND LEARNERS’ ATTITUDES TOWARDS

BLENDED LEARNING FOR INFORMATION

TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM FOR FIRST YEAR STUDENTS AT FPT POLYTECHNIC COLLEGE

A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree

of Master of Arts in TESOL

HO CHI MINH CITY, December 2018

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING

HO CHI MINH CITY OPEN UNIVERSITY

NGUYEN THI THU MY

TEACHERS AND LEARNERS’ ATTITUDES TOWARDS

BLENDED LEARNING FOR INFORMATION

TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM FOR FIRST YEAR STUDENTS AT FPT POLYTECHNIC COLLEGE

Major: Teaching English to Speakers of Other languages

Major code: 60140111

MASTER OF ARTS IN TESOL

Supervisor: Ph.D NGUYEN HOANG TUAN

HO CHI MINH CITY, 2018

i

STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP

I certify that this thesis entitled “Teachers and Learners’ Attitudes towards Blended learning for Information Technology Program for First year Students at FPT Polytechnic College in Ho Chi Minh City” is my own work

Except where reference is made in the text of the thesis, this thesis does not contain material published elsewhere or extracted in whole or in part from a thesis in which I have qualified or been awarded another degree or diploma

No other person’s work has been used without due acknowledgement in the main text of the thesis

This thesis has not been submitted for the award of any degree or diploma in any other tertiary institution

Ho Chi Minh City, July 2018

Nguyen Thi Thu My

ii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This Master of Art in TESOL thesis is completed thanks to the help of people who supported me during my research time I would like to acknowledge wholeheartedly their assistance and encouragement to help me accomplish this study Without them, this study would not have been feasible

Firstly, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my thesis supervisor, Dr Nguyen Hoang Tuan, who gave me compassion, critical comments, guidance through this study I appreciate his patience and broad knowledge about academic quality I have truly learnt from my supervisor’s wide experiences in research

Secondly, I would like to thank all English teaching teachers, staff and students at FPT Polytechnic College who enthusiastically joined my research, and help me to distribute and collect questionnaires as well as participate in my interview sessions

Thirdly, I would like to thank my TESOL classmates, including Mai Thi Ngoc Hanh, Dang Hoang Huy, Duong Thanh Hung Duc, Nguyen Thi Thu Thuy, and Truong Minh Hoa, who share opinion and encourage me on my research

Last but not least, many thanks to my family, in particular, my parents, my sisters, my loving husband, who have encouraged me with unlimited sympathy when I became disheartened

iii

ABSTRACT

EFL teacher and learner attitudes towards a learning environment can affect to language acquisition or educational quality It can be a drive or a barrier to learning effectiveness Attitudes towards a new approach using technologies such Blended learning in Vietnam

is urgent to investigate Thereby, the purpose of this paper sought to discover EFL teacher and learner attitudes towards Blended learning for information Technology Program for First year Students at FPT Polytechnic College in Ho Chi Minh City

This study employed the survey research design to investigate the teacher and learner attitudes towards blended learning through two instruments of questionnaires and interviews A student questionnaire survey was administered to 139 students to obtain data on learner attitudes regarding to student perception, quality teaching of instructors, technical system and interface design, course information or content and assistance of staff or administrators, while a teacher questionnaire survey was administered to 11 teachers to gather data regarding to teacher attitudes in terms of process and content in blended learning Then, these questionnaires were quantitatively analyzed and the interviews were qualitative analyzed

The findings indicate that majority of learners and teachers had positive attitudes towards blended learning For learners, most of them agreed that blended learning was a good environment for them to improve English language because of autonomy in learning, good teaching style of instructors, and the support of staff However, they also admitted that technical problems and Internet connection made them go down in learning online While, the teachers agreed that blended learning gave both teachers and learners a rich experience and made learning and teaching more active It helped the teachers improve pedagogical performance and helped the students enhance language skills as well as communicative competence Moreover, the teachers also revealed that topics used in the blended learning course were relevant and authentic, and kept motivation of the students

iv Therefore, they prepared for the students to communicate with English language speakers around the world

