Name : NURI NURYANI

NPM : 1923042010
Subject : RESEARCH IN LANGUAGE EDUCATION

In the last few decades, blended learning has become a new educational trend.
Research on blended learning is relatively new and linked with other educational
fields such as English teaching methodology, educational technology, computer-
assisted language learning (CALL), and distance education (Picciano, Dziuban &
Graham, 2013).
Blended learning combines traditional learning with digital learning. It helps
transforming the traditional ways of learning and accommodating the new part of
the current development technology, which is called “Industrial Revolution 4.0”
(Tvenge & Martinsen, 2018). One of the possible impacts of the Industrial
Revolution 4.0 on education is it encourages motivation and spirit of teachers to
learn new things or new technological application for learning so that they can
transform their learning to become update technologies.
Educational institutions should create innovative learning, which is accessible
anytime and anywhere to prepare teachers in dealing with the industrial revolution
4.0 and the development of learning in the 21 st century (Hussin, 2018). The digital
world is experiencing rapid development. With the start of the development of
internet use and the emergence of electronic learning methods, consequently,
teachers are required to improve their ability to provide education for students,
especially using e-learning methods.
Blended learning has been defined to differentiate between this teaching and
learning mode and traditional or online learning. To illustrate, Bonk and Graham
(2012) defined blended learning as the combination of traditional face-to-face
instruction with computer-assisted instruction. When describing blended learning,
Neumeier (2005) stated that “the most important aim of a Blended Learning
design is to find the most effective and efficient combination of the two modes of
learning for the individual learning subjects, contexts and objectives.”
Significantly, blended learning can be used instead of traditional or online
learning because it promotes a stronger sense of engagement and community than
traditional face-to-face or fully online teaching and learning methods (Tayebinik
& Puteh, 2013). In other words, blended learning allows for more learning
opportunities that motivate students to participate in and outside of the class
settings. Senffner and Kepler (2015) pointed out blended learning is a flexible,
scalable, and meaningful way of teaching and learning.
Jaschke (2014) stated that the use of e-learning also saved the cost without
diminishing the learning quality. Teaching materials can alter to flexible
technology, using smart phones. Teachers can make teaching materials such as
PowerPoint so that students can read these materials via mobile phones, no need
for laptops anymore. Later students can access teaching materials including
videos, wherever they are whether on the beach, in the mall or other places. With
this learning method, it is expected that what is offered can answer the challenges
in the industrial era 4.0 in the world of education.
Another benefit of blended learning is it provides the teachers and students
the access not only to interact in traditional learning but also outside the
classroom through online platform. There are many online platforms of e-learning
that can be used in teaching. One of the famous platforms of e-learning is Quipper
School. It is a system used to support teaching and learning activities known as
Learning Management System. It facilitates teachers and learners to access the
information needed through a system. The use of Quipper School is to vary the
way people learn knowledge by using internet. Students learn in different ways
and Quipper School offers an interactive way of online learning. All the paper
works is saved through online grading and the teachers can create class and also
assignments. This will definitely save time of the teacher and the students.
Furthermore, the use of Quipper School is free. It is an interactive way of e-
learning. Thus, teachers should use Quipper School to vary their instructional
strategies.
Whereas, what makes the classroom instruction successful can be identified
by the involvement of learners in the learning activities which are designed by the
teachers, the achievement of learning objectives and the increase of learners'
learning motivation (Suarcaya, 2011). To reach the teaching process successful,
learning activities should be supported by effective learning environments.
Therefore, the effective learning environments are expected by every teacher in
the world. He then explained that a common learning model used by EFL teachers
is face-to-face classroom instruction (traditional instruction). Learners come to
classroom and all activities are carried out in the room. The possible instructional
activities conducted are group work, lectures, and discussion. Yet, all the activities
require direct responses from class members. Some students prefer giving indirect
responses to the topic being discussed. As a result, such learners would be
identified by their teachers as passive and less capable in working on tasks given
in the class.
