152

International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research

Vol. 20, No. 2, pp. 152-173, February 2021
https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.20.2.9

Blended Learning in Rural Primary ESL

Classroom: Do or Don’t

Melanie Jerry
Sekolah Kebangsaan Dit, Debak, Sarawak
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6960-5994

Melor Md Yunus
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, Selangor
http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7504-7143

Abstract. The emergence of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) had

led to discussions of the constructive relationship between the
integration of technology and teaching and learning to meet society's
needs in the innovative era. However, despite the current technology
advancement, rural schools' circumstances propelled teachers to shy
away from integrating technology in their instruction. Therefore, this
paper presented a research to examine primary school teachers'
experiences and views on the application of blended learning in their
English language instruction using a mixed-method explanatory design.
A survey questionnaire was employed to collect data from 86 teachers
from schools in the Betong district, while a semi-structured interview
was designed and done with five teachers. Data from the questionnaire
were analysed descriptively, while the interview was analysed
thematically. The results illustrated that teachers lacked exposure and
adequate knowledge of blended learning. It was deduced that teachers
had mixed reactions towards blended learning, varying based on their
experiences. Teachers emphasised that the lack of facilities and
technological constraints, time, limited exposure and skills in ICT use,
and teacher readiness were the main challenges they encountered. This
study may serve as a building block towards the broad dissemination of
blended learning among teachers and serious consideration and
effective solutions for the problems faced in its adoption, particularly in
rural schools.

Keywords: blended learning; English teaching and learning;

educational technology; teachers experiences; Integration of technology

1. Introduction
Recently, due to the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, “the global disruption of
pre-existing curriculum resulted in the reinvention of educational practices
aimed at minimising the learning losses” (Polushkina & Tareva, 2021, p. 38).

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Such a fact could be witnessed across nations, and the Malaysian context is not
an exception. Accordingly, the Malaysian government had taken the measure to
pose Movement Control Order (MCO) throughout the country, which affected
society's norms, including the schooling period. During MCO's duration,
teachers across Malaysia were instructed to conduct online classes with their
students using Google Classroom or any digital modalities accessible and
convenient for both the teachers and students. This led to the discussions over
how online learning can be optimised primarily when it pertains to those in the
rural demographic setting. As Fitriani et al. (2021) said, teachers and students
may enjoy the benefits and face the challenges imposed by online teaching and
learning activities.

The merge of traditional face-to-face interaction with technology-mediated

learning known as blended learning conveyed the impression of an ideal
approach for education in the current digitally governed world. As elucidated
by Kim (2007), both traditional and online instruction's strengths and flaws can
be regulated by combining the potentials of the two into blended learning. In the
same vein, Hariharasudan and Kot (2018) corroborated the constructive
relationship between the integration of technology and teaching and learning to
meet society's needs in the innovative era. The dynamics of blended learning
should cater to the ever-changing perspectives on how a modern classroom
should serve as a learning space and what it can offer. The incorporation of
technology in the myriad scope of education, including English language
learning, conveyed the impression that it could be a catalyst to an effective
education system in the debate of preparing our youth for the demands of the
future world. Razali (2016) stated that evolving technologies had a major
influence on educational development.

Despite the initiatives taken by the Malaysian Ministry of Education (MoE) to

facilitate English language teaching and learning in the country, there is a
minimal significant effect on students' proficiency, particularly in rural schools.
English is commonly viewed as a difficult subject by students in this context,
which can be observed based on their classroom performances and assessments.
Undoubtedly, the English curriculum revision had considered students of
diverse learning settings (urban, suburban and rural) and allowed teachers to
adopt and adapt their lessons accordingly. However, inevitable issues and
concerns such as inadequate facilities and infrastructure, limited digital
accessibility, unfitting learning materials and resources, and insufficient
technological knowledge and skills in both educators and learners were in
existence.