v

TABLE OF CONTENT

STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP………i

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS……… ii

ABSTRACT……….iii

TABLE OF CONTENTS……….v

LIST OF FIGURES, CHARTS……….……… vii

LIST OF TABLES……….viii

CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION……… 1

1.1 Background of the study……… 1

1.2 Statement of the problem……….3

1.3 Research aim……… 4

1.4 Research question……… 4

1.5 Significance of the study……… 4

1.6 Organization of the study………5

CHAPTER II: LITERATURE REVIEW……… 6

2.1 Blended learning approach……….6

2.2 Underlying Constructivism theory for Blended learning……….8

2.3 Model of blended learning………10

2.4 Reasons for blended learning………12

2.5 Dimensions for effective blended learning environment……… 13

2.6 Benefits and challenges of blended learning……….17

2.6.1 Benefits……… 17

2.6.2 Challenges……….18

2.7 Blended learning program evaluation……… …20

2.8 Teacher and student attitudes towards blended learning……… 22

2.8.1 Definition of attitude……… 22

2.8.2 Components of attitude……… 23

2.9 Previous studies……… 24

2.9.1 Teacher attitudes towards blended learning……… 24

2.9.2 Student attitudes towards blended learning……… 26

2.10 Summary of Chapter 2………29

CHAPTER III: RESEARCHMETHODOLOGY………30

3.1 Research setting………30

3.2 Description of the blended learning program at FPT Polytechnic……… 31

3.2.1 Assessment category for students passing the English course in level 1B………31

3.2.2 Assessment category for English-in service teachers……… 33

3.2.3 Materials……… 34

3.2.4 Expectation of English-level 1B students……… 35

3.2.5 Blended learning process at the FPT Polytechnic College in HCMC……… 36

3.2.5.1 Online learning environment……… 37

vi

3.2.5.2 Face-to-face learning……….47

3.3 Participants (convenient sampling) ……… 56

3.3.1 Teacher participants……… 57

3.3.2 Student participants………57

3.4 Research design……… 58

3.5 Data collection and instruments………58

3.5.1 Student and teacher questionnaires……… 59

3.5.1.1 Student questionnaire……… 60

3.5.1.2 Teacher questionnaire……… 61

3.5.2 Student and teacher interviews……… 63

3.5.2.1 Student interview………64

3.5.2.2 Teacher interview……… 65

3.6 Procedure of the study……… 65

3.6.1 Student questionnaire delivery and interview protocols………65

3.6.1.1 Student questionnaire delivery………65

3.6.1.2 Student interview protocols……….67

3.6.2 Teacher questionnaire delivery and interview administration……… 67

3.6.2.1 Teacher questionnaire delivery……… 68

3.6.2.2 Teacher interview administration……… 68

3.7 Data analysis……….69

3.8 Validity and Reliability……… 70

3.9 Summary of chapter 3……… 71

CHAPTER IV: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION ……… 73

4.1 Description of samplings……… 73

4.1.1 Description of student sampling………73

4.1.2 Description of teacher sampling………74

4.2 Research question 1……… 76

4.3 Research question 2………101

CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION, IMPLICATIONS, LIMITATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ………114

5.1 Conclusion……… 114

5.2 Implication……… 116

5.2.1 For students……… 116

5.2.2 For teachers……… 117

5.3 Limitation………118

5.4 Recommendation for further research……… 119

REFERENCES……… 121

APPENDICES……… 140

vii

LIST OF FIGURES, CHARTS

Figure 2.1: Khan’s (2003) octagonal framework……… 14

Figure 3.1: Guessing its meaning……… … 38

Figure 3.2: Drag and drop the verbs……… 39

Figure 3.3: Listen and choose the same sound……… 39

Figure 3.4: Listen and choose the correct picture……… 40

Figure 3.5: Guess its meaning……… 41

Figure 3.6: Listen and arrange sentences into a conversation……… 42

Figure 3.7: Drag and drop the words to make a sentence………42

Figure 3.8: Clink on the letters to make a word ……… 45

Figure 3.9: Healthy survey……… 54

Chart 4.1: Demographical Information of Student Participants……… ………… 74

Chart 4.2: Demographical Information of Teacher Participants……… 75

Chart 4.3: Students’ attitudes towards blended learning course in General……… 77

Chart 4.4: Descriptive statistics for students’ attitudes towards teaching quality of instructors in ……… ………… ………… …………84

Chart 4.5: Students’ attitudes towards technical system and interface design……… 89

Chart 4.6: Students’ attitudes towards course information or content……… 93

Chart 4.7: Students’ attitudes towards assistance of staff or administrator in General………… 97

Chart 4.8: Teachers’ attitudes towards blended learning in term of process in General……… 102

Chart 4.8b: Descriptive statistics for teachers’ attitudes towards Blended learning in term of process in Details……… ….107

Chart 4.9a: Teachers’ attitudes towards blended learning in terms of content in General………108

Chart 4.9b: Teachers’ attitudes towards blended learning in terms of content in Details ……….………… 111

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LIST OF TABLES

Table 2.1: Matrix of different contexts vs learning formats for blended learning ……… 8

Table 3.1: Assessment Category for Students in level 1B………… ………… ………… ……… 33

Table 3.2: Topics for learning at Level 1B………… ……… ………….… ……….34

Table 3.3: Description of Research questions and instruments……… 59

Table 3.4: Overview of research procedure………… ………… ………… ………… ………….66

Table 3.5: Summary of Data collection………… ………… 69

Table 4.1a Respondents' affective attitudes of students towards blended learning course …… ……… 79

Table 4.1b Respondents' behavioral attitudes of students towards blended learning course …… …… 80

Table 4.1c Respondents' cognitive attitudes of students towards blended learning …… ……… 82 Table 4.2a Respondents' affective attitudes of students towards the teaching quality of the instructors

Table 4.4a Respondents' affective attitudes of students towards course information or content ……… 94

Table 4.4b Respondents' cognitive attitudes of students towards course information or content