Marsh (2012) stated that most of foreign language teaching still takes place in
the classroom, and as language teachers, we know that achieving the optimal
conditions as just presented poses an important challenge in foreign language
teaching situations where students have limited opportunities to actively engage in
using the target language. Such cases are only a few of many weaknesses in
merely implementing face-to-face learning model in EFL classes. In other words,
face-to-face learning model cannot accommodate learners' individual
characteristics. While the fact shows that a class is always heterogeneous in terms
of learners' characteristics.
Another problem that might be found is students’ lack of motivation.
According to some research (Zlata, 2007; Juhana, 2012; and Gunawan, 2013)
proved that most of students were not motivated in studying English as they often
affirmed that they would not need it in their future work. In addition, they found
that some factors such as fear of making mistake, shyness, anxiety, lack of
confidence and lack of motivation hinder them from speaking in English class.
Those factors were commonly because of fear of being laughed by their friends.
However, these studies should have elaborated the ways of teaching which made
the students unmotivated and unwilling to study English, meanwhile they actually
know that English as a foreign language that becomes essential for both their
education and career.
Wen and Johnson (1997, cited by Setiyadi, 2012) stated that motivation has a
direct effect on English proficiency. As Stockwell (2013, cited by Ushioda, 2013)
pointed out about motivation and technology in language learning, it is helpful to
draw a conceptual distinction between two kinds of motivation: an inherent
interest in the technology, which then leads to discovering its benefits for
language learning and to strengthening language learning motivation; and a strong
motivation for language learning, arousing interest in a particular technology that
can support this process. In other words, students might have different points of
departure when they use technology for language learning purposes.
Fortunately, by technology in language learning, the problems above might
be solved. The technology in learning, especially the combination between
computer and internet, is a powerful learning tool to facilitate learning. Flexibility
is one of the advantages of using internet for learning (Collis and Moonen, 2001).
In addition, Khan (2007: 5) affirms that both human and technological resources
are critical to support flexibility in learning. The advancement of information and
communication technologies is a blessing for flexible learning. For example, as
the internet is fast emerging, the website has become an increasingly powerful,
global, interactive, and dynamic medium for sharing information.
Any reference to blended learning considers the use of face-to-face teaching
as a basic building block of the learning experience, enhanced by the integration
of the internet and other teaching and learning technologies into both in and out of
the classroom. This integration should happen by the support of the teacher and
any materials used. It should also reflect and work toward the learning aims and
needs of all learners (Marsh, 2012).
There have been several studies done to figure out the effectiveness of the use
of blended learning in English study (Dzakiria et al, 2006; and Checova and
Matthew, 2013). They found that the use of blended learning could stimulate
relationship between the teacher and the students, and it consequently enhances
the attempts at building a better learning support to facilitate learning. In order to
support the learners in a blended learning environment, the teacher should have
not only learning skills to facilitate learning, but also skills and experience to
facilitate the learning process through designing and building support that
encourages blended learning.
Additionally, another research conducted in using blended learning in
improving the students’ motivation and achievement (Djiwandono, 2013;
Malinina, 2013: Ocak, 2013; and Isiguzel, 2014). Their research findings proved
that most of the students were more motivated to study English. In fact, the
experimental group of students in blended learning environments has higher
motivation compared to the control group attending in the traditional learning
environment. Accordingly, the blended learning environment enriched with face
to face and online activities provides students a variety of discussion and
cooperation opportunities in their self-paced learning experiences. With the right
adjustment of the content and form of teacher’s guidance, blended learning might
be one of many alternatives to be seriously considered in future learning
experiences.
Accordingly, there have been many research conducted on the increasing
achievement in different language skills as the impact of traditional method,
however the studies on the increasing achievement in writing skills as the impact
of blended learning method are still rare. So, this study is aim at exploring the
effectiveness of Blended Learning to students’ writing skills.`