scholarly journals An exploration of teacher and student perceptions of blended learning in four secondary mathematics classrooms

Author(s):  
Catherine Attard ◽  
Kathryn Holmes

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic forced many teachers around the world to make a sudden switch from face-to-face to online teaching. This shift in practice has provided an opportunity to reconsider how technology use in mathematics education can be utilised to improve student engagement. In this study, we explore four case studies of Australian secondary mathematics classrooms conducted prior to the COVID-19 pandemic to examine how teachers are using blended learning approaches and how their students perceive these pedagogical practices. Findings across all four sites indicate that technology use expands student opportunities to engage with mathematics learning through the provision of multiple pathways and methods of access. Specifically, we find evidence supporting the use of blended classroom teaching strategies to provide differentiation and personalised learning approaches; visualisation and dynamic manipulation of mathematics concepts; and alternative methods for teacher-student feedback and communication. We argue that the student learning experience in mathematics can be enhanced through a variety of blended learning approaches by allowing for diverse points of access to learning opportunities which are more closely aligned to individual learning needs and free from the temporal constraints of the classroom.

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Malissa Maria Mahmud ◽  
Bradley Freeman ◽  
Mohd Syuhaidi Abu Bakar

Purpose With the arrival of the 4th Industrial Revolution and the Education 4.0 era, the inevitability of educators using technology in the classroom has grown. A global health pandemic has hastened the adoption of online teaching. The interdependence of technologies and pedagogies necessitates vigour and variability, along with evolving teaching and learning practices. Past literature has advocated for various roles and forms of technology in education; however, inconsistencies in “blended learning” definitions have posed challenges in understanding blended learning’s full potential. Thus, a quantitative meta-analysis was conducted to examine the efficacies and outcomes of blended learning. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative meta-analysis was conducted to examine the efficacies and outcomes of blended learning. A total of 96 samples were carefully chosen based on established theoretical definitions, relevant to technology use. The samples were then placed into three categories: Web-based applications, standalone applications and devices. Effect sizes (ESs) acquired from Cohen’s d formula (1988; 1992) were used to determine overall effectiveness. The ES of individuals in each of the delivery platform categories was totalled and averaged. This combined ES was then interpreted using Cohen’s (1988) benchmark. Subsequently, a combination of ESs was compared based on the similar type of delivery method, as well as the dependent variables in which the average of the respective combined ESs was calculated for interpretation. Findings Findings show that all three delivery methods were effective in enhancing a learner’s performance, especially for language teaching and learning. The study provides insights that can assist stakeholders in selecting different delivery platforms to befit the needs of discrete disciplines. Originality/value The researchers recommend the three categories of technological intervention described above as tangible tenets for future research in blended learning implementation. Thus far, no blended learning researcher has attempted to categorize the myriad of technological interventions available into concrete, concise groupings. With the recommended categories of technological intervention, blended learning practitioners would have a better sense of direction in the context of investigating the effectiveness of a specific intervention implemented. The researchers deem the recommended categories of technological intervention as immensely useful for the blended learning community to begin establishing intervention as one of the important elements to look at. For example, the effectiveness of a technological intervention under both the Web-based application and standalone application categories, respectively, in relation to a similar dependent variable can be compared to further understand the implications of using interventions of a different nature. And such studies will need to extend the investigation to the present by examining all recent studies.


10.28945/2315 ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 417-438 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bashar Zogheib ◽  
Ahmad Rabaa'i ◽  
Salah Zogheib ◽  
Ali Elsaheli

Although most universities and educators are relying on implementing various technological tools in the curriculum, acceptance of such tools among students is still not sufficient. The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) has been widely used by researchers to test user’s acceptance of technology in business, education and other domains. This research study is an attempt that tests the integration of TAM and user satisfaction in the educational field. It particularly investigates students’ acceptance to use MyMathLab, a technological tool, in university math classes in the Middle East. Structural equation modelling with various constructs was used. Findings support the theoretical model showing the great influence of user satisfaction on perceived ease of use and subjective norm on behavioural intention. The findings of this study also demonstrate that self-efficacy, user satisfaction, subjective norms, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and students’ attitude constructs all have a positive impact on students’ behavioural intentions to adopt and use technological tools in a mathematics class room. Findings of this research have greater implications for educators and students worldwide.


