Abstract:

Blended learning has emerged as a new approach to promoting digital literacy and improving learning outcomes in 21st-century English for Academic Purposes (EAP) courses. This approach involves integrating the strengths of online and face-to-face provision using multimodal resources in a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), such as Moodle or Blackboard, which can be freely and flexibly accessed. Recent research has identified benefits of blended learning, including increased engagement, comprehension, and satisfaction, as part of student-centred language learning. However, the implementation of blended learning on EAP courses is often limited by poor student uptake, limited engagement and unclear learning outcomes.

We propose that one approach to increasing student engagement and learning outcomes is to integrate interactive and multimodal HTML5 (H5P) activities and videos on a VLE platform. This allows students to engage with content flexibly, access resources at their own convenience, and promotes active and student-centred learning, provided sufficient pedagogical and technical support is offered. To effectively integrate the online and face-to-face components of blended learning, study skills and technical support can be offered with the expectation that students continue their learning outside and beyond the classroom.

In this presentation, we report on our recent case study involving 107 first-year mathematics majors at a large Sino-British university in China, which tested our proposition. We found a positive correlation between the frequency of engagement with H5P videos and improved performance in in-class tests. Subsequent panel interviews with 13 students also revealed high levels of cognitive, behavioural, and affective forms of engagement. Further, higher proficiency students reported increased self-regulated language learning and improved study skills. Lower proficiency learners still benefitted from the interactive videos but were less able to capitalise on the affordances of these independently, suggesting that further support should be offered.

Keywords:

Technology-enhanced learning, student engagement, digital literacies.