Revitalising English Teacher Education through Blended Learning: A Boon or Bane?

  • Authors

    • Saiful Islam Ahmad Sukri
    • Melor Md. Yunus
    2018-11-26
    https://doi.org/10.14419/ijet.v7i4.21.21623
  • Blended learning, In-service teacher training, Online learning, Pro-ELT, Teacher professional development
  • Presently, there are a growing trend and accrued interest to optimize education through technology. More specifically, there is a paradigm shift to integrate online learning with classroom training, resulting in the conception of blended learning. Nevertheless, the Government’s multi-million investments to increase the use of ICT and teachers’ ICT literacy skills has incessantly been of little fruition and this has raised an unabated concern for the utilization of online learning in an in-service training programme for English teachers or more popularly known as Pro-ELT ((Professional Up-skilling of English Language Teachers). Thereby, this paper intends to survey the English teachers’ perceptions of the use of online learning in the Pro-ELT Programme. The findings indicated that the majority of respondents reacted positively to the incorporation of online learning in the aforesaid programme. However, there is a vocal chorus of concern about, inter alia, the Internet accessibility, the ease of online learning platform and its friendliness. The paper culminates with implications of the study and suggestions for future research.

     

     

  • References

    1. [1] Akamai. State of the Internet: Q1 2017 report. https://www.akamai.com/fr/fr/multimedia/documents/state-of-the-internet/q1-2017-state-of-the-internet-connectivity-report.pdf. 2017. Accessed March 1, 2018.

      [2] A. W. Q. Al Zumor, I. K. Al Reffai, E. A. B. Eddin, F. H. A. Al- Rahman, EFL students’ perceptions of a blended learning environment: advantages, limitations and suggestions for Improvement, English Language Teaching 6,10 (2010) 95-110.

      [3] C. E. Loh, W. M. Liew, Voices from the ground: the emotional labour of English teachers’ work, Teaching and Teacher Education 55 (2016) 267-278.

      [4] C. Rusell, J. Malfroy, J. McKenzie, Using research to inform learning technology practice and policy: a qualitative analysis of student perspective, Australasian Journal of Educational Technology 30,1 (2014) 1-20.

      [5] C. Y. Piaw, Asas Statistik Penyelidikan, Mc Graw Hill Education, 2014.

      [6] D. A. Wagner, Technology for education in low-income countries: supporting the UN sustainable development goals, ICT-Supported Innovations in Small Countries and Developing Regions. Cham: Springer, 2018; 51-74.

      [7] E. K. Prokhorets, M. V. Plekhanova, N. G. Schrbinina, Instructional design of foreign language blended courses, Procedia social and Behavioral Sciences 215 (2015) 161-169.

      [8] E. Lopez, S. Wordingham, Embracing WhatsApp to build learner participation, ESL PRACTITIONER-The Journal of The English Language Teaching Centre Malaysia 3 (2015) 61-78.

      [9] English Language Teaching Centre, ESL Practitioner: Action research for educational practice: an anthology of Pro-ELT Action research projects. The Journal of the English Language Teaching Centre Malaysia 3 (2015) 11-160.

      [10] F. A. Majid, W. N. E. H. Sharil, J. E. Luaran, F. A. Nadzri. A study on the on-line language learning anxiety among adult learners, International Journal of e-Education, e-Business, e-Management and e-Learning 2,3 (2012) 187-192.

      [11] F. Ghasemboland, F. Hashim, Teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs and their English language proficiency: a study of non-native EFL teachers in selected language centres, Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences 103 (2013) 890-899.

      [12] F. M. Nor, A. A. Narodin, A. Rajab & S. A. A. Hamid. Malaysian ESL teachers’ perceptions of the Pro-ELT Programme, PEOPLE: International Journal of Social Sciences 3, 3 (2018) 1432-1441.

      [13] H. A. Aldaihani, K.M. Shuqair, A. M. Alotaibi, S. Alrabah, Students’ perceptions of the effectiveness of the English program taught at the College of Technological Studies in Kuwait. English Language Teaching 8,4 (2015) 80-89.

