BEYOND COMPUTER LITERACY: TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION...

BEYOND COMPUTER LITERACY: TECHNOLOGYINTEGRATION AND CURRICULUM TRANSFORMATION

DR. AMMAR H . SAFAR, PH.D.

Kuwait University, College of EducationDepartment of Curriculum and Teaching Methods

DR. FAHAD A . ALKHEZZI, PH.D.

Kuwait University, College of EducationDepartment of Curriculum and Teaching Methods

Personal computers, the Intemet, smartphones, and other forms of infor-mation and communication technology (ICT) have changed our world,our job, our personal lives, as well as how we manage our knowledgeand time effectively and efficiently. Research findings in the past de-cades have acknowledged and affirmed that the content the ICT mediumcarries is as important as the ICT medium itself. These studies also add-ed a third constituent to the structure of ICT usage and integration; thatis the pedagogical approach of teaching and leaming. One of the modemICT trends of organizations involves the incorporation and integration ofa blended approach of teaching and leaming; which combines the tradi-tional facc-to-face instructor-led method with ICT-based online teachingand leaming environment. This quasi-experimental research study was

• deployed to evaluate and identity the effect and usefulness of a blended 'pedagogical approach of teaching and leaming on students' academicachievement, motivation, and attitudes. A total of 128 (i.e., 64 experi-mental group and 64 control group) undergraduate students in the Col-lege of Education (COE) at Kuwait University (KU) participated in thisstudy. The results revealed that the students enrolled in the experimen-tal group were significantly outscoring their counterparts in the controlgroup. They submitted projects with better qualitj : eamed higher finalgrades; attended more online training courses; took more ICDL tests;and the majority attended all classes. These findings imply that the po-tential of a blended approach of teaching and leaming is endless. It canproduce robust teaching and leaming environments and experiences. Itcan also reveal that teaching and leaming with such method or strategy,while integrating and incorporating ICT tools, can be fun.

Keywords: Blended Learning/Teaching, Distance Leaming/Teaching,Online Learning/Teaching, e-Leaming/Teaching, Education, HigherEducation

Introduction , , .colleagues all over the globe through e-mail

Personal computers, the Intemet, smart- or teleconferencing; organize our finances;phones, and other forms of ICT have changed g udy our curriculum; and even view the cardour world, our job, our personal lives, as catalog of a library for research purposes,well as how we manage our knowledge and jf ^e think we know and understand whattime effectively and efficiently. With just few " j c j " ¡ ^ then we should consider Marshallclicks we can: communicate with friends and

614

Beyond Computer Literacy: Technology Integration and Curriculum Transformation / 615

McLuhan's beliefs when he stated forty sevenyears ago in his well-known book. Under-standing Media: The Extensions of Man,published in 1964, that "the medium is themessage". He stressed that the form/type ofa medium embeds itself within the message,causing the creation of a symbiotic correlationby which the medium affects how the messageis recognized and understood. He believedand propositioned that the media themselvesshould be the core emphasis of the study, notthe content they cany. Hence, McLuhan's in-sight was that our society is infiuenced by thecharacteristics of the media used, not by thecontent delivered over them. McLuhan is alsoknown for coining the expression "the globalvillage" and predicted the World Wide Webalmost thirty years before it was invented(McLuhan & Gordon, 2003).

However, McLuhan had no clue of know-ing the paramount effect of ICT on human-ity and our society as well. For that reason,McLuhan's vision is partially true, becauseresearch findings in the past decades haveacknowledged and affinned that the contentthe medium carries is as important as the me-dium itself These studies also added a thirdconstituent to the structure of ICT usage andintegration; that is the pedagogical approachof teaching and leaming. This element hasbeen proven to play a remarkable role in thesuccess of any initiative concerning ICT us-age and integration into education. Therefore,there is no doubt that ICT tools, the contentthey carry, and the pedagogical methods alltogether become the extension of us. They alldrive the direction; hence, impacting our out-comes, including our developmental leamingoutcomes.

Objectives of the Study

With the upcoming deployment of ICTtools into PK-12 schools and higher educa-tion institutions across the State of Kuwait,the need for ideas and methods on using and

integrating the technology efficiently andeffectively is paramount. We need to balancebetween education and technological innova-tions and practical classroom concems.