Author(s):  
Bokolo Anthony ◽  
Adzhar Kamaludin ◽  
Awanis Romli

AbstractBlended Learning (BL) has been implemented by lecturers in higher educations for promoting effective pedagogical practices. However, intention to use and actual usage of BL by lecturers in higher education seems to be a major setback for successful BL implementation. Therefore, this study developed a model to examine the factors that influences lecturers’ behavioral intention and actual use of BL based on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology and Technological, Pedagogical and Content Knowledge model. Accordingly, survey questionnaire was employed to collect data from 544 academic staffs across universities, colleges, and polytechnics. Results indicate that performance expectancy, effort expectancy, and social influence significantly impact lecturers’ behavioral intention to use BL for teaching. Additionally, results confirm that facilitating condition positively influence actual BL usage. Likewise, technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge initiatives employed by lecturers in teaching positively influences actual BL usage. Results from multi-group analysis indicate that gender, age, experience, and voluntariness of use do not predict the behaviour of lecturers to use BL. Also, this study provides insights as to how higher education can enhance lecturers’ usage of BL to improve teaching effectiveness. This study provides a better understanding of lecturers’ views of knowledge in relation to course content, pedagogy, and technology use in improving teaching. The developed model can significantly be used by academic staffs to monitor and improve their current BL activities in measuring their knowledge about teaching regarding teaching improvement. Practically, lecturers can adopt the developed model to improve teaching pedagogies and course content.


Author(s):  
Letha Mellman ◽  
Mia Kim Williams ◽  
David A. Slykhuis

This chapter presents findings from an eDelphi research study through which participant experts of Generation Z established learning approaches for online environments. Experts were members of this generation all being born in 2001 or 2002 who have participated in informal or formal pre-pandemic online learning. Background on Generation Z, description of the eDelphi research method, and implications of the learning approaches provide insight to different pedagogical practices that support successful online teaching and learning aligned with the learning approaches established by Generation Z. This generation bridges the bulk of K12 and undergraduate learners. As educators re-vision classrooms necessitated by the current educational climate, understanding the learning approaches of students provides a critical foundation on which educators can make pedagogical decisions that engage learners in online contexts.


2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brenda M. Wright

With the ever-increasing development of technology, online teaching is more readily accepted as a viable component in teaching and learning, and blended learning, the combining of online and face-to-face learning, is becoming commonplace in many higher education institutions. Blended learning is, particularly in developing countries, in its early stages and not without its challenges. Asynchronous online lessons are currently still more prevalent in many areas of South-East Asia, perhaps due to potential difficulty in obtaining strong Internet connections, which may deter educators from synchronous options. Technological media have the potential to broaden the scope of resources available in teaching and to enhance the language learning experience. Although research to date shows some focus on blended learning, literature on distance online teaching seems more prevalent. This study exposed 112 Malaysian undergraduate EFL students' responses to an online lesson as part of an English grammar course, and investigates common student perceptions of the online lesson as compared with face-to-face lessons. Questionnaires using qualitative (Likert scale questions) and quantitative (open-ended questions) approaches provided data for content analysis to determine common student perceptions, with particular reference to motivation and interest. In general, more students associated in-class lessons with higher motivation and more interest, due to better understanding, valued classroom interaction with the lecturer and peers, and input from the lecturer. Students preferring the online lesson cited speed and convenience of study and flexibility of time and place of study as reasons for their choice. Skilful implementation of online lessons can enhance a language course but should not undermine the value of face-to-face instruction with EFL teachers.


