EFL LEARNERS’ VIEWS ON BLENDED LEARNING AND THEIR SUGGESTIONS TO IMPROVE ITS USE IN LANGUAGE CLASSES

Abstract

There has been a rapid expansion in the use of technology in education in recent years with the COVID-19 pandemic has furthered this trend. While a substantial body of research has been done on educators' views on blended learning there is still a need for more research on learners' views in the context of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) preparatory schools, particularly after the restrictions were lifted. By studying how EFL preparatory school students perceive blended learning following the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions, this study seeks to close this gap in knowledge. By exploring students’ opinions and experiences, contributing to the improvement of the educational process on blended learning and English language teaching course designs is possible. This study was carried out at an English Preparatory Program at a foundation university in Istanbul, Turkey. A mixed methods research design was used to collect both quantitative and qualitative data. To gain quantitative data, the Scale for Effectiveness of Blended Learning Environments by Gülbahar & Cabı (2013) was carried out on 63 students. The scale consists of 55 Likert-scale questions and is divided into four sections which are face to-face learning environments, online learning environments, blended learning environments, and technical dimensions. To analyze the data, IBM SPSS v. 26 was used for descriptive statistics. The findings from the quantitative data revealed that the students place high importance on face-to-face instruction. Communication with peers was found to be the most crucial component, followed by placing a high value on academic success. However, we also discovered some degree of dissatisfaction with online learning-related issues. Learning through online classes (x̄=2.02), communicating with peers (x̄=2.14), and using technology to increase interest (x̄=2.32) are some of the aforementioned low values. Students perceive blended learning positively and scores related to appropriate content delivery in both environments and the instructors’ skills in combining face-to-face and online iii learning are high. The findings from the qualitative data revealed that students place a high priority on face-to-face learning, emphasizing its value for fostering social bonds and academic performance. They seemed to benefit from flexibility, time savings, and better access to learning materials through blended learning, whereas raised concerns about prolonged screen time and lack of social connection. Students suggest getting instructions on how to use computer-related skills and resources effectively and having more balanced online and face-to-face instruction, a solution to excessive screen time, and using flexible online class hours and break schedules