The study's objective was to demonsfratea role model approach, a blended leaming/teaching environment, on how to effectivelyand efficiently use and integrate ICT toolsinto teaching and leaming. The research scru-tinized and identified the impact and useful-ness of such method on students' leaming andacademic achievement as well as their moti-vation and attitudes. To that end the followingquestions were tackled:

1. Does the approach affect students'leaming and academic achievement?

2. Does the method impact students' mo-tivation and attitudes toward teachingand leaming?

Assumptions and Limitations of the Study

The research assumed that this new ped-agogical sfrategy for teaching and leaminghas a significant positive impact on students'leaming and academic achievement. It alsopredicted that the new model escalates stu-dents' motivation toward education; and thus,affecting their attitudes regarding teachingand leaming in this ICT/knowledge drivenera. The study involved the application of ablended model of teaching and leaming inonly three sections (i.e., experimental group)of an academic undergraduate course entitled"Computing in Education 0840-235 ". Where-as, another three sections (i.e., control group)of the same course were taught in a traditionalmanner. Other extents of exploitations werenot included. A sample of 128 (i.e., 64 exper-imental group and 64 confrol group) femalesenior undergraduate students in the Collegeof Education at Kuwait University were scru-tinized and monitored only for this researchbecause of the nature of the academic courseof study that limits the number of students

616 / College Student Journal

enrolled in each section to 20-25 students insenior classes.

Significance of the Study

The Amir of the State of Kuwait, theGovernment, the National Assembly, as wellas professionals, researchers, educators, ad-minisfrators, parents, teachers, and studentsalike have all called for a national campaign/movement for reform in education—^whichis constantly in needs for such developmentsand improvements. The push for befter edu-cation and the willingness of the Governmentfor befter PK-12 schools and higher educationinstitutions are encouraging. The Kuwaitigovernment provides all governmental pub-lic educational entities with their needs andnecessities for teaching and Ieaming in thisglobal knowledge society, including ICTtools. So far, millions have been spent on ac-quiring ICT means in Kuwait for the cause ofreforming education in the past decade. And,so much more will be spent in the near future.However, a liftle emphasis has been placedon how efficiently and effectively can we useand integrate such technologies into educa-tion. Therefore, the results of such researchstudy can help presenting policy and decisionmakers as well as professionals working inthe field of education—in the Arab Gulf Co-operation Council (AGCC) region, in general,and the State of Kuwait, in particular—withsome commendable insights regarding theefficacy use and integration of ICT tools intoeducation.

Nevertheless, more studies are needed tobe deployed, on a national level, with largersamples in order to provide more pragmaticand experimental research proofs that revealhow efficiently and effectively ICT tools canbe used and integrated throughout education.These breeds of research studies should focusprofoundly on pedagogical frends and issuesrelated to ICT, not only on ICT acquisitionfrends and issues.

Literature Review

This literature provides valuable informa-tion covering the role of a blended pedagog-ical method of teaching and Ieaming in theeffect of ICT tools and the content they carryon students' achievement, Ieaming outcomes,motivation, and aftitudes.

A survey was developed by a team of fac-ulty and administrators at a private institutionin the Northeast of the United States (US) tofocus on the impact of ICT as a value-addedcomponent of teaching and Ieaming insideand outside the classroom. A sfructural equa-tion research model was used to determine theeffective assessment of teaching and Ieamingwith ICT. The study adopted a blended modelfor teaching and Ieaming. The results of theresearch indicated that ICT is definitely a"lever", ICT tools with a blended pedagogicalmethod of teaching and Ieaming helped in:arising students' test scores in standardizedtests; escalating students' collaboration andcommunication skills; and increasing stu-dents' motivation and engagement in theirown Ieaming and growth (Sandier, 2010).