Author(s):  
Graeme Pye ◽  
Dale Holt ◽  
Scott Salzman

This research reports on a diverse student audience engaging in an Australian university’s undergraduate commerce program core unit which was offered across three separate geographic campus locations and online. The research extends upon work undertaken on student engagement in online settings and lies in the domain of blended learning design and practice in the Australian higher education business context. The research adopted a dual-period surveying approach aimed at comparing patterns of student engagement within a major business subject offered in two different trimesters in one academic year. The survey analysis compared student perceptions of engagement with the subject and identified significant variations in patterns of engagement based on key background and demographic factors. Findings, inter alia, are presented across seven major student engagement dimensions as applied to the interplay between online and located/campus learning (i.e. Online Active Learning, Online Social Interaction, Online Collaboration, Online Teaching, Online Assessment, Online Relevance, and Online Contact with Staff). Implications for blended learning design, eLearning and practice in such complex environments involving diverse student audiences are examined.


ZDM ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
William Zahner ◽  
Ernesto Daniel Calleros ◽  
Kevin Pelaez

AbstractEmerging multilingual students can develop the dimensions of Academic Literacy in Mathematics (ALM) in classroom discussions. But, there is a need for empirically-validated principles for fostering such discussions. This research used ALM as a framework to create a unit of instruction on linear rates of change for ninth grade mathematics in which multilingual students benefit from discussions. Project-specific design principles are presented along with qualitative analysis of classroom discussions from each phase of the project. The results illustrate how discussions in the redesigned lessons contributed to developing the interrelated dimensions of ALM among multilingual learners. The work concludes with a discussion of how the project-specific design principles can serve as a framework for fostering discussions in other multilingual secondary mathematics learning environments.


2020 ◽  
Vol 113 (11) ◽  
pp. 925-930
Author(s):  
Thomas D. Coleman ◽  
Janet D. K. Walkoe

We investigate different ways interactive diagrams can be used in secondary mathematics classrooms.


Author(s):  
Robekhah Harun ◽  
Zetty Harisha Harun ◽  
Laura Christ Dass

The increase in student enrolment and the need  to cater to students of diverse backgrounds have led to the adoption of blended learning in many higher learning institutions. Blended learning, which allows both face to face interaction and on-line delivery, has been adopted into many curricula. One such institution is University Technology MARA which is slowly introducing features of blended learning in its course syllabus beginning with practice to online assessments. However, to ensure successful implementation of blended learning as part of the curricula, there are several aspects for consideration such as learner and teacher readiness for blended learning. This paper examines issues regarding the use of blended learning as a delivery method at UiTM Kedah . The discussion in this paper focuses on learner’ readiness and perceptions of the blended learning environment. The data collected for this study are responses from learners to a questionnaire survey. The research findings form the basis for recommendations for the development of learning and teaching practices using blended learning approaches to enhance learners' learning experiences.  


Author(s):  
Erna Pebriana ◽  
Bela Mustika Sari ◽  
Yasa Abdurrahman

This writing aims to make students more active and disciplined in the learning process and can also increase creativity and learning outcomes. The low mathematics learning outcomes are not only due to difficult mathematics, but are caused by several factors which include students themselves, teachers, learning approaches, and learning environments that are interconnected with each other. To improve the ability and results of learning it is necessary to make modifications to the task learning strategy and force. Quantum learning is a tip, a guide, a strategy and an entire learning process that can sharpen understanding and memory, and make learning a pleasant and useful process. Task and Forced Learning Strategies are strategies that focus on giving assignments and a little coercion so that students complete their tasks on time so that the learning process can run effectively. Therefore, the writer modifies the model of quantum learning with task and forced learning strategies, the results of this modification show that learning with quantum learning models with forced and task strategies can improve the learning process so that students become more disciplined in doing tasks, can motivate student learning, and can improve student learning outcomes.


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