TEACHERS’ PERCEPTIONS ON THE USE OF THE BLENDED LEARNING

Abstract

Saeed, Nida, Teachers’ Perceptions on the Use of Blended Learning. Doctor of Education in Executive Educational Leadership. May, 2020, Houston Baptist University, Houston, Texas. Purpose The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of teachers on the use of blended learning. The participants for this study were selected from a private school settings that were currently teaching in a classroom and who were expected to use technology on their campus based on administrative expectations. Blended learning models exist all over the world and every teacher uses blended learning differently based on the resources, classroom, students, and content he or she teaches. The purpose of this research was to understand teachers’ perceptions, views, ideas, concepts, feelings, and use qualitative data explore its findings. A blended learning theoretical framework was utilized to understand teachers’ perceptions on how technology is utilized on their campus with their curriculum. Methodology In this descriptive study, the researcher used the qualitative research methodology if hermeneutical phenomenology. In so doing, the researcher gained knowledge as the teachers shared their feelings, described their views and experiences, shared stories, knowledge, skills and described their perceptions addressed most questions on the survey and returned to the researcher through Google Forms. A total of 15 participants addressed most of the survey. Once participants completed the survey, they volunteered to sit in a one-to-one semi-structured interview where they could elaborate their responses from the survey and discuss their perceptions on the use blended learning. A total of 14 teachers participated in the semi-structured interview with the researcher. Findings The researcher initially identified themes from the interview. The data presented overall fifteen themes from the semi-structured face-to-face interview conducted on fourteen teachers. The themes were keywords, concepts, or words that were mentioned by each participant. The relevant themes were discussed by majority of the participants. Themes were personalized learning, instructional resources, more time, flipped classroom, station rotation, effective teaching, student engagement, lack of internet connectivity, information technology support, lack of instructional technology professional development, positive atmosphere, internet connectivity disturbances, and lack of digital citizenship trainings. Conclusions Based on the responses from the participants in this study, the importance of a positive campus culture and effective resources allows teachers to try using technology in meaningful ways. Teachers found station rotation and flipped classroom models easily to implement as a beginner or initial teacher who was trying to incorporate technology in the classroom. The data also provided important discussion from the participants about the value of having a technology coach and meaningful trainings to better support digital native teachers in and out of the classroom. Just like students are provided with tiered instruction or personalized scaffolded lessons, trainings also need to be equipped with the right type of information modeled the way teachers need it taught in the classroom with their students. The researcher hopes the findings will benefit educators in understanding ways of implementing a successful blended learning program on campuses to meet teacher and student needs. KEY WORDS: Blended learning, digital native, digital citizenship, digital coaches, effective teaching, flipped classroom, internet connectivity, informational technology support, instructional resources, personalized learning, station rotation, and student engagement