Replacing Traditional Classroom Teaching With Blended Learning: Is It Effective in Improving Vocabulary?

Abstract

As learners enrolling in Business English Diploma course in the University of Colombo in Sri Lanka find it challenging to improve English business vocabulary, we explored whether different delivery modes influenced this outcome achievement. Three tutors taught the same content to three groups of students using face-to-face, online and blended modes over 3 months in the University of Colombo. With the face to face mode continuing as a control group (n=15), the blended (n=15) and online (n=15) groups received six online modules and four quizzes on vocabulary. While the online group received all lessons and quizzes online, the blended group received 70% of the materials online with six face to face lessons to cover up the balance 30% of the course. The control group too received the same vocabulary learning lesson materials and practiced these only in their face to face classes. While the three groups showed the performance as Blended mean score=43.07, Online mean score= 39.27, Face to face mean score =45.00 at the pre-test having sixty fill in the blank questions in dialogue completion, a similar course-end test showed the blended group to have scored significantly increased marks (mean score=51.20, t=-7.176, p=.000), compared to the others (Online mean score= 47.60, t= -5.593, p=.000, Face to face mean score =50.67, t= -5.330, p=000) at the significance level p < .005. This study, with further confirmatory evidence, can have implications for teaching Business English vocabulary in the context of teaching English as a second language in higher education.



Author Information
Ruwini Dharmawardene, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka

Paper Information
Conference: CHER-HongKong2019
Stream: Questing for innovation and entrepreneurship: Curriculum design and student learning

This paper is part of the CHER-HongKong2019 Conference Proceedings (View)
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Posted by James Alexander Gordon