This action research reports the experiences of introducing blended learning in the delivery of a post-graduate course to students in the university. The research conceptual framework is adapted from the technology acceptance model. The objective is to assess the level of acceptance of online learning and to document the attempts of the facilitator to create an independent, student-directed, and student-centered learning environment. This is the fourth quadrant learning typology. The research participants were a group of Masters in Education students who registered for the course “Strategies for Teaching and Learning.” Blended learning was introduced as a variant from the standard face-to-face instruction. This proved to be a valuable learning experience for both participants and lecturer. The perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use of online learning was not matched with the behavioral intention.
TopThe Teaching And Learning Quadrants
This is a simplistic framework to demonstrate various teacher-student roles and teaching behavior (Goh, 2012) that reflects various scenarios that explains the nature of learner-centeredness and direction (Figure 1).
Figure 1. The teaching and learning quadrants
This typology highlights the roles of significant players. The terms ‘teacher-centered’ and ‘teacher-directed’, and ‘student-centered’ and ‘student-directed’ highlights the actor who is most active and responsible for making decisions and arrangements pertaining to the learning process. These terms do not represent absolutely distinct states but rather opposite extremes along a continuum of teaching and learning strategies and teacher-student roles.
MOE’s third thrust for the use of ICT in education is the use of technology to increase productivity and efficiency. ICT and online technology is to be used extensively to automate and mechanize work processes (Chan, 2002). For this to happen, the student as the technology user will have to be the most active actor responsible for making decisions and arrangements pertaining to the learning process. I called this the fourth quadrant teaching and learning typology. This optimal learning situation (Figure 2, lower right quadrant) allows the learners to engage in relating new ideas and explanations to their own prior beliefs. The emphasis is on constructivist learning and the teacher plays the role of task designer and knowledge facilitator. It is the teacher who prompts and guides the learner when necessary and helps him or her back onto an even course by posing thoughtful, open-ended questions rather than supplying ready-made answers.
Figure 2. Teaching and learning situations integrating technology
With changes in teacher roles and practices, students’ paradigm also need to shift from classroom learning towards an online learning environment that promotes self-directed, self-accessed and self-paced learning. Ideally, in this fourth quadrant, the teaching and learning situation that incorporates online learning should reflect situations where knowledge is constructed by the learner drawing on prior knowledge and personal experience, where learning is active and independent rather than passive acquisition, and online learning is used as a useful platform for this type of learning.