Cummings, J., Sturm, M., & Avram, A. (2020). Making the Case for Blended Learning in LINC: A Demonstration Research Project. TESL Ontario Contact Magazine, Vol.46 (1), pp.61-76.
This article reports on a demonstration research project that examined the effects of Blended Learning for 45 students, 3 instructors, the program manager and resource support teacher in an established LINC program that has been effectively using a Blended approach since 2012.
The results provide answers to these three research questions:
- What were the effects of the BL approach for the students’ English language learning and for their participation in LINC?
- What were the effects of the BL approach for students’ self-efficacy and knowledge for using technology for language learning?
- What were the effects of the BL approach for LINC teachers, instruction, and the program?; What effective or “best” practices for BL were demonstrated in this context?
In response to questions at a TESL Ontario Conference presentation, the researchers addressed the challenges of newcomers who are skeptical of blended learning, and of how blended learning can assist newcomers in their real-life settlement journey.
The article concludes by summarizing the benefits demonstrated by the research project for LINC students and by emphasizing the importance of the questions raised about Blended Learning and its implementation by teachers.
Retrievable from:
http://contact.teslontario.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Jill-Cummings-Matthias-Sturm-Augusta-Avram-1.pdf