The US's National Center for EducationStatistics (NCES) asserted that in 2003-2004school year, about 30 percent of fourth-gradestudents aftending public schools in the USdid not achieve the grade-appropriate levelsof literacy proficiency on national stan-dardized tests. This insufficiency in readingdevelopment is known as the fourth-gradeslump phenomenon and it happens duringthe fransition from the lower (i.e., grade one-to-three) to upper (i.e., grade four-to-five)grades (Perie, Moran, & Lutkus, 2005). Thephenomenon weakens the Ieaming perfor-mance of students' across disciplines andgrade levels. ICT, however, has the potentialto overcome the academic deficits caused bysuch phenomenon.

In light of this, a research study was con-ducted by O'Dwyer, Russell, Bebell, andTucker-Seeley (2005) in Massachusetts in the


US on fourth-grade students from nine differ-ent school districts. The study investigated theimpact/value of ICT use on students' learningoutcot-nes for writing proficiency. The researchexamined the eftect of ICT use on students'achievement in national standardized ELAtests. A total of 986 fourth-grade students from55 classrooms participated in this research. Ablended pedagogical method as a paradigmfor teaching and learning was deployed. Theresults of the study showed that students withhigher frequency of ICT use at school andhome had greater total test scores in ELA andwriting on the Massachusetts CotnprehensiveAssessment System (MCAS) ELA test.

Over the past decades, many researchstudies well-documented the achievementdifferences among students in schools locat-ed in different geographical locations suchas urban, suburban, town, and rural regions.These achievement differences are attribut-ed to curricular, instructional, and resourcedifferences along with socioeconomic differ-ences. This has been a significant problem inthe educational systems worldwide, includingthe US. ICT has a promising potential to closethe achievement gap by rnaking it possible toprovide high quality insfructional materialsand teaching environments to educationallydisadvantaged regions.

With regard to this notion, a study wasconducted by Cakir, Delialioglu, Dennis, andDuffy (2009) focusing on the impact of ICT,according to geographic location, on students'achievement in the US high schools in a tech-nology enhanced standardized learning envi-ronment called the Cisco Certified NetworkAssociate (CCNA) program—a worldwideprogram offered by the Cisco NetworkingAcademy to provide computer networkingeducation to students at about 10,000 highschools, community colleges, universities,and nontraditional educational institutions inmore than 150 countries. The program offersfour courses taken in sequence.

The study implemented a blended peda-gogical strategy for teaching and learning. Itemphasized only on high schools. The curric-ulum, teaching materials, labs, simulations,and tests are developed centrally by CiscoSystems Inc. and the Cisco Learning Institute.Cisco's instructional model combines face-to-face instruction (i.e., traditional learningenvironment) with online curriculum, stan-dards-based testing, and instructional mate-rials distributed over the Internet (i.e., onlinelearning environment). Thus, Cisco providesa blended learning environment model whichcan bring the strengths of both learning en-vironments into instruction and can increasestudents' achievement and satisfaction; hence,improving students' learning.

A total of 4,670 students from 386 highschools participated in the study and includedin the final analysis. The Hierarchical LinearModeling (HLM) method was used for a mul-tilevel analysis approach. The results showedthat students located in schools from differentgeographic locations and class sizes achievedequally well in standardized tests in the net-working program. Accordingly, the findingsimply that the use of ICT tools along withface-to-face instruction (i.e., a blended peda-gogical method for teaching and learning) canprovide a strategy for reducing and closingthe achievement gap among students/schoolslocated in different geographic regions andfrom different class sizes caused by differenc-es in curriculum and instructional resources.The research findings also asserted that stu-dents' achievement was mainly affected bystudents' level factors such as gender, prioracademic ability, prior computer knowledge,and motivation (Cakir et al., 2009).

Ololube, Eke, Uzorka, Ekpenyong, andNte (2009) undertook a study investigatingthe impact of ICT on faculty's teaching andstudents' learning in two universities in theNiger Delta of Nigeria. A total of 125 teachersand students participated in this research. The


study applied the Need Assessment Approach(NAA) research model for the purpose of in-vestigation/inquiry. A questionnaire was usedto collect the data which was later analyzedusing several descriptive techniques such aspercentages, t-test, ANOVA, and chi-squaretest. The results of the study showed positiveand significant associations.

