Literature review in Using blended learning environment

Order Description Please make my sentences and writing more professional. I want the references no less than 20. If you see there are some resources we need to add please add it in a different color so I can recognize it. Literature Review Background: Education had passed several stages of development stage to become what it is now. These stages include computer technology which is about 50 years ago (Bakir, 2016). Blended learning method need to be implement in K-12 schools because there are a few researches in K-12 schools in the topic of blended learning. According to Halverson et al. (2012), “we see a dearth of K–12 research in blended learning, in nonacademic as well as academic settings.” p. 391. Most of the researches about blended learning were focus on higher education. However, blended learning in K-12 is more important than higher education because of the K-12 school culture which keep physically advising while parents work, and they keep the seat time the same as tradition because they keep supervisory students while working online or group activities (Halverson et al., 2012). There are many definitions of blended learning concept. It is often described as “the mix of traditional methods of teaching, such as face-to-face teaching and online teaching” (Bliuc et al., 2007, p. 233). The Advantage of Blended Learning: Many research conducted to find the benefits and effectives in using blended learning environments. The definition of the word effectiveness is “how an instructor can best direct, facilitate, and support students toward certain academic ends, such as achievement and satisfaction” (Gorsky & Blau, 2009, p. 1). Thus, blended learning method used to motivate and enhance students learning through an effective teaching method. Blended Learning Environment model is an effective method and becomes part of many United States schools learning. Warren (2015) reiterates that, "a recent survey report, "Learning Innovation Report on U.S. Independent Schools 2014-2015," conducted by OESIS Group (Online/Blended Education Symposia for Independent Schools) provides insights into how and why schools are pursuing blended learning." 461 schools took the survey, 342 among these schools were independent schools, the educator participants were 525 educators, and 148 from them are independent schools heads. Accordingly, “The report’s most important revelation is that close to 20 percent of independent schools surveyed are in advanced stages of blended learning adoption — with 12 percent having three-quarters of their teachers blending classes and 6 percent having more than half of their classes blended.” This study shows how the important of blended Learning as learning method to motivate and support students learning. Shih (2010) also explored the effects of blended teaching using blogging as an instructional strategy in English for a specific purpose course. The research methodology combined qualitative and quantitative approaches in which forty-four English major students participated in the study. The findings showed that the blended learning environment enhances learning effectiveness and students’ motivation. Equally, the findings illustrated that peer and instructor's feedback and blog features, such as free access, ease of revision, and interesting material, are major factors that enhance students’ motivation. Limitations and Strengths of Blended Learning An autonomy-supportive environment helps fulfill the needs for autonomy and enhances intrinsic motivation in students (Deci & Rayn, 2008). Research by Sanprasert (2010) showed that blended learning effectively enhanced students' autonomy by fostering students' autonomous learning through minimizing external pressure and offering ample choices. Thus, students feel in control of their actions and learning when they have the opportunity to choose from a number of sources (Reeve, 2002). However, an environment that offers many choices without guidance and clear expectations may create overwhelmed students who are only able to acquire superficial knowledge and may lose direction and focus on the internet. Therefore, providing structure, including providing clear goals and expectations, plays a crucial role in creating an optimal blended learning environment. Reeve (2002) furthered this idea and emphasized that structure has to be offered in an autonomy-supportive manner to foster student motivation and engagement. Similarly, research by Loon, et al., (2012) found that blended learning environments that combined autonomy support and structure had a positive influence both on students’ intrinsic motivation and on performance. Other factors included reluctance to move from a passive to an active student role, insufficient pedagogical and technical support, the absence of a clear institutional policy and strategic plan, and appropriate leadership to support and sustain blended learning initiatives (COHERE, 2010). A study conducted by Owston, Sinclair & Wideman (2008), to find the teachers’ attitude and students’ perception toward blended learning program that designed in mathematics and science/technology classes through a school year. The teachers’ participants were 68 in mathematics and 65 in science/technology. The students’ participants were 477 in mathematics teachers’ classes and 551 from the science/technology teachers’ classes. The researchers find that teachers had a positive attitude and motivated to transform their classes. They also find that students had more positive attitude toward science and technology. This illustrates the helpfulness and effectiveness of the Blended Learning Environment in the classroom, benefitting both the teacher and the students. However, the researchers in this study didn’t assess the impact of Blended Learning on students’ achievement, and they recommend that for the future studies. In order to get deep information from teachers who use blended learning method when they use components in teaching, Jeffrey, L. M., et al. (2014), interviewed nine teachers about their use of online and classroom component and the reason of that. The result shows that classroom component had more value to teachers than online component. The study also shows that there is a lack of integration between both online and classroom component. It is also important to know the students’ view about blended learning. Umit & Akbayin (2014), conducted a study to see high school students view on using blended learning method in biology class. 47 students from 7th grade attend a course taught by both online and face to face. The result of their views was highly positive. However, there were some problems they explained such as lack of the internet connection at home. Since K-12 students have a positive view toward studying using blended learning methods, it is vital that we need to engage teachers to use this method in their teaching. On the other hand, study conducted by Yalavaç, G., & Samur, Y. (2016), to examine teachers’ and students’ perceptions about after school online class in private middle school. After using survey, interview, and observation methods for this study, the result shows that both teachers and students prefer taking face-to-face to online. They reason was because there were many students in the course, and they prefer to study online in a small number of groups and students so they can interact, engage, and adequate feedback. This study explains how the important of interaction should be in the online learning so teachers can engage students and motivate their learning by interacting with them. When teachers want to implement blende learning method, they need to be prepared to design courses for online and offline activities and other important tasks. Oliver, K., & Stallings, D., (2014) explained that teachers need to address at least three essential considerations in order to use blende learn, which correspond common instructional design process. These three considerations are contextual considerations, instructional strategy and teaching considerations, and technology considerations. Accordingly, “these environments certainly require increased autonomy for students when a portion of the class is moved out of the classroom, with a resulting need for teachers to support students’ self-direction via guidance, non-traditional teacher communication, and/or new modes of student collaboration” p. 72-73. One way of preparing teachers is training pre-service teachers on using blended learning. A study conducted by Ajayi, L. (2009), to examine the perspective of 33 pre-service teachers on using asynchronous discussion board ADB as a tool for teaching. This study shows that pre-service teachers see ADB an important tool for learning how to teach because it “promoted situated learning, facilitated a social construction of knowledge, and afforded customized learning experiences.” ( Ajayi L., 2009 p. 1). Blended learning is also called Hybrid learning. According to Senn, G. J. (2008), “Hybrid classes were offered with some portions online, some face-to-face and, in some cases, two way, interactive video.” p. 267. Hybrid format needs teachers who have skills to deliver the course to student. Teachers have to have skills and know how to deliver a course in blended learning or (Hybrid format). A study conducted by Senn, G. J. (2008) about comparison between face-to face and Hybrid delivery course that should have skills in technology. This study was to see students’ performance and perspective of a class that moved from face-to-face to hybrid delivery to full on-line class. The finding of this study was that the course that require high level of technology skills and require hand practice is difficult to deliver to hybrid format. The course need some efforts from teacher to deliver it. Meeting the essential needs of competence, autonomy, and relatedness and fostering intrinsic motivation in learning in science class can be effectively and efficiently accomplished through blended learning. However, the success of using blended learning for enhancing students' intrinsic motivation and language skills largely depends on teachers’ support and guidance. They also need to effectively facilitate students’ learning processes and support social interaction.