Studies on blended learning in the context of tertiary education were widely

explored, but there is a need to widen the research in the context of primary
levels of education, as well as in English as a Second Language (ESL) setting,
particularly in rural schools in Malaysia. Therefore, the constructs in this
research explored teachers' experiences in implementing blended learning in
terms of its influences, successes and challenges. Administrators and other
decision-makers would strategize implementation protocols that augmented

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optimistic teacher expectations and blended learning pedagogy implementation

through learning about their perspectives on the approach's essence in their
teaching (Raymond, 2019). This is in line with the researcher’s objective to
observe the deliberation of blended learning as an avenue for the teaching and
learning of English in rural classrooms based on these experiences. From there, a
prospect to educate teachers, including other chief stakeholders, on the approach
can be initiated to optimise English language instruction effectiveness.

2. Literature Review
2.1. Technology Acceptance Model
Access did not necessarily instigate utilisation (Murphy, 2019). The TAM
(technology acceptance model) was used in this research to see whether
elementary school teachers were adamant about incorporating blended learning
(BL). TAM was created by Davis (1989) as a more accurate method of forecasting
technology acceptance and use. The original model had two key constructs:
perceived ease of use (PEU) and perceived utility (PU), which were used to
predict an individual's behavioural intention to implement technology, which
ultimately contributed to actual use. As discovered by Al-Azawei, Parslow and
Lundquist (2017), the influences on PEU and PU may indicate the indirect
impact on perceived satisfaction (PS) and intention to use (ITU). Based on this,
TAM was used to examine whether teachers perceived blended learning as a
relevant and useful instructional strategy and review how difficult it is to
develop blended learning opportunities. The aim of this study was to look at the
perspectives, causes, and challenges that primary school teachers face while
using blended learning instructional methods. To meet these aims, computer
self-efficacy, prior online learning experience, and teaching beliefs were the
three variables in correspondence to TAM constructs to gather information on
teacher’s perceptions based on their experiences, factors and challenges posed.

2.2. Teacher Perceptions of Blended Learning

Teacher acceptance could be defined as the teacher's willingness to explore and
understand how a contemporary method, strategy or technique fits best for the
betterment of their teaching and learning. It could reflect their knowledge and
skills advancement in the subject matter, to develop professionally and become
true teachers of current times. Teacher acceptance is an important element for
the adoption of emerging technological tools and innovations. Thus, research
into which variables influenced the technology perspectives of teachers leading
to their intention to use them or not to use them was significant (Murphy 2019).
This implies that teacher acceptance can be determined based on the diverse
features of BL that could either increase or hamper their inclination to adopt and
use the approach. Gough et al. (2017) supported the notion of teacher acceptance
as they believed that teachers' satisfaction and acceptance of emerging
technologies, processes, and how they fit into their teaching were imperative for
acceptance and subsequent usage.

2.3. Influences and Successes of Blended Learning

Sorbie (2015) outlined teachers' perceptions towards the approach, which
indicated a direct relationship between the influences of blended learning on

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teaching and learning and the successes of its implementation. As teachers

