A Study on the Application of Online Speaking Class in Remote Areas: Is the Implementation of the Principle of Education for All Achieved?

Abstract

Studies on blended and online learning have mostly focused on information and communication technology accessibility. This study investigated aspects other than ICT when students joined the Speaking Class blended and online from remote areas during the COVID-19 Pandemic. This study employed a mixed-method case study. The purposive sampling technique was used to choose two groups of students who enrolled in Speaking Classes at the English Department in the 2020/2021 academic year as the study's sample. The first group (Group A), which included eighteen (18) students, attended fourteen online speaking lectures, whereas the second group (Group B), which included twenty-two (22) students, attended blended learning lectures. The student's achievements in speaking abilities were described. Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and interviews were used to obtain information about students' problems, and the data were analysed using content analysis. The data analysis revealed that Group B students performed better than Group A students in terms of learning outcomes. The findings of the data analysis from the interviews and focus groups reveal that some problems were encountered, including; 1) interference from family members; 2) absence of a study room; 3) financial difficulty; 4) absence of peers; 5) difficulty to get local transportation; and 6) problem to concentrate. These findings suggest that the applied online learning system has not been able to meet the principles of education for all during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Solutions to the application of online learning in remote areas, highlighting the roles of the local government, are forwarded.