……… 95

Table 4.5 Respondents' cognitive attitudes of students towards assistance of staf or administrators…….98

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the study

With development in information technology, educators need to find appropriate teaching methods to meet the current educational situation, especially language teaching contexts Therefore, online learning teaching environments have rapidly developed worldwide However, online learning environments lack benefits that face-to-face learning environment have as Sikora and Carroll (2002) stated that when compared with face-to-face learning environments, students who are learning online tend to be less

satisfied with totally online courses Hence, this leads to the notion of blended learning

The concept of blending various teaching methods to obtain an effective learning outcome has become a subject of past and present exploration by academic researchers Ayala (2009) describes that blended learning is the purposeful integration of face-to-face and online learning Blended learning is confronted to maximize advantages of traditional and online learning In blended learning environment, learners are able to access learning materials by using web technologies outside classroom while attending traditional education (Graham, et al., 2003) Furthermore, online learning gives times and location flexibly while traditional learning provides further social interaction, which is not possible within online learning environment In this way, advantageous aspects of face-to-face and online learning complete each other

In addition, blended learning allows students and teachers to break free of the isolation of the classroom William (2002) indicated that with a mixture of the different pedagogical methods and teaching strategies, lectures are not centered; whereas, teaching comprises more interaction, group work, case studies, presentations, simulations and

other types of learning activities Therefore, most current studies have been conducted and from their results, the researchers have encouraged faculties and learners to use blended courses Garrison and Vaughan (2008) reported that blended learning furnishes a vision and roadmap for high education faulty to recognize the possibilities of blending traditional and online learning for engagement and meaningful learning experiences Based on previous studies, it is considered as a good choice for students and faculty Therefore, many colleges and universities have applied this mode in language teaching as well as in other subject training (Duckworth, 2010; Sloan, 2008)

The blended learning mode has been implemented in FPT Polytechnic in Ho Chi Minh City since 2011 because it is seen as a better approach to enhance learners’ language competence The FPT Polytechnic administrators have chosen this mode to teach English language for students since they desire all students be able to apply the studied knowledge to produce language; a dynamic educational environment or student-centered learning instead of teacher-centered learning And passive learners become more active in their learning In general, many learners are able to use English to communicate

in their classes since they have learnt online new words and structures outside class With this approach, students have to learn online with lessons designed intensively with videos, and pictures via the LMS channel (Learning Management system) They have opportunities to interact with each other and be flexible in language learning (Sloan, 2008; U.S Department of Education, 2010) When entering their class, their teacher provides activities to push students produce the target language as well as create a dynamic language learning environment to create learners’ interests, and check whether they have learnt lesson online or not instead of teaching lesson again in class He/she plays an important role to support and facilitate learners learning English language, and make the blended learning environment successful Chew (2011) describes that the

Although there were many researches about blended learning, few of them focused

on teachers and students’ attitudes towards this mode So, it is necessary to do deep research on it to explore what teachers and students’ attitudes towards blended learning

1.2 Statement of problem

Recognizing the strengths of blended learning, many educational institutions have transferred their delivery method to the blended learning program, which is considered a good choice for students in their teaching (Duckworth, 2010; Sloan, 2008) The blended learning mode has been used for a long time Nevertheless, few studies are to be found providing detailed about teachers and students’ attitudes on blended learning, and in Vietnam, no attempt was done to explore factors enhancing the blended learning course

effectiveness and factors decreasing the blended learning course effectiveness Held (2009) recommended further researches relating to students’ perception and teaching practices towards blended learning should be implemented because of the existence of challenges of this approach

1.3 Research aim

The main aim of the current research is to explore the attitudes of teachers and learners towards Blended learning approach at the FPT Polytechnic College in Ho Chi Minh City Specifically, the present study involves an investigation of the English-in served teachers’ attitudes on using blended learning on processes and content in their language teaching The paper also explores students’ attitudes towards blended learning

in term of technical system and support, course information or contents, quality of instructors and assistance of staff and administrators

The findings of this study will contribute to specify some of the critical factors that affect the teachers and students’ attitudes on using blended learning, then, possible recommendations will be made to the English faculty of the FPT Polytechnic on how to best prepare and support the English in-served teachers for teaching in blended learning environment, and on how to support learners in enhancing their language competence via blended learning courses

1.6 Organization of the study

The present study consists of five chapters The first chapter provides a detailed introduction to the study that is background to the study, the statement of the study, and the study’s purpose and significance Next, the chapter 2 provides a review of the literature on blended learning, which associates with definition and character of blended learning, reasons for blended learning, its benefits and challenges evaluation of blended learning, and teachers and students’ attitudes towards blended learning Then, the chapter

3 contains an overview of the research methodology, a description of contexts and participants, and an overview of the research procedures, including the data collection and data analysis The focus of the chapter 4 is to present results for two research questions based on teachers and students’ questionnaires and interviews The last chapter, the chapter 5, ends with a discussion of implications and limitations of the research before revealing a conclusion and offering suggestions for further researches