became aware of the potential of blended learning in elevating teaching practice
and instruction, they could see the relevance in adopting and aligning the
approach in suitable ways for their curriculum and students. In this line of
thought, it should be noted that becoming aware of a pedagogical need for
change is the first step in the blended learning implementation process
(Bruggeman et al., 2021). Because teachers had the first-hand contact with
students as the front liners in the education setting and the main implementers
of educational policies, thus, it was crucial that teachers took proactive measures
to be well-informed of the educational transformations to ensure that their
teaching styles stayed relevant and they continued to develop professionally.
With adequate knowledge and skills, they would be able to guide students and
build competent individuals who could thrive through the era of digitalisation.
The need to improve the acquisition of blended knowledge and digital skills by
teachers was associated with the provision of quality education and the
promotion of versatility for teachers (Jachin & Usagawa, 2017). Ultimately,
teaching values had a strong impact on the educational decisions of the teacher.
Cleveland-Innes and Wilton (2018) described blended learning as a platform for
instruction and learning experiences by merging traditional face-to-face and
online learning. In the blended approach, a teacher took on the role of a
facilitator as students were expected to direct the pace and timing of their
learning. This is in line with the current CEFR-aligned English language
curriculum, whereby student autonomy in learning was emphasised.
Padmadewi, Artini & Agustini (2020) advocated the importance of autonomous
learning to equip students in order to survive in the 21st century. Apart from
developing students’ ICT skills, blended learning could assist in developing
teachers’ digital skills by allowing them to use devices, technological-based tools
and resources in its implementation. Consequently, learning was made easy as
information can be accessed online anywhere and at any time along with the
device to use and good internet connection (Hamouda, 2018; Wahab, Zain &
Yunus, 2018). In regard to face-to-face instruction, time-saving was discovered
as an advantage of blended learning (Sorbie, 2015; Oweis, 2018). When teachers
were adept at using the blended approach, they could organise their time and
manage lesson-related work more effectively. The cost-effectiveness of blended
learning was also highlighted, as agreed by Oweis (2018) and Xu et al. (2020).
The achievements recorded in previous blended learning studies demonstrated
a clear indicator of the positive effects of blended learning on students'
achievement and performance across the four major skills of the English
language (Huang, 2019; Challob, Nadzrah & Hafizah, 2016; Ghazidadeh &
Fatemipour, 2017; Krishnan & Yunus, 2019; Shih et al., 2015; Said et al., 2013).
Students with blended learning experiences showed improvement and
developed proficiency at a higher rate as compared to their peers who did not.
Furthermore, a boost in students’ motivation, participation and engagement
during English lessons could be observed (Oweis, 2018; Albiladi & Alshareef,
2019; Krishnan &Yunus, 2019; Mustapha et al., 2010). The positive attitudes
could be attributed to the integration of technology in teaching and learning, as
it steered away from the common classroom environment with added fun and

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interactive elements. Another significant impact of blended learning on English

teaching and learning was the increase in engagement and cooperation among
students with their peers and teachers. In this respect, Majid and Stapa (2017)
stated that blended learning helped to establish positive relationships within the
learning space. It is noteworthy to mention that the success of the approach
depended on the rapport between students and teachers (Krishnan & Yunus,
2019; Kintu, Zhu & Kagambe, 2017).
Blended learning also has a positive effect on the learning environment and
experience. The approach allowed for personalisation and students' interests to
take place (Krishnan &Yunus, 2019; Huang, 2019). In other terms, lessons were
designed to cater to various learning preferences and styles. Students are able to
enjoy the process through technology-mediated learning in blended lessons
(Ying & Yang, 2016). Blended learning also offered the opportunity to have
direct experience in using digital devices and tools. Moreover, scaffold learning
was promoted through the blended approach, where constant communication
and feedback exchanges occured to guide the less proficient students (Majid &
Stapa, 2017). Hence, blended learning can transform the learning atmosphere
into a more meaningful experience and conducive environment. Additionally,
Wahab et al. (2017) depicted blended learning as a solid example of student-
centred learning that could produce independent and life-long learners, as they
were given the prospect of managing their own learning.
2.4. Challenges Faced by Teachers in Blended Learning Implementation
The challenges in blended learning implementation provided sound
justifications as to why a blended learning endeavour was ineffective and why
teachers resisted technology infusion in teaching and learning, leading towards
their disinclination to adopt the system. Blended learning required satisfactory
technological facilities and resources for online learning. Johnson et al. (2016)
elucidated that they still find it difficult to implement modern education
technology seamlessly and efficiently, even though teachers typically embraced
and appreciated the advantages of educational technologies.

Oweis (2018) investigated the effects of blended learning on tertiary level

students' achievement and motivation to learn English. They found several
barriers that impeded blended learning implementation. These barriers were
observed to have an effect on both learners and teachers. As the use of
technological tools was the essence of blended learning, preparation and
availability of such resources were vital in order to ensure its smooth operation
of the instruction. However, it was discovered that the technical resources were
inadequate and internet connectivity was poor, apart from the apparent high
maintenance cost of the facilities. Furthermore, teachers commented that
blended learning instruction preparation and evaluation took a large amount of
time, which posed time constraints to the teachers. Another barrier pinpointed
in the study was the concern over plagiarism regarding students' work and the
credibility of materials accessed from the Internet.

