Abstract:

Blended Learning or the combination of online and face-to-face (f2f) teaching is an approach to teaching in which the experience of the learner is both basic and central. The aim is how the students are learning and how they engage in their own learning process. Teachers are no longer the only source of knowledge. Student-centred learning focuses on students outcomes rather than on teaching.
At the Escuela Universitaria Politécnica of Almadén, engineering students are taught “Technical English” following a student-centred approach, combining both online and f2f teaching. The teacher is seen as a facilitator rather than a teacher and his role is to support students, to provide constant feedback and to guide them through their studies. Most teaching skills are as applicable online as f2f. Interactions among students can be through cooperative assignments, discussion groups in class, chatrooms, using email, videoconference, forums… Students are given more autonomy and control over their own way of learning and they assume a high level of responsibility being highly motivated.
Blended-Learning combines the best aspects of both traditional and online teaching; it is more effective and students learn more than on either f2f or online teaching alone. Students play an active part in their own process of learning selecting different learning resources from different sources. The 21st century and the Higher Education Area (HEA) represent a cultural shift from traditional teaching toward new learning approach represented by Blended-Learning methodologies.
The subject of “Technical English” intends to improve the students professional and communications skills. The course covers high-priority language that is useful in mining engineering branches focusing on skills such as working with drawings, describing technical problems and discussing dimensions and precision. The course combines f2f teaching, where the students practice realistic listening activities, situation-based speaking activities and work cooperatively with online activities using a virtual platform (Moodle).
Students work in a synchronous way as well as in an asynchronous way; each lesson is designed to ensure that students acquire the necessary language knowledge to enable them to progress effectively. The virtual platform “Moodle” contains a tool called “Glosary” where new words are added to improve the vocabulary students need for their professional lives and also for social and travel situations. Each unit focuses on one lexical set and presents new vocabulary in realistic contexts. Further practice and consolidation can be found in MP3 files which are uploaded by the teacher and any student can download to their own computer or MP3 device being free to listen to the files any time they wish.
Every lesson includes a communication practice such as a role-play or information gap activity. These activities are designed to allow students to practice the English language in a freer context with frequent opportunities to speak in pairs and in groups.

Keywords:

Blended-learning, collaborative learnig, mining engineering students.