CHAPTER II LITERATURE REVIEW

The purpose of this study is to investigate the teacher and students’ attitudes towards blended learning A review of previous studies and theories relevant to this study are able to provide a foundation for understanding the blended learning approach, and whether this method can affect learners’ outcomes and teaching qualities of blended learning of blended learning context This chapter includes six main sections: (1) blended learning approach and its characteristics; (2) reasons for blended learning; (3) benefits and challenges of blended learning; (4) blended learning program evaluation; (5) teacher and student attitudes towards blended learning; (6) previous studies

2.1 Blended learning approach

Blended learning, in recent times, has entered into educational settings increasingly, especially in colleges and universities A lot of researchers have explored the new method and studied the effectiveness of the blended learning environment on the

learners such as Ziegler, Paulus, & Woodside, 2006

Blended learning, hybrid learning or integrated learning refers to the same concept

of learning whereas; two different styles are used in learning Mayadas & Picciano (2007) define blended learning as a combination of online learning and face-to-face instruction

In parallel, Thorne (2003) defines it is an educational mode that can blend e-learning with traditional learning to enhance interaction in classroom setting

However, Discroll (2002) address four different leading forms where blended learning can reach The first is a combination of web-based technology modes where

learners who are self-determine interact with various technologies including reproduction, web-based audios and video clips to obtain a particular learning result The second is the combination of different pedagogical approaches in which language teacher choose appropriate pedagogical approaches involving or not in technologies to support learners gaining a specific purpose The third is the mixed approach wherein learning combines face-to-face instruction with online learning to achieve outcomes The last is the combination of instructional technology with actual tasks in which learning based on

outcome

Some researchers agree with Discroll’s viewpoint at his first concept that is the combination of web-based technology modes In contrast, Bonk and Graham (2006) differ with Discroll’s opinion on the two first definitions The two authors indicate that

the two first definitions are too extensive due to they are all based on technologies

Graham (2006) clearly describes blended learning as the combination of face instruction with computer-mediated instruction The blending of face-to-face and computer-mediated factors has many different approaches and can take on many forms as

face-to-shown in Table 2.1 (Singh, 2003)

2.2 Underlying Constructivism theory for blended learning

Constructivism is a theory of knowledge with root in philosophy Constructivist theory contains principles that should be considered when creating a blended learning experience The principles are that learners construct their knowledge through collaboration, where learners are in class and interact with others to get knowledge, and learners construct their knowledge by themselves, where they are self-space learning and through collaboration

Researchers have agreed that blended learning is mainly based on the constructivism learning theory The constructivism theory is a good fit for blended learning because it ensures learning of learners (Harman & Koohang, 2005; Hung, 2001; Hung & Nichani, 2001; Koohang & Harman, 2005)

According to Dewey (1916), Piaget (1972), Vygotsky (1987) and Bruner (1990), the authors defined the constructivism learning theory is as an active construction of new knowledge and meaning based on learners’ previous experience

Gulati (2004) claims that the key points of the constructivism theory are the importance of learner-centered, learning in real contexts, flexibility, freedom in selecting learning materials and in discussing issues The effectiveness of constructivism is that it helps the students prepare skills of solving problems The students are more active in constructing new knowledge individually and socially based on their previous experiences

Westera (1999) states that in the constructivism theory, the teachers’ role is so important in learning process The teacher has responsibility to monitor and warrant the quality of learning Therefore, the teacher tries to give sufficient support, direction, and guidelines for students who adopt blended learning approach

Constructivism is divided into two main kinds which are individual constructivism and social constructivism Swan (2005) states that Individual constructivism emphasizes constructing knowledge individually, while Social constructivism emphasizes on collaborative learning through social interactions and environment

In Individual constructivism, the learners need to control their learning process They construct their knowledge by themselves Therefore, the learners will discover personal knowledge based on intuition and get meaning of the experiences In blended environment, learners gain knowledge individually by learning online before class (Swan, 2005)

In social constructivism, learners are active that are related to the construction of knowledge via social interaction In blended learning environment, the instructor just gives short lectures, intensifies group work, and promotes student-student and student-teacher interaction In this way the students can analyze and share information together Therefore, the students can obtain knowledge through social interaction (Inoue, 2010)

Honebein (1996) states that based on the principles of constructivism, educators who apply blended learning approach should follow these goals as follows:

§ “Provide experience with the knowledge construction process;

§ Provide experience in and appreciation for multiple perspectives;

§ Embed learning in realistic and relevant contexts;

§ Encourage ownership and voice in the learning process;

§ Embed learning in social experience;

§ Encourage the use of multiple modes of representation; and

§ Encourage self-awareness in the knowledge construction process.” (Honebein,

1996, p 11)

In sum, the constructivism learning theory is considered as the most widely accepted philosophy in education, especially in a blended learning environment

2.3 Models of blended learning

Graham (2009) clarifies five models of blended learning based on the study of Twigg (2003)

of the replacement model is to replace some class meeting activities with online ones that keep more or less in-class activities and significantly modify Other version replaces in class meeting time with online activities and significantly modifies in-class activities