Conversely, Hamouda (2018) found contrasting challenges to blended learning

implementation. The previous research, that considered student-teacher

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interaction as a vital factor to blended learning success, reported that lack of

face-to-face interactions and social isolation played a part to impede a good
blended learning experience. Due to the limited interaction and communication,
students faced difficulty in following instructions given by the teachers apart.
From the opinions and feelings towards the blended approach, students had the
tendency to cheat in their tasks and were not interested in attending classes, be it
face-to-face or online, as they saw it as a waste of time. Students' lack of
technological skills and great need for support also contributed to their
indifference towards blended learning instruction. Similar to Oweis' (2018)
findings, slow connectivity was an obstruction for the ease of blended learning
employment. On the other hand, teachers expressed dissatisfaction as there was
a decline in teacher's efficiency due to pressure and workload, which led to
unorganised blended learning materials.

Parallel to Oweis (2018) and Hamouda (2018), Albiladi and Alshareef (2019)
offered a comprehensive explication on the stumbling blocks of blended
learning implementation, wherein the digital divide and technology challenges
were significant hindrances in blended learning adoption. As clarified by the
researchers, the digital divide referred to the ICT available to individuals or
societies of the different socioeconomic spectrum. As for teachers, they needed
support in terms of technological and pedagogical aspects, including
instructional teaching. They also had difficulties in managing materials that
were culturally appropriate and familiar for students, setting attainable goals
and objectives for students and having insufficient time to conduct the lesson
and complete their work. Moreover, outside-of-classroom challenges were a
matter for teachers to monitor consistently. The researchers also identified that
finding the balance between using new technology innovation and producing
cost-effective results was strenuous for teachers. Other challenges consisted of
the amount of interaction in both face-to-face and online learning modes, and
the types of blended learning activities students participatef in and how their
teachers can facilitate them.

In addition, lack of understanding of blended learning hindered blended

learning adoption by teachers (Shebansky, 2018). Likewise, the lack of training
led to uncertainty and doubts in implementing BL in their instruction. This is in
synchronization with Johnson et al.'s (2016) proposition, who suggested that
teachers would be incapable of using technologies to their full potential without
effective and continuous professional development, which in turn would lead to
interminable citation of inadequate professional development as a major
hindrance to technology integration. Xu et al. (2020) stated that insufficient high-
quality English instructors were the cause of reluctance in blended learning
adoption. Besides, the search and selection process for relevant materials were
considered tedious, while the material development was perceived as time-
consuming. The lack of technical support, as a recurring barrier, was a
substantial reason for the hampered adoption of blended learning. It was also
deduced that high time commitment impeded the willingness to implement
blended learning.

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Hence, this research hoped to gain richer insights into teachers' experiences
blended in English language teaching and learning, mainly in rural Sarawak.
Such an endeavour would contribute to the body of knowledge as there were
limited studies on teacher blended experiences in their teaching and learning of
English, especially at the primary school level in Malaysia. Therefore, this
research aimed to explore the teachers’ experiences and challenges in the
implementation of blended learning in primary ESL classrooms by answering
the following research questions:
RQ1: What are the teachers’ experiences in the implementation of blended
learning in the teaching and learning of English?

RQ2: What are the challenges faced by teachers in the implementation of

blended learning in primary ESL classrooms?

3. Methodology
This research employed a mixed-method design in an explanatory sequential
structure. The triangulation and integration of both quantitative and qualitative
data analysis were observed throughout the research process to authenticate the
gathered data from both means of data collection used in this research work. The
conceptual framework for this study was as follows:

Technology
Acceptance Model
Blended learning in
(Davis, 1085)
rural primary ESL
classroom
WEBLEI (Chang &
Fisher, 2009)
Teacher

Experiences
Larsen (2012)
Factors

Challenges

Figure 1. Conceptual Framework

3.1. Participants
Purposive sampling was used to select samples of the study from a population
of 108 primary school English teachers. It was done based on the Krejcie and
Morgan’s (1970) table. A total of 86 English teachers teaching in primary schools
under the Betong District Education Office (PPD Betong) participated in the
survey. Following the COVID-19 outbreak leading to the closures of schools
nationwide, teachers had been conducting online classes. They were encouraged
by the Pejabat Pendidikan Daerah (PPD) to participate in online workshops,
webinars, and meetings with experts and high-performing teachers to up-skill
themselves, particularly in managing online and blended learning. This was
dependent on the teacher’s will and determination to do so. The next step
included screening and determining teachers who were willing to participate in

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the interview. Five teachers were interviewed voluntarily, who responded in the
survey that they were willing to be interviewed.

