Abstract:

The Internet is one breakthrough in computer technology that catalyzed the definition of new norms in many fields in this lifetime. In education, the academia is embattled with catching up with the evolution of pedagogies and new paradigms influenced by new technologies. The challenge among educators when confronted to apply new technologies in coursework delivery is the effectiveness and impact they contribute to the learning experience of students. Framed in Vanessa Chang and Darrell Fisher’s 2003 work, the Web-based Learning Environment Instrument (WEBLEI) paradigm, this paper presents the empirical measurement of perception from students who experienced a blended learning for Educational Technology 2 (EdTech-2) coursework delivery. Specifically, it will present perception ratings in terms of the accessibility of materials online, interaction with the teacher and students, students’ response, and the impression of academic gains. A survey questionnaire adapted from the WEBLEI framework was administered online to the students of the two EdTech-2 sections after their culminating activity and final examination. The online survey yielded a 100% response rate from the two sections totaling 49 officially enrolled students. The overall perceptual rating of EdTech-2 experience was perceived by students as “Excellent” that accounted 53.06% while 38.78% and 8.16% for “Very Good” and “Good” respectively. A 3.92 over-all weighted mean was revealed in the study that implied respondents have perceived their blended learning experience was “Very Effective”. As a new learning environment, the blended learning was perceived as “Very Accessible” based on the weighted mean of 4.18 for the Access construct. “Very Engaging” was the implied perception based on a weighted mean of 4.02 for the Interaction construct. A weighted mean of 4.19 for the Response construct implied “Very Satisfactory” while “Beneficial” was the implied perception for the Results construct following 3.30 weighted mean. Employing Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient, the respondents’ overall perceptual rating for EdTech-2 showed significant relationship to the blended learning experience in terms of WEBLEI’s Access, Interaction, and Response constructs. Results of the study proved blended learning as a plausible new learning environment for coursework delivery in St. Paul University Dumaguete (SPUD) and commendable for implementation in all applicable departments.

Keywords:

Blended learning, ICT in teacher education, Educational Technology, Instructional materials in context.