§ The emporium model: With the emporium model, students can learn in their own speed All lectures are offered online so, learners can search any materials online that appropriate with their needs And students are assisted during the course depending

on their own needs

§ The fully online model: All lectures, learning activities and interactions occur online without face-to-face meetings With the model, instructors have their responsibility for interaction, answering any inquiry, giving comments and discussion They usually spend much time for teaching and interacting with learners online

§ Buffet model: The model is used for each student Online learning activities are designed for individual learning option The course may or may not involve face-to-face meetings

2.4 Reasons for blended learning

Blended learning approach has many advantages, which admitted by many researchers Osguthorpe & Graham (2003) describe that educators as well as foreign language faculties employ the blended learning approach over other choices because of six main reasons: 1) improved pedagogical; 2) increased access/flexibility; 3) increased cost effectiveness; 4) social interaction; 5) increased personal agency; 6) ease of revision Although there are six reasons mentioned above, trainers select this blended learning approach based on three main reasons:1) to improve pedagogical; 2) to increase convenient and access; 3) to increase cost effectiveness

§ Improving pedagogical: one of reasons for blended learning option is to improve pedagogical approaches Most current pedagogical practices are concentrated on

“missive strategies rather than interactive strategies” In higher training settings, 83%

of teachers apply their lectures as the prominent teaching method Some trainers have explored blended learning increases in interactive learning; peer-to-peer learning; learners-centered learning (Collis, 2003; Hartman, Dziuban, and Moskal, 1999; Morgan, 2002; Smelser, 2002)

§ Increasing convenience and access: access to learn is one of the key factors affected

to blended learning (Bonk and Graham, 2013) A program will be impossible in case that learners cannot have distant learning experiences from their instructors or other learners (Graham, 2001) Moreover, flexibility and convenience are also important to students who desire to seek additional education but do not sacrifice their works at the same time According to Ross and Grace (2004), a learning course should reduce

class seat time It means increasing flexibility but keeping traditional face-to-face instructions

§ Increasing cost effectiveness: educational trainers choose blended learning because

of cost effectiveness It is the key third factor for blended learning strategies Bersin (2003) has implemented a research and discovered blended learning bringing a large return on investment (ROI) Educational trainers have also seen increased cost effectiveness in applying blended learning system For example, the University of Central Florida has seen the cost effectiveness of using blended learning due to decrease physical infrastructure and class seat time (Dziuban, et al., 2004)

2.5 Dimensions for effective blended learning environment

Blended learning brings a variety of advantages to educators as well as learners

Therefore, to execute this approach successfully Singh (2003) suggests Khan’s octagonal

framework (see figure 2.1) should be applied to obtain a meaningful learning

environment These eight factors comprise institutional, pedagogical, technological, interface design, evaluation, management, resource support, and ethical

Figure 2.1: Khan’s (2003) octagonal framework

§ Institutional: the factor involves organizational, administrative, academic affairs, and student services Educators could give questions concerned in “preparedness of the organization, availability of content and infrastructure, and learners’ needs” (Singh, 2003: 51-54)

§ Pedagogical: this factor is the combination of content, which must be implement (content analysis), the learner needs (audience analysis), and objectives (goal analysis) After analyzing the above elements, educators are choosing the most appropriate delivery approach

§ Technological: technological factor is one of the most essential factors in implementing blended learning After choosing the most appropriate delivery approach, technological issues are used to deliver the learning program considered as learning management system (LMS) Technological issues include the server that

“content structure, navigation, graphics and help” (Singh, 2003: 51-54)

§ Evaluation: the evaluation factor is related to evaluating how effective the blended learning program has been, and evaluating performance of learners Hence, educators should choose the most appropriate evaluation method for each delivery type in blended learning program

§ Management: the management factor resolves matters related to management of the blended learning program such as infrastructure and logistics Because of the complicatedness of the blended learning program implementation, the management issues should be involved in registration and notification, and scheduling of the different elements

§ Resource support: the resource support factor is concerned with different types of online and offline resources which are available for learners and organizing these resources Besides, the resource support issues are able to be counselors or tutors, or online supports (via email, or chatting system)

§ Ethical: Ethical factor also plays a vital role in developing a blended learning program Hence, educators should focus on issues such as “equal opportunity, cultural diversity, and nationality”

However, Zoran & Koseler (2009) pointed out that the success of the blended course

is based on five factors as follows:

§ Student attitude towards blended course: Student attitude is an important factor To design an effective blended learning environment, it is necessary to identify learner characters like confidence, enjoyment, and engagement (Passerini & Granger, 2000)

§ The quality of instructors participating on the blended learning course: the quality of an instructor is a key element for blended learning environment (Khan, 2005) Liaw, et al., (2007) state that “instructors” is an important aspect of blended learning or e-learning In the learning environments, the instructors have much time to interact with learners during their learning process (Khan, 2005) In addition, Webster and Hackley (1997) also point that teachers’ attitudes towards their teaching style, and their attitudes towards technology affect learners’ outcome

§ Technical systems served in online learning; technical system includes system quality and internet quality The system quality includes the LMS software that stable, speedy, well-organized, user-friendly, responsive, reliable, and personalized (Shee & Wang, 2008)