3.2. Research Instruments

Two research instruments were used to collect data for this research: a
questionnaire and interview. The study instrument was replicated from Larsen
(2012). The questionnaire was divided into a pre-questionnaire and Web-Based
Learning Environment Inventory (WEBLEI) by Chandra and Fisher (2009). The
quantitative data were collected using a questionnaire, which was administered
via Google Form. The answers to these questions gave insight into formulating
questions for the interview. A background questionnaire was mandatory
conducted in order to get an accurate and intricate view of teacher participants.
In the survey, teachers were asked to fill in a set of preliminary questions to
view their teaching experiences and how familiar they were with ICT use and
blended learning. Regarding the reliability of WEBLEI, the questionnaire had
been tested twice for slightly different applications in Chang and Fisher (2003)
and Chandra and Fisher (2009). The Cronbach alpha coefficient for the four
scales, namely 'Emancipatory activities', 'Co-participatory activities', 'Qualia' and
'Information structure and design' in the survey ranged from 0.78 to 0.86, and
the fifth scale (facilitation scale) showed a very high level of reliability at α = .902
(Larsen, 2012)
An individual semi-structured interview which was adopted from Sorbie (2015)
was carried out after collecting data from the survey. The interviews were done
using Google Meet and Zoom applications due to meeting restrictions and
adaptation to the new normal following the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak. Each
interview lasted from 30 to 45 minutes in length, for those interviewees who
were comfortable and approved of the time spent. The participants were asked
open-ended questions created by the researcher, followed by probes. The broad
nature of the interview questions encouraged teachers to expand on their
experiences with blended learning and how it had affected them as teachers and
their students.

3.3. Research Procedure

There were several steps taken by the researcher prior to conducting the
research:
Approval was sought from the Malaysian Ministry of Education (MoE) by
applying through the Education Research Application System 2.0 (eRAS 2.0).
i. Jabatan Pendidikan Negeri Sarawak (JPNS) was notified of the approval.
ii. The approval was forwarded to PPD Betong to get the final consent by
the Head of PPD to proceed.
iii. A letter addressed to school headmasters was issued for them to be
notified. The letter contained the Google Form link to the survey and the
survey details.
iv. A letter that was addressed to respondents who agreed to be interviewed
was issued. The preferred meeting platform and time were discussed and
decided between the researcher and respondents.

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The research data collection duration took four weeks, whereby both the survey
and interview were to be completed within a two-week time frame. This gave
them ample time to complete the survey and prepare themselves for the
interview. Once the data were collected, they were analysed quantitatively and
qualitatively. Data from the survey were coded and entered as 1 (Strongly
Disagree), 2 (Disagree), 3 (Neither Agree nor Disagree), 4 (Agree), and 5
(Strongly Agree) using SPSS. Statistical measurements such as frequency and
percentage were determined. The interviews were recorded, transcribed, and
tabulated. Transcriptions were compared, allowing for categories and themes to
emerge through the six-step thematic coding (Braun & Clarke, 2006).

4. Findings
4.1. Data from the Survey

Table 1. Teachers’ Experiences in the Implementation of Blended Learning in the

Teaching and Learning of English
Item Strongly Somewhat Neither Agree Strongly
Disagree Disagree Agree or (%) Agree
(%) (%) Disagree (%)
(%)
1. After getting the BL 0 11.6 (10) 37.2 (32) 48.8(42) 2.3 (2)
training, I felt
pedagogically ready
to teach English.
2. I received the BL 0 23.3 (20) 50.0 (43) 26.7 (23) 0
pedagogical support
I needed during the
teaching and
learning of English.
3. I had enough 0 7.0 (6) 40.7 (35) 44.2 (38) 8.1 (7)
influence on English
content and
activities.
4. There was a good 0 22.1 (19) 37.2 (32) 29.1 (25) 11.6 (10)
balance between
online and
classroom activities.
5. The online and 2.3 (2) 19.8 (17) 46.5 (40) 24.4 (21) 7.0 (6)
classroom activities
integrated well.
6. I made an effort to 0 16.3 (14) 39.5 (34) 36.0 (31) 8.1 (7)
integrate classroom
and lab activities
with each other.
7. I felt technically 2.3 (2) 7.0 (6) 37.2 (32) 39.5 (34) 14.0 (12)
prepared to teach
English.
8. I received the 0 15.1 (13) 45.3 (39) 34.9 (30) 4.7 (4)
technical support I
needed during the
teaching and
learning of English.

