Design Principles for Integrating Mobile Applications to Enhance Teaching Presence: Based on the Survey of the Problems in English Learning in Chinese Universities

Abstract

With the widespread use of information technology in higher education, blended learning combining face-to-face instruction and online learning has now become the mainstream of language learning in Chinese universities. This paper reports the provisional findings of an ongoing research that aims to produce design principles for integrating mobile apps in blended learning courses that enhance teaching presence for the teaching of English as a Foreign Language in a Chinese University. The survey conducted in this paper sought the responses of 3101 student participants from a Chinese higher education institution and 32 Chinese EFL teachers from different universities on their best and worst experiences of blended learning course and their feedback on how blended learning courses that utilize mobile apps should be improved to enhance teaching presence. The findings of the study indicate the importance of comprehensive instructor guidance and the pedagogical skills of instructors to suit learners’ proficiency levels. The use of suitable mobile apps in a blended learning environment enhances the teaching presence and creates an engaging learning atmosphere. The future research stage will test the design framework found in this intervention involving other groups of participants.