§ Course contents used in the blended course: successful blended learning courses are dependent upon design and management of learning environment According to Shee & Wang, 2008, learners expect course content well-organized, interactive, and it has the right length In addition, the useful, updated course content is an important factor for the successful blended learning (Holsapple and Lee-Post, 2006)

§ Assistance of staff or administrator relating to the blended course: this involves learner tracking and support, course management, LMS design tools, and materials for delivery and maintenance

The authors suggest in order that e-learning is more effective, course design and delivery have to follow the dimensions

2.6 Benefits and challenges of blended learning

2.6.1 Benefits

Blended learning course offers more options for content delivery and more effectiveness rather than courses that only focus on online learning or traditional face-to-face learning (Singh, 2003)

§ Enhanced learners learning engagement and outcomes: Since learners have their own learning ways, Young (2002) indicates that learning materials presented in variety of formats help learners maximize their engagement in learning language Moreover, Monahan (2010a) states that technology as a potential tool improves learner engagement and learning And Stewart (2008) states “the community college should try to offer learning activities that will appeal to the widest variety of learning

styles possible” Besides, previous researches have explored that applying blended learning as a delivery method improves learning outcomes for students (Boyle, Bradley, Chalk, Jones, & Pickard, 2003; Dziuban et al., 2006; Garnham & Kaleta, 2002) Blended courses help students achieve higher grades, greater knowledge, and greater understanding of courses concepts (Twigg, 2003b) López-Pérez et al., (2011) also explores learner outcomes significant enhance when using blended learning at a Spanish University They indicate that adopting blended method increases effectiveness of reducing dropout rates and achieving higher examination marks

§ Improved learner autonomy: blended learning reinforces students’ autonomy (Chambers, 1999; Sharpe et al., 2006) The blended learning format which combines online learning with traditional face-to-face learning gives students who live in distance from their school opportunities catch their courses whenever and wherever they prefer with accessing to the internet Students are able to control their own space

of learning (Garnham & Kaleta, 2002; Owston, Wideman, Murphy, & Lupshenyuk, 2008) Moreover, shy students who might not understand lessons in class time may catch knowledge when learning online where students have more time for their thinking before or after entering their class (Young, 2002)

§ Promoted student satisfaction: Blended learning also increases learner satisfaction It enables them be more motivated and involved in learning process (Donnelly, 2010; Sharpe et al., 2006; Wang, Shen, Novak, & Pan, 2009) Furthermore, students report that online learning encourages improvement of their critical thinking skills rather than traditional learning (Dziuban et al., 2006; Owston et al., 2008; Twigg, 2003a)

2.6.2 Challenges

Although blended learning offers various benefits, it addresses challenges for students and educational trainers below:

§ Unrealistic expectation: Vaughan (2007) states that learners and teachers participated

in blended courses can have unrealistic expectations For learners, they encounter challenges such as increased study load; increased responsibility and activities required in learning progress For teachers or instructors, they have to handle an overload work; and they have difficulties of pedagogical or teaching skills relating to conducting blended learning and finding the right blend in teaching In blended learning environment, instructors have to obtain specific instructional design frame work (Alebaikan & Troudi, 2010) and the way to create conformity between face-to-face and online settings (Gedik et, al.) The issues are really challenging for blended learning instructors

§ Technological problem: technical problem is including Internet connectivity and technical problems Students seem to have to accept a slow Internet connection (Smyth et al., 2012) Poor internet connection has reduced students’ ability to engage

in online learning (King, 2002) and also increase significant frustration (Hara, 2000; Hara & Kling, 1999) In addition, lack of computer skills causes the unsuccess of blended learning environment Students who are less computer literate feel worried and pressured while taking blended course (Leh, 2002)

§ Time management: Time management is a crucial skill for blended-learning learners (Britton & Tesser, 1991) However, it is a challenge for most students when online tasks or activities are required to be completed (Vaughan, 2007) This author also

Furthermore, in their report of online and blended learning in over sixty nations in the world in 2011, Babour et al., identify five challenges that these countries counter while implementing blended learning including (1) lack of knowledge about online learning, (2) sporadic interest in online learning, (3) illiteracy and access to technology, (4) lack of funding, (5) lack of governmental vision and leadership (p 18-20)

Beside undeniable potential benefits are mentioned in this study, most educational trainers seem to meet challenges in blended learning implementation And Vietnam educators who apply this approach also counter these problems although Vietnam is not mentioned in the report of Babour et al, (2011), it is not out the context since these challenges exist in over 60 countries

2.7 Blended learning program evaluation

The success of blended learning strategies is dependent on educational trainers’ ability to fit its teaching and administrative strategies (David & Fill, 2007) Evaluation or assessment is an important factor in recognizing demands for improvement and implement of programs such blended learning, which can be implemented by internal participants or external experts Evaluators are able to see the learning course design and how it is implemented

Beside qualitative approach, evaluators can apply quantitative manner for evaluation of blended learning The quantitative approach can consist of the following:

“(1) obtain descriptive data on practice structural and functional characteristics, including panel characteristics of student learners participating in the program, (2) estimate reach of the implementation strategies, and (3) assess process and outcome measures to evaluate implementation success” (Burton, Civitano & Steiner-Grossman, 2012 cited in Hilliard,

2015, p 184) The data can be collected every semester or quarter

Evaluation is an important factor to recognize the effectiveness of blended learning curriculum Evaluators can apply qualitative or quantitative manner to collect data Therefore, it is recommended that students should be trained to how to give feedback in face-to-face teaching time to enhance the effective use of assessment

2.8 Teacher and student attitudes towards blended learning

Attitudes include in affective reactions, and revealed via verbal and non-verbal processes (Backer, 1992) According to behavioral and cognitive theories, an individual

is not born with attitudes He/she is learnt via an outcome of socialization (Backer, 1992) From a cognitive view, when attitudes are provoked, the reaction of an individual will be deeply moved Since attitudes are grown through exposure, they can be provoked via experience Attitude is considered the most important factor which determined individual’s success

2.8.1 Definition of attitude

Jung (1971) defined “attitude” in a broad way that means a readiness of acting a certain way towards something Moreover, it frequently occurs in pairs, conscious and unconscious While, Backer (1992) defined “attitude” as a “hypothetical construct” that symbolizes a person’s rate of approve or disapprove for an issue A person may have negative or positive viewpoint about an object, a thing or a place, but the others may obtain both negative and positive attitudes at the same time Similarly, Barn and Byrne (1984) express that attitudes are as lasting array of feelings, beliefs and behavior, which are directed to a specific person, an opinion or an object

Attitudes are considered as a dynamic influence on behaviors According to Allport (1935), an attitude uses a mental or neural state of readiness, and it occurs through experiences and influences on the individual’s response to any relative objects Malhotra (2005) describes that attitudes are a summary evaluation of object or thought

Relating students’ attitudes towards language learning, however, Victori & Lockhart (1995) suggest language attitudes are “metacognitive knowledge” which is assumed that students hold about themselves as learners, about elements affecting language learning, and about the nature of language teaching and learning Attitudes can influence the strategies that individuals use to acquire knowledge, and thus can contribute

to knowledge organization, which includes essential processes of categorizing stimuli in the environment into dimensions such as good or bad

There are various definitions of attitudes, but there is a general agreement that an individual’s attitudes towards an issue are favor or favorless and behave in the related manner

2.8.2 Components of attitude

The term “attitudes” is created from three factors including cognitive, affective

and behavioral (Wenden, 1991)

§ The cognitive refers to the beliefs, ideas or opinions about an object In language learning, the cognitive aspect of attitude refers to the belief of learners and teachers towards blended learning that helps learners receive knowledge The learners can

connect the previous knowledge and the new one; create new knowledge; check the

new knowledge and apply it in many situations

§ The affective refers to “feelings and emotions” towards an object Feng & Chen, (2009) express that learning process is an emotional process, which is influenced by various emotional factors such as activities, supports, etc Both of the emotional

process and cognitive process work simultaneously

§ The behavioral refers to “intentions” towards an object It is the way a person behaves and reacts in specific settings Kara, (2009) states that a person who has a positive attitude reveals positive behaviors towards learning, working, and absorbing

in it Moreover, they are more enthusiastic to solve troubles, and to acquire useful

things for daily life

2.9 Previous studies

2.9.1 Teacher attitudes towards blended learning

Teacher’s attitudes strongly impact on students’ learning Yara (2009) emphasizes teachers’ feelings and favor or disfavor may influence on students The success of students relies on a teacher who has a positive attitude on his/her teaching occupation, and students are motivated on their language learning Yara (2009) also found that the instructors’ attitudes towards language teaching method are predicted of learners’ attainment in language acquisition And, teachers who hold enthusiasm, resourcefulness, and good behavior would increase students’ positive on language learning course

However, Young (2008) emphasizes that pedagogical or teaching effectiveness of teachers profoundly influences student learning in blended course One study by Sanprasert (2010) examined in the appliance of a course management system to enhance autonomy in learning English as a foreign language He found that the course management system enhanced learner’s autonomy in four factors: perception; behavior; strategy; and interdependence And Saprasert highlighted that teacher initiatives are basis elements in increasing student autonomy Thus, the teacher is essential for the successful implement of blended learning course

Previous researches are implemented to explore teachers’ attitudes towards appliance of online instruction (Koo, 2001) The author points out that most teachers have positive attitude towards online instruction However, they also state that blended learning approach, from teachers’ perspective, has some limitations such as technical problem of online learning; lack of teacher’s experience on computer skills; lack of interaction in online language teaching course In general, based on the previous studies,

it is concluded that most teachers have positive attitude towards blended learning approach This is a vital aspect to enhance students’ positive attitude towards blended learning course