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9. Using BL did not 0 7.0 (6) 47.7 (41) 36.0 (31) 9.3 (8)
make English more
demanding to teach.
10. My teaching style 0 14.0 (12) 46.5 (40) 19.8 (17) 19.8 (17)
matches well with
BL.
11. The online activities 0 23.3 (20) 46.5 (40) 24.4 (21) 5.8 (5)
worked well.
12. The classroom 0 7.0 (6) 39.5 (34) 40.7 (35) 12.8 (11)
activities worked
well.

The results can be summarised by saying that neutral responses were given to
half of the items in this section of the questionnaire, accounting to six out of 12
items (Items 2, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11). Even so, 6 out of 12 items demonstrated positive
feedback from the participants, in which they either agreed or strongly agreed to
the statements. All 12 items received negative responses amounting from 2.3% at
a minimum and up to 23.3% at a maximum, to which their responses were either
to disagree or strongly disagree.

Table 2. Challenges in Implementing Blended Learning

Item Difficult Somewhat Neither Somewhat Strongly
(%) Difficult Easy or Easy Easy
(%) Difficult (%) (%)
(%)
13. Getting technical 3.5 (3) 22.1 (19) 55.8 (48) 12.8 (11) 5.8 (5)
support was…
14. Managing the 8.1 (7) 31.4 (27) 33.7 (29) 36.7 (23) 0
online activities
was…
15. Managing the 0 4.7 (4) 37.2 (32) 48.8 (42) 9.3 (8)
classroom
activities was…
16. Integrating the 2.3 (2) 22.1 (19) 44.2 (38) 29.1 (25) 2.3 (2)
online and
classroom
activities was…

Similar to the findings gathered from the previous part of the questionnaire,
respondents once again showed mixed responses towards the statements on
blended learning challenges. They were mostly neutral towards item 13 and
contributed higher percentage to a negative response, indicating that it was
difficult to get technical support. This could be attributed to the lack of technical
experts amongst them. Item 16 also mostly gained neutral responses, signifying
the respondents' doubt towards combining the two modes of classroom
activities. They showed a strong positive reaction towards item 15, in which they
indicated the simplicity and familiarity in managing classroom activities. There
was a clear picture of how the respondents felt about managing the two types of
activities. While they reacted positively towards classroom activities, they
responded discouragingly towards item 14 (managing online activities).

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4.2. Data from Semi-Structured Interview

4.2.1. Teachers’ Experiences in the Implementation of Blended Learning in the Teaching
and Learning of English

Table 3. Teacher Perceptions

Sub-themes Selected Interview Excerpts
"…allows me to diversify my teaching
strategies…motivate, discipline, self-direct
and manage my pupils' time wisely."
Development of "…allows me to be more technology savvy
teacher’s knowledge by employing an appropriate amount of IT
and skills to improve my teaching practice."
Teacher Perceptions
"…deliver contents in various and
interesting ways."
“…helps a lot in enhancing my assessment
style…”
“…select appropriate materials to be used”
“…enjoy learning with the presence of all
those technological tools…”
“…can use laptops in learning…”
Use of technology
and gadgets “…flexible enough to allow pupils to have
access to internet…”
“Teachers and students are also exposed
with advanced collaboration tools and
technology during online discussions, quick
messages and feedback from teachers and
students.”
Cost-effectiveness "…more cost-effective compared to that of
physical learning"
“…activities can be conducted online which
saves a lot of money”
Easy access to “…could get a lot of examples online…could
information access any platform…”
“…high quality online educational websites
and applications…”
“…get the information directly from the
internet and…can immediately share the
ideas”
“…can easily and quickly access everything
as long as we have internet connection”
“Content, materials and references can be
accessed any time.”