      [14] H. Hashim, S. M. M. Nasri, Z. Mustafa. Teachers’ challenges in the implementation of FROG virtual learning environment in the classroom, Asia Pacific Journal of Educators and Education 31 (2016) 115-129.

      [15] H. Jamil, N. A. Razak, R. Raju, A. R. Mohamed, Teacher professional development in Malaysia: Issues and challenges.http://home.hiroshima-u.ac.jp/cice/publications/sosho4_2-08.pdf.2010.Accessed September, 14 2016.

      [16] H. Richards, C. Conway, A. Roskvist, S.Harvey, Foreign language teachers’ language proficiency and their teaching practice. The Language Learning Journal 41, 2 (2013) 231-246.

      [17] J. Bowyer. Evaluating blended learning: bringing the elements together.http://www.cambridgeassessment.org.uk/research-matters/. 2017 Accessed October, 17 2017.

      [18] J. C. Korir -Bore, Perceptions of graduate students on the use of web-based instruction in special education personnel preparation, Teacher Education and Special Education 31 (2008) 1-11.

      [19] K. Yunus, W. Wahid, S. N. M. S. Omar, R. A. Rashid, Computer phobia among adult university students, International Journal of Applied Linguistics & English Literature 5, 6 (2016) 209-213.

      [20] L. Karimi, T. B. T. Ahmad, Perceived learning and satisfaction in a blended teacher education program: an experience of Malaysian teacher trainees, Contemporary Educational Technology 4,3 (2013) 197-211.

      [21] L. M. Bolsunovskaya, C. Phillips, Y. V. Kolbysheva, I. E. Rymanova, A.B. Strelnikova, Resource efficiency in TPU: implementation of English language e-courses, Procedia Social and behavioral Sciences 215 (2015): 156-160.

      [22] M. A. Embi, A. Hamat, A. H. Sulaiman, The use of Learning Management Systems among Malaysian university lecturers. The International Journal of Learning 18, 4 (2012) 61-70.

      [23] M. A. Embi, J. Long, M. I. H, Language learning strategies employed by secondary school students in Malaysia. Jurnal Pendidikan 26(2001) 3-20.

      [24] M. Mohamad, H. Husin, S. Shaharuddin, Adult learners’ perceptions of designed hypermedia in a blended learning course at a public university in Malaysia, The Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology 14,1 (2015) 31-38.

      [25] M. Pawlak, The role of in-service training for language teachers in the domain of language competence. An International Journal of Applied Linguistics 38 (2011) 21-30.

      [26] M. A. Peters, B. Cowie, I. Menter, Becoming a teacher: teacher education and professionalism, A Companion to Research in Teacher Education. Singapore: Springer, 2017, 37-52.

      [27] M. C. Bueno-Alastuey, M. V. L. Perez, Evaluation of a blended learning language course: students’ perceptions of appropriateness for the development of skills and language areas, Computer Assisted Language Learning (2013) 1-19.

      [28] M.C. Ndlovu, I. Mostert, Teacher perceptions of moodle and throughput in a blended learning programme for in-service secondary school Mathematics teachers, Africa Education Review 15, 2 (2017) 131-151.

      [29] M. L. Cheok, S. L. Wong, A. F. Ayob, R. Mahmud, Teachers’ perceptions of e-learning in Malaysian secondary schools. Malaysian Online Journal of Educational Technology 8,2 (2017) 20-33.

      [30] M. M. Yunus, S. I. A. Sukri, The use of English in teaching Mathematics and Science: the PPSMI policy vis-Ã -vis the DLP, Advances in Language and Literary Studies 8, 1 (2017) 133-142.

      [31] M. M. N. H. Ja’ashan, Perceptions and attitudes towards blended learning for English courses: a case study of students at University of Bisha. English Language Teaching 8, 9 (2015) 40-50.

      [32] M. S. Garet, A. C. Porter, L. Desimone, B.F. Birman, K.S. Yoon, What makes professional development effective? Results from a national sample of teachers, American Educational Research Journal 38,4 (2001) 915-945.

