Blended learning: Deficits and prospects in higher education

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DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14742/ajet.3100

Keywords:

blended learning, online learning, higher education, types of blends

Abstract

This article examines the nature and evolution of the term blended learning (BL), which encompasses numerous connotations, including its conception as a strategy, delivery mode, opportunity, educational shift, or pedagogical approach. Although much has been said in this field, very few studies examine the different types of blends behind their implementation. To address this gap in the literature, the article indicates types of blends and analyses the characteristics of BL, its benefits and limitations, supported by a review of literature, and an analysis of a sample of BL cases in higher education language-teaching worldwide. Additional data were also gathered through a questionnaire administered to language department chairs. Data were triangulated and analysed using the grounded theory approach. The article closes with an examination of different levels of blending, the various perspectives within the educational community on its use, and a discussion of its future applicability, especially in higher education.

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Author Biography

Liliana Cuesta Medina, Universidad de La Sabana

Liliana Cuesta Medina is a professor at the Department of Foreign Languages & Cultures, Universidad de La Sabana (Chía, Colombia), where she is also the Academic Coordinator of the Master in Language Teaching –Autonomous Learning Environments program. She holds a PhD in English Philology from the Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED-Madrid, Spain), a B.A. in English and Spanish from the Universidad Pedagógica Nacional (Bogotá, Colombia),and a Specialization in Applied Linguistics to the Teaching of English from the Universidad La Gran Colombia (Bogotá, Colombia). She has been involved in national and international teacher development programs, mainly in EFL, e-learning, and e-tutoring. Her research areas include CALL, CLIL, academic writing, cyberbullyng, and learners’ self-regulation in blended/virtual learning environments, on which topics she has published in a number of indexed journals and conference proceedings.

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Published

2018-03-28

How to Cite

Cuesta Medina, L. (2018). Blended learning: Deficits and prospects in higher education. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 34(1). https://doi.org/10.14742/ajet.3100

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Section

Articles