The findings revealed that ICT—^whenused properly in education along with tradi-tional instructor-led teaching and leamingstrategies—enhances effective knowledgedelivery; improves access to knowledge; en-courages effective critical thinking; enhancesstudent academic achievement; producesricher leaming outcomes; and thus, it cangenerally enhances both the quantity andquality of teaching and leaming. The studyalso discovered a statistically positive correla-tion between prior experiences with ICT andstudents' attitudes and anxiety toward ICT use(Ololube et al, 2009).

Another similar study was conducted byChandra and Lloyd (2008) at a co-educationalstate secondary school in Queensland, Aus-tralia investigating the impact of ICT use onstudents' achievement in science class overa two-year period. Participants were dividedinto two cohort groups. Both cohort 1 and co-hort 2 undertook the same semester programin terms of subject content. However, thedelivery method for instmction was changedover the time. In the first year, students were allenrolled in a chemistry class and instructionswere provided in a traditional manner. Where-as, in the second year, students in cohort 1group (i.e., traditional group) were enrolled ina physics class with instructions being deliv-ered using a fraditional leaming environment,while students in cohort 2 group (i.e., blend-ed group) were enrolled in the same physicsclass, but instructions were delivered using ablended leaming and teaching environmentutilizing ICT with traditional instructions.The two groups were of comparable size and

gender balance, as well as they evidenced asimilar mix of ethnic backgrounds. The teststhat were used for measuring students' per-formance were developed locally within theschool.

Both quantitative and qualitative meth-ods of analysis were deployed. Comparisonsbetween the cohorts and the pedagogicalapproaches were made. Paired sample t-testswere used to compare the means from thetests. Research findings derived from boththe quantitative and qualitative analysespronounced clearly that ICT, through ane-leaming intervention along with traditionalpedagogical approaches, did have a statisti-cally significant positive impact on students'achievement, in terms of improvement in testscores, as well as heightening students' en-gagement for the majorify of students in theblended group. However, this improvement inperformance was not equal or global amongall students. The results showed that the effectof ICT was evidenced differently within eachgroup as well as between and across differentgroups. Some participants showed reducednumerical outcomes despite a reported en-joyment of the altered leaming environment.The authors did not consider this outcomeas a surprising one, since it coincides witheducators' and researchers' beliefs, whichwere documented and recorded over the pastdecades in a tnyriad of studies, that differentteachers use different technologies as well asdifferent teaching and leaming methodologiesand strategies to achieve different outcomesmeasured in different ways (Chandra &Lloyd, 2008).

A different research study conducted byHarrison, Lunzer, Tytnms, Fitz-Gibbon, andRestorick (2004) in the United Kingdom(UK) on a national level to investigate thecorrelation between student performance onnational tests and ICT usage. The researchfocused on a blended pedagogical strategy ofteaching and leaming. This longitudinal study


was funded by the UK Department for Educa-tion and Skills (DfES) and measured students'relative gains in academic performance over atwo-year period. A total of 60 schools partic-ipated in the investigation, 27 were priinary,28 were secondary, and five were specialschools. The selected schools ensured gooddemographic representation.

A sample of 20 students was selected bya teacher research coordinator within eachschool in order to be representative of therelevant year-group as a whole. Data col-lected only from 55 schools (i.e., primaryand secondary) were used in the statisticalanalysis. Predictor scores for the participantswere obtained from the results of their publicexaminations (i.e., UK governmental nationaltests) for Key Stage 2 (KS2), Key Stage 3(KS3), and the General Certificate of Second-ary Education (GCSE) test for Key Stage 4(KS4) prior to the experimental year. Partici-pants' relative gain scores were obtained fromtheir scores in the governmental national testsduring the two-year period of the study andconstituted the principal measure of academicprogress used in this research.

The final analysis was based mainly onstudents' performance in tbose tests (i.e., priorand afrer the study) as well as their responses tothe survey questionnaires which they had com-pleted during the first year of the project andthe final year as well. Comparisons betweenand across the groups were made using simpleAnalysis of Variance (ANOVA). Three levelsof analysis were conducted on the collecteddata: (1) student-level analysis; (2) school-lev-el analysis; and (3) multilevel analysis.