      [33] Ministry of Education. Preliminary report-executive summary: Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013-2025. https://www.moe.gov.my/images/dasar-kpm/PPP/Preliminary-Blueprint-Eng.pdf. 2012. Accessed October, 26 2016.

      [34] Ministry of Education, Malaysia Education Blueprint 2016 Annual Report, Ministry of Education Malaysia, Putrajaya, 2017.

      [35] R. Boelens, S. V. Laer, B. D. Waver, J. Elen. Blended learning in adult education: towards a definition of blended learning. 2015. Technical Report.

      [36] R. Dashtestani, English as a foreign language-teachers’ perspectives on implementing online instruction in the Iranian EFL context, Research in Learning Technology 22,1 (2014) 1-15.

      [37] R. Eshtehardi, Pro-ELT: A teacher training blended approach, Advances in Language and Literary Studies 5,5 (2014) 106-110.

      [38] R. Keogh, Long-term impact of teacher training for Mexican English-language teachers, Ph.D. Thesis, University of Arkansas, 2015.

      [39] S. Borg, Overview-beyond the workshop: CPD for English language teachers, Professional Development for English Language Teachers: Perspectives from Higher Education in Turkey. Ankara: British Council, 2015; 5-12.

      [40] S. I. A. Sukri, M. M. Yunus, Delving into the contents of the PRO-ELT Programme, International Journal of English and Education 7, 3 (2018) 234-247.

      [41] S. I. A. Sukri, M. M. Yunus, Looking through the lenses of non-native English speaking teachers: Native English- Speaking Trainers in the PRO-ELT Programme, Creative Education 9,9 (2018) 1396-1410.

      [42] S. I. A. Sukri, M. M. Yunus, H. A. Rahman, PRO-ELT: The unheard voices of English teachers, Seminar Serantau Ke-8: Mengoptimumkan Penyelidikan Pendidikan Pasca Abad Ke-21, (2017) 806-822.

      [43] S. M. Nawi, G. K. Sidhu, Innovating ESL listening instructions through the learners’ perspectives on technology-enhanced blended learning, 7th International Conference on University Learning and Teaching (InCULT2014) Proceedings: Educate to Innovate. Singapore: Springer Science+Business Media, 2016; 649-662.

      [44] S. Rich, S.Monteith, S. Al-Sinani, M. Al-Jardani, H. Al-Amri, Charting new territory: the introduction of online continuing professional development opportunities for primary and secondary English teachers in Oman, Innovations in the continuing professional development of English language teachers, pp. 207-223. London: British Council, 2014, 207-233.

      [45] T. S. Ming, K. W. Lee, P. Murugaiah, N. M. Jaafar, C. K. Tan, N. I. A. Bukhari, ICT tool patterns of use among Malaysian ESL undergraduates, GEMA Online Journal of Language Studies 16,1(2016) 49-65.

      [46] T. S. Ming, P. Murugaiah, L. K. Wah, H. Azman, T. L. Yean, L. Y. S, Grappling with technology: a case of supporting Malaysian Smart School teachers’ professional development, Australasian Journal of Educational Technology 26, 3 (2010) 400-416.

      [47] W. F. Fei, T. S. Ming, N. M. Noor, H. Latif, M. S. A. Aziz, A blended approach in teaching an EAP course: Malaysian instructors’ perceptions of the new course materials. 3L: The Southeast Asian Journal of English Language Studies 18,3 (2012) 103-117.

      [48] Y. L. Cheung, The impact of an in-service professional development course on writing teacher attitudes and pedagogy, Journal of Pedagogic Development 3,1 (2013) 12-18.

      [49] Z. Kocoglu, Y. Ozek, Y. Kesli, Blended learning: investigating its potential in an English language teacher training programme. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology 27,7 (2011) 1124-1134.

  • Downloads

  • How to Cite

    Islam Ahmad Sukri, S., & Md. Yunus, M. (2018). Revitalising English Teacher Education through Blended Learning: A Boon or Bane?. International Journal of Engineering & Technology, 7(4.21), 97-101. https://doi.org/10.14419/ijet.v7i4.21.21623