2.9.2 Student attitudes towards blended learning

Dörnyei et al (2006) emphasize that attitudes towards the target language are important factors which impact on learners’ language proficiency, and learning goals may

be obtained through both positive attitude and effort High obtainers are apt to develop their positive attitude during language learning process while low obtainers are able to increase their negative attitude, and the rate of learning progress may be lessening A number of authors have explored that students’ attitude is an essential factor in the implement of blended learning in language learning (Wiebe & Kabata, 2010; Carter, 2009; Hong & Samimy, 2010) Nevertheless, Long (1997) points out that students’ attitudes may be not evaluated precisely if the three factors occurs: first, students do not provide sufficient feedback on their learning Therefore, instructors cannot appreciate students’ problems in learning course; second, although students still participate in their learning progress, they have negative attitude towards tasks or activities which may impact on their performance, self-esteem, and future aim; and finally, course contents or materials supplied by instructors cannot fit students’ need In order to assess students’ attitudes towards language learning accurately, these factors should be considered

In recent years, there has been an increasing amount of literature on investigating learner’s attitudes towards blended learning For example, Leakey & Ranchoux (2006) identified that “the students in large measure found the blended CALL experience a positive and motivating one and tended towards preferring this approach to traditional classroom-based learning” p 367 Brett (1996) concluded that learners who have strongly positive attitude affirmed they was able to effectively learn multimedia and had a high independence on their learning In addition, Sagarra and Zapata (2008) have attempted to evaluate the 245 Spanish learners’ attitudes towards the use of online workbook in blended learning environment, and they found that majority of learner participants have

positive view towards blended learning However, Stracke (2007) carried out an investigation into why learners drop out of blended language learning He found that students dropped out for three main reasons: online mode not insufficiently integrated; lack of materials; lack of computer skills for language learning

The success of blended learning must include certain factors such as motivation, self-discipline, and easiness of computer use The factors directly impact on students’ attitudes towards blended learning Students may have positive attitudes if blended learning course adapts to their needs or satisfaction Conversely, students may have negative attitudes if blended learning cannot fit their needs

A variety of researches have shown different effects on blended learning Shea (2007) reports that the problem of educational access is usually resolved by blended learning The number of students accesses to education increasingly in term of time and physical location And because of the blended learning program, institutions can serve more students at the same time (as cited in Larsen, 2012) Other researches into English language teaching are conducted to explore more effectiveness of blended learning mode For instance, Jin, et al., (2012) performed an investigation into application of blended learning in online writing course with 22 PhD students as participants The data from experiment shows that the students became more confidence and significantly improved their writing skills in blended learning environment The result also shows that the

strengthening interaction between teacher and students was increasing

Other researches focus on learners or teacher factors in a blended learning setting Related to learner factors, Zhao and Yuan (2010) investigated on the factors affecting

learners’ satisfaction with students from 29 departments They show that the students were very interested in the blended learning environment and the data also figured out that students’ satisfaction associated with e-learning adaptability, and course

applicability

Likewise, research by Collopy and Arnold (2009) confirmed effect on learners’ satisfaction in the blended learning context The authors investigated to compare students’ experiences with three models: online only, partially blended, and fully blended The pieces of questionnaire were delivered to 80 undergraduate teachers as participants And they found that learners in the two types of blended classes were more

satisfied with their group work compared to the online-only group

Moreover, these learners in the blended classes also informed “significantly higher levels of learning” p 96 and “significantly greater feelings and competence and comfort

in putting what they learned into practice” p.97.Another research conducted by Liu and Zha (2009) focused on the English learning motivation and learning strategies in the EFL blended environment Altogether 700 pieces of questionnaire were distributed to 700 college students from Dailian University of Technology It is found that most students had positive attitudes in their learning performance and motivation But the data also shows that some students had poor choice and online strategies needed their teacher’s help to guide them in seeking proper learning strategies to obtain positive performance

during their learning process

Several researches also investigated into students’ learning outcomes when employing the blended learning program For example, Vaughan (2010) made an investigation, which focused on learning outcomes, assessment activities and technological usage, involving 70 participants in an experimental psycholinguistics

course before and after its redesigned This course was a transformational initiative from

a passive learning approach to a more flexible one through blended learning This author stated that learners were more satisfied in the redesigned from 50 to 70%, and the remaining improved and increased the class grade average substantially In the same vein, Chen and Wang (2013) carried out a meta-analysis corpus comprised of experimental and quasi-experimental studies on the effectiveness of online learning and blended learning

on learners’ outcomes The authors conclude that blended learning setting supports learners in obtaining better performance in their learning than the other two models as online learning and traditional learning It also shows that teachers and students should focus on collaborative learning because it plays a vital key for gaining advanced learning

outcomes in blended learning environment

2.10 Summary of Chapter 2

This chapter presents literature review that supports the researcher considerable in embrace of theoretical background to blended learning, which includes its definition and characters as well as a discussion of several finding concerned in blended learning use It found that blended learning can enhance student motivation, learning outcomes and classroom dynamics compared with face-to-face or online instruction In addition, based

on some previous studies, the researcher finds research gaps to settle this study The next chapter explains research design of the study including the research context and participants, a description of blended learning at the FPT Polytechnic College in HCMC, the methods of data collection and analysis for the survey study