The results of the study constituted verystrong evidence that curriculum-centered ICTusage along with traditional face-to-face ped-agogical methods do have a measurable effecton student's performance and attitudes. Theexistence of significant and linear advantageassociation between ICT usage and student'sachievement was clearly recorded throughout

the analyses and across disciplines (e.g., inEnglish, mathematics, science, modem for-eign language, geography, history, and designtechnology) and grade levels (Harrison et al,2004).

Thus, a wide range of scholarly researchstudies conducted over the past 15 years ormore attest the close linkages atnong scho-lastic success, ICT use, curricula's content,and blended leaming and teaching tnethod-ology—with students doing better in nationalstandardized tests, becoming more fascinatedand involved in their own studies, and evenhaving more fun leaming. ICT tools and thecontent they carry along with blended meth-ods of teaching and leaming have the poten-tial to create a solid foundation for promotingleamer/student-centered environments as wellas life-long leaming across all disciplines andgrade levels.

Methodology

Research DesignA quasi-experimental research model was

deployed to evaluate and identify the impactand usefulness of a blended pedagogicalmethodology of teaching and learning onstudents' education, motivation, and attitudes.This research design unveils a role modelblended leaming and teaching environment—where ICT tools are utilized and integratedinto teaching and leaming offline and onlinealike—and explores how such pedagogicalmethodology can be implemented efficientlyand effectively. This design provides a prag-matic and thorough descriptive analysis closeto the participants' experience. Therefore, ithelps elucidating the effect of blended leam-ing and teaching strategies on students' leam-ing, motivation, and attitudes with greaterclarity and understanding.

SampleA sample of 128 female undergraduate

students from the College of Education at


KU enrolled in six sections of an undergrad-uate-level course entitled "Computing inEducation 0840-235" for the Fall and Springsemesters 2010-2011 participated in this re-search study. The study involved the applica-tion of a blended model of teaching and leam-ing in only three sections (i.e., experimentalgroup). Whereas, another three sections (i.e.,confrol group) of the same course were taughtin a fraditional manner. Other extents of ex-ploitations were not included. The selectedsections included students from a variety ofmajors. The two groups were of comparablesize (i.e., 64 students in the experimentalgroup and 64 students in the control group)and gender balance, as well as they evinceda similar mix of academic and ethnic back-grounds. All participants were senior stu-dents. This academic cotirse is a three-creditcompulsory requirement for the professionalpreparation of all undergraduate students inthe College of Education.

Data CollectionThe study's data was collected over a

nine-month period. The academic coursetaught the same subject content by the sameinsfructor using different delivery methods forinstruction—a blended pedagogical approachof teaching and leaming versus a traditionalface-to-face instructor-led approach. The datawas collected in two phases. The first phasestarted in the Fall semester 2010-2011 wherethe researchers used a traditional face-to-faceinstmctor-led approach of teaching and leam-ing with the control group. However, in thesecond phase, which started in the Spring se-mester 2010-2011, the researchers exploiteda blended leaming and teaching environmentmodel, with the experimental group, whereinICT tools are effectively and efficiently uti-lized and integrated into teaching and leamingalong with traditional face-to-face instruction.

This instructional role model combines:(1) face-to-face instruction/fraining (i.e..

traditional teaching/leaming environment);(2) online instruction/training over the Web(i.e., online teaching/leaming environment)using a leaming management system and anonline fraining system; (3) cotnputer-basedinstmction/training using educational soft-ware; (4) Intemet/computer-based testing; (5)Intemet/computer-based standardized testing;(6) traditional testing; and (7) traditional cur-riculum/materials such as textbooks, trainingmanuals, and lectures' notes. In this model,the instructor role shifted from being merelya lecturer to a facilitator, a director, a monitor,and a mentor who: (1) provides resources andfacilities; (2) directs teaching and leaming;(3) monitors students' leaming progress; (4)inspires students to get involved in creatingtheir own leaming experiences; and (5) iden-tifies instructional and students' needs.

Moreover, in this facultative leaming/teaching blended environment, the research-ers incorporated Berge's (1995) four instruc-tor roles for moderating online discussions.Berge's model can be utilized to assist in-structors/facilitators to perfonn and executemultiple roles in online teaching/leaming en-vironments as well as traditional ones. Theseroles include: pedagogical, social, manageri-al, and technical. This model has the abilityto: (1) enhance the involvement of students inbuilding their own leaming; (2) augment theinvolvement of students with the course beingtaught; (3) accelerate students' persistenceand success; and (4) promote lifelong learn-ing/teaching environments for students of allages and across disciplines.

In addition, several means of inquiry, bothquantitative and qualitative, were utilizedfor data collection purposes in order to en-sure quality analysis and to obtain in-depthunderstanding of this new blended sfrategy.These measurement tools include: (1) inter-views; (2) observations; (3) traditional tests;(4) Intemet/computer-based assessments us-ing online leaming/fraining systems as well


as offiine educational software; (5) fonnaland informal standardized Intemet/com-puter-based tests utilizing the IntemationalComputer Driving Licence (ICDL) modules;(6) curriculum-based objectives-orientedprojects/assignments; (7) final grades; and (8)aftendance and participation logs/records.

Furthermore, the participants' demograph-ic data (e.g., name, university level, major,grade point average (GPA), gender, and ICTexperience) was also gathered. The research-ers assured all participants that their data ishighly confidential and will, only, be used forscientific research purposes. The data collec-tion was utterly conducted by the researchersthroughout the implementation period of theresearch.

Methods of AnalysisFor this study, various methods of analysis

were used to scrutinize the collected data. Thedescriptive analysis measures conducted werefrequency and percentage. These procedureswere used to describe and summarize thedemographic data. The inferential statisticsprocedure utilized for comparisons and/ordifferences between the confrol and experi-tnental group was Pearson's chi-square test.This measure was used to compare and testfor differences in the study's research ques-tions between the two groups with regardto several dependent variables (i.e., projectquality, final grade, number of online frain-ing courses aftended, number of ICDL teststaken, and number of absence days). Thesetechniques met the basic paramefric assump-tions required for their application. Whenperforming inferential tests, an alpha level(i.e., significance level) of 0.05 was selected.The findings of such tests assist scholars, ac-ademics, educators, teachers, adminisfrators,instructional technology leaders, profession-als, as well as policy and decision makersdetermine and define appropriate solutions toeducational challenges.

The collected data was interpreted on thebasis of objectives formulated. Each researchquestion is presented, analyzed, and discussedseparately and consecutively. The findings aredisplayed in tables. Each table is labeled toindicate the type of data being scrutinized.

Data AnalysisResearch Question No. 1 - Students'

Learning and Academic AchievementThis question tackles whether or not the

new approach does affect students' Ieam-ing and academic achievement? In orderto answer this question, information aboutstudents' performance in the class was col-lected and used as an indicator for academicachievement (i.e., project quality and finalgrade). The dependent variable "project qual-ity" was classified into three categories (i.e.,high, medium, and low quality). The factorvariable "final grade" was classified into fourcategories (i.e.. A, B, C, and D & F).

The first chi-square test for differenceswas performed to examine the differencesbetween the control and experimental groupwith regard to the "project quality" depen-dent variable. The difference between thetwo groups was significant, f{2, N = 128)= 23.40, p < 0.05, favoring the experimentalgroup. Analysis of the standardized residualsshowed that the experimental group studentswere more likely to submit high quality proj-ects than control group students (i.e., Std.Residual = 2.4).

The second chi-square test for differenceswas conducted to scrutinize the differencesbetween the control and experimental groupwith regard to the "final grade" dependentvariable. The difference between the twogroups was significant, x\3, A = 128) = 20.67,p < 0.05, favoring the experimental group too.Analysis of the standardized residuals indicat-ed that the confrol group students were morelikely to get "D's and F's" than experimentalgroup students (i.e., Std. Residual = 2.3).


Table 1.1 Frequencies and percentages of the control andexperimental group participants with regard to thedependent variable "project quality".

Group

Control

Experimental

Total

N

%

N

%

N

%

Project Quality

High

19

29.7

46

71.9

65

50.8

Medium

30

46.9

14

21.9

44

34.4

Low

15

23.4

4

6.3

19

14.8

Total

64

IOO.O

64

100.0

128

100.0

Table 1.2 Frequencies and percentages of the control andexperimental group participants with regard to thedependent variable "final grade".

Group

Control

Experimental

Total

N

%

N

%

N

%

Final Grade

A

25

39.1

43

67.2

68

53.1

B

11

17.2

15

23.4

26

20.3

C

15

23.4

5

7.8

20

15.6

D & F

13

20.3

1

1.6

14

10.9

Total

64

100.0

64

100.0

128

100.0

Research Question No. 2 - Students'Motivation and Attitudes

This question tackles whether or not thenew inethod does impact students' motivationand attitudes toward teaching and learning?In order to answer this question, informationabout students' behavior during the coursewas collected and used as an indicator for mo-tivation and attitudes (i.e., number of onlinefraining courses attended, number of ICDLtests taken, and number of absence days).The dependent variable "number of onlinetraining courses attended" was classified intothree categories (i.e., two or less, three to five,and six or more). The factor variable "numberof ICDL tests taken" was classified into fourcategories (i.e., none, two or less, three tofive, and six or more). The dependent variable

"number of absence days" was classified intothree categories (i.e., none, two or less, andthree or more).

The first chi-square test for differenceswas perfonned to examine the differencesbetween the control and experimental groupwith regard to the "number of online train-ing courses attended" dependent variable.The difference between the two groups wassignificant, x'(2, N = 128) = 27.36, p < 0.05,favoring the experimental group. Analysis ofthe standardized residuals showed that theexperimental group students were more likelyto attend six or more online training courses(i.e., Std. Residual = 2.8). Whereas, the con-trol group students were more likely to attendtwo or less online fraining courses (i.e., Std.Residual = 2.3).


The second chi-square test for differenceswas conducted to scrutinize the differencesbetween the control and experimental groupwith regard to the "number of ICDL teststaken" dependent variable. The difference be-tween the two groups was significant, x^(3, TV= 128) = 21.32, p < 0.05, favoring the exper-imental group too. Analysis of the standard-ized residuals indicated that the experimentalgroup students were more likely to take sixor more ICDL tests (i.e., Std. Residual = 2.2).However, the control group students weremore likely not to take any test (i.e., Std. Re-sidual = 2.3).

The third chi-square test for differenceswas performed to scan the differences be-tween the control and experitnental groupwith regard to the "number of absence days"dependent variable. The difference betweenthe two groups was significant, x\2,N= 128)

- 38.15, p < 0.05, favoring the experimentalgroup as well. Analysis of the standardizedresiduals revealed that the majorify of the ex-perimental group students were more likely toattend all classes (i.e., zero absence rate) (i.e.,Std. Residual = 2.9). While, the control groupstudents were more likely to be absent morethan two days (i.e., Std. Residual = 2.8).

DiscussionThis quasi-experimental research study

presents empirical evidences on the impactand usefijiness of a blended pedagogicaltnethodology of teaching and leaming onstudents' education, motivation, and attitudes.The findings are consistent with the literaturereviews provided in this paper as well as theassumptions postulated. The experimentalgroup participants outscored their counter-parts in the control group on their academic

Table 2.1 Frequencies and percentages of the control and experimental group participantswith regard to the dependent variable "number of online training courses attended"

Group

7

Control

Experimental

otal

A'

%

N

%

%

Number of Online Training Courses Attended

<2

51

797

23

35.9

74

57.8

3-5

8

12.5

14

21.9

22

17.2

>6

5

7.8

27

42.2

32

25.0

Total

64

IOO.O

64

100.0

128

100.0

Table 2.2 Frequencies and percentages of the control and experimental group participantswith regard to the dependent variable "number of ICDL tests taken"

Group

Control

Experimental

Total

N

%

N

%

N

%

Number of ICDL Tests Taken

None

39

60.9

15

23.4

54

42.2

<2

12

18.8

15

23.4

27

21.1

3-5

6

9.4

10

15.6

16

12.5

>6

7

10.9

24

37.5

31

24.2

Total

64

100.0

64

100.0

128

100.0


Table 2.3 Frequencies and percentages of the control and experimental group participantswith regard to the dependent variable "number of absence days"

Group

Control

Experimental

Total

N

%

A'

%

N

%

Number of Absence Days

None

17

26.6

51

79.7

68

53.1

<2

24

37.5

10

15.6

34

26.6

>3

23

35.9

3

4.7

26

20.3

Total

64

100.0

64

100.0

128

100.0

achievement, motivation, and attitudes. Thechi-square tests showed that the students inthe experimental group differ significantlythan the students in the control group. Theresults reveal that there are significant differ-ences between the two groups with respect to"project quality", "final grade", "number ofonline training courses attended", "number ofICDL tests taken", and "number of absencedays"; favoring the experimental group. Thestudents enrolled in the experimental groupsubmitted projects with better quality; eamedhigher final grades; attended rnore onlinetraining courses; took more ICDL tests; andthe majority attended all classes (i.e., had zeroabsence rate). These findings are consistentwith many studies conducted over the pastdecade. Additional empirical research studiesare anticipated to be conducted on a widescope covering different disciplines, gradelevels, and geographical locations. Thesestudies would be implemented utilizing addi-tional data collection tools and sfrategies inorder to address the limitation of this currentresearch study, which focused on a small sam-ple of participants.

Conclusions and Recommendations

The use of a blended pedagogical approachof teaching and leaming underlying the theo-retical perspectives of "constructivism" phi-losophy across all disciplines, grade levels.

socio-economic aspects, and geographical lo-cations has been sbown to be effective in edu-cation. Research studies over the past decadeshave presented clear evidences on the signif-icant impact of such strategy or approach onstudents education with regard to academicachievetnent, motivation, and attitudes to-ward teaching and leaming alike (Delialioglu,2012; Al-Saai, Al-Kaabi, & Al-Muftah, 2011 ;Ahmad, Shafie, & Janier, 2008; Pereira, Pleg-uezuelos. Men', Molina-Ros, Molina-Totnás,& Masdeu, 2007; Garrison & Kanuka, 2004).

The results of this study are cohesive/consistent with the literature presented inthis paper. The students enrolled in the ex-perimental group were significantly outscor-ing their counter peers in the control group.They submitted projects with better quality;eamed higher final grades; attended more on-line fraining courses; took more ICDL tests;and the majority attended all classes. Thesefindings imply that the potential of a blendedapproach of teaching and learning is endless.It can produce robust teaching and leamingenvironments and experiences. It can alsoreveal that teaching and leaming with suchmethod or sfrategy, while integrating and in-corporating ICT tools, can be fun.

Some recommendations that can serve as aplan—for Kuwait University, the Ministry ofEducation, and the Ministry of Higher Educa-tion— to consider are listed below:


1. Encouraging the teaching staff to uti-lize a blended approach of teachingand leaming that emphasizes on thetheoretical perspectives of the "con-structivism" philosophy;

2. Providing training sessions to theteaching staff on how effectively andefficiently a blended approach of teach-ing and leaming can be incorporatedand integrated within our educationalenvironments;

3. Facilitating the teaching staff withfraining sessions on how to efficientlyand effectively incorporate and inte-grate ICT tools within the curricula ina blended teaching and leaming envi-ronment and becoming competent inall four of Berge's online roles;

4. Developing additional assessmentsfrategies and measures, in order tomake the evaluation methods in theblended teaching and leaming envi-ronment more effective, efficient, andobjective;

5. An advisory committee consistingof teaching and leaming specialists,distance leaming adminisfrators, in-sfructional technologists, insfructionaldesigners, subject matter specialists,evaluation and measurement special-ists, experienced traditional and/oronline instructors, proficient traditionaland/or online leamers, and profession-als in the field of e-leaming should beformed; and

6. Additional empirical research studieson a wide range covering different dis-ciplines, grade levels, socio-economicaspects, and geographical locations areneeded to be conducted—in the Stateof Kuwait and the Arab Gulf Coop-eration Council as well as the MiddleEast region—in order to generate solid

measures of the blended teaching andleaming approach effectiveness andefficiencies on students' academicachievement, motivation, and attitudes.

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