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There are two main themes discussed in this section, namely (i) Teacher
Perceptions and (ii) Successes in Blended Learning. The first recorded sub-theme
was the development of teacher's knowledge and skills. The teachers' feedback
gave a description of how teachers viewed blended learning implementation as
a chance for them to upgrade professionally by broadening their knowledge on
the latest teaching pedagogy and methodology, and the necessity to possess
commendable ICT skills in order to use technology effectively and smoothly.
This could be demonstrated by the responses given by the teachers such as
"…allowed me to be more technology savvy by employing an appropriate amount of IT
to improve my teaching practice". It was made known during the interviews that
blended learning promoted the use of technology and gadgets. Students are
inclined to be more engaged and enjoy learning more as technology offered
interactive features and colourful visuals, which led to teacher satisfaction upon
seeing students enjoying the lessons. On an important note, the interactive
nature of the technology allowed for active collaboration and immediate
feedback.

Another sub-theme considered was the cost-effectiveness of blended learning.

Online learning could help to reduce the cost of material preparation. Instead of
spending money to make posters and print worksheets, teachers can opt for the
use of technology to deliver their lesson and run their classroom activities.
YouTube videos, interactive PowerPoint slides, and online quiz applications
such as Quizizz and Kahoot! were among the tools teachers commonly used. A
respondent stated that using blended learning is "…more cost-effective compared to
that of physical learning”. Easy access to information was also a theme revealed
from the interviews. There are unlimited resources to English language learning,
especially now when technology integration in education continued to grow. An
example pertaining to this theme is that “Students can explore information easily on
their own”.

Table 4. Successes of Blended Learning

“…more engaged to the assessment…”
"…motivate them to participate actively in
the classroom."
“…paid full attention as much as their
Increase in participation, interest towards the learning”
engagement and “attract learners’ attention and interest
motivation to learn towards their learning”
English “…more motivated to learn and compete
healthily…”
Successes of “…helps to increase my pupils’ motivation
Blended Learning and interest in learning”
“…motivated to learn everyday as they have
fun during the lesson”
“…allows pupils to enjoy themselves…”
“provides learners more opportunities to
Enhancement of
learn…”
Learning Environment
“…interesting to learn…not familiar with
and Experience
all those technology materials and online
media”
“…nature of BL is multisensory and

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interesting for pupils…”

“It makes my lesson and teaching/learning
environment more interactive and attractive
than the traditional way.”
“…learn better through visuals or pictures”
“…motivation & confidence from the
students themselves when voicing out their
ideas whenever they find something
interesting on the web”
“Lesson can be delivered in various fun
ways virtually.”
“…understand the learning content
easily…deepens their understanding…”
“…enhance learners’ understanding”
“indirectly being exposed to a lot of learning
Increase in students’
techniques that can help … my students to
language achievement in
comprehend the lesson better…”
English language
“…help students to understand the contents
of the lesson better as they can easily and
quickly access to the unknown
knowledge…”
“…broadens classroom discussion…”
“…improves learners’ collaboration”
“…increasing interaction with peers”
“…ample of opportunities to interact and to
Interaction and
express ideas…”
Collaboration among
“…compete not only with their friends in
Students and Teachers
the classroom…with other pupils all around
Malaysia…around the world”
“…more interactive as the students are
eager to share the information that they get
from the internet to the class…”
“…allows pupils to move at their own pace”
“…online learning environment promises
learners a place where they have controlled
Autonomous and Self-
over their own learning”
paced Learning
“…learn at their own comfortable and
healthy pace”
“Students can move through content and
tasks at their own pace.”

The first theme that surfaced frequently was the increase in participation,
engagement and motivation to learn English. Some examples of that illustrated
how blended learning could improve students’ motivation were: “…more
motivated to learn and compete healthily…”, and “…helped to increase my pupils’
motivation and interest in learning”. A respondent also mentioned that her
students were“…more engaged to the assessment…” when it