Authors : Wan Abdul Rahim, Wan Mohd Isa, Indah Mohd Amin and Nurul Fatimah Ishak
Abstract: This research investigates on factors that influence academicians in blended learning. There are many higher learning institutions in Malaysia had implemented blended learning because of the effectiveness as a learning approach. However, studies had shown academicians were apprehensive about using blended learning in the teaching and learning activities. The main objectives of this study are to investigate factors of using blended learning among academicians and to provide recommendations to improve the usage of blended learning among academicians. The qualitative data were gathered from online survey among academicians in a local university in Malaysia. The qualitative data were analyzed by using thematic analysis. Based on the study, there are seven factors of using blended learning among academicians which are ease of use, university encouragement, flexibility, attractiveness, new technology usage, university policy and learning aids. The study also found that there are three main factors of using blended learning among academicians which are university encouragement ease of use and flexibility. It is found that there are three blended learning advantages among academicians which are mobility, flexibility and saves time. In addition, there are three challenges of using blended learning which are technical challenges, organizational challenges and instructional design challenges. The recommendations were based on the challenges of blended learning using among academicians. The recommendations include: improving the IT infrastructure setting-up more relevant policy, guideline and standards for the blended learning adoptions and implementations at the organization and incorporating the elements of flexibility, adaptive, innovative, responsive and dynamic instructional design that fits with the mental model, expectations and requirements of different type of learners. Future research involves the development of mobile teaching e-Inclusion value chain framework.
Wan Abdul Rahim, Wan Mohd Isa, Indah Mohd Amin and Nurul Fatimah Ishak, 2018. Exploring Factors that Influence the Usage of Blended Learning among Academicians: A Qualitative Inquiry. Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences, 13: 4802-4806.