An Investigation of the Perceptions and Experiences of the EFL Teachers and Learners About the Effectiveness of Blended Learning at Taif University

Abstract

The traditional face-to-face teaching, despite being constantly criticized by the methodologists and ever-emerging modern approaches, has never lost its scope in the (EFL) English as a Foreign Language context. Researchers and pedagogues, in order to get the both ends meet, have converged traditional face-to-face instructions and online activities into the concept of blended learning. By establishing on previous works and contexts, the present study aims at investigating Taif University’s EFL teachers and learners’ positive and negative perceptions and experiences towards the effectiveness of online (CLMS) Cambridge Learning Management System and on-site learning environments. The work utilized triangulation in the use of research methods, i.e., both qualitative and quantitative methods overlap each other: (i) structured interview of experienced EFL (4 male and 4 female) teachers of Taif University, with maximum open ended questions, exhibit qualitative dimensions of the study; (ii) an opinionnaire developed with closed ended questions by employing Likert’s five point scale to collect the data from 100 male and 100 female EFL learners of Taif University, represents quantitative perspective of the work. The opinionnaire includes 22 items and has been developed to measure the four subscales; learners’ beliefs and attitudes, promising strands that help develop learners’ confidence and language coupled with the perils that impede their creativity and motivation to learn. The findings of the study indicate that the level of strengths of blended learning is higher than its limitations. Learners found themselves satisfied being more exposed to the target language through vivid images, videos, audios, reading texts, chatting and discussion forums and acknowledged that (BLE) blended learning environment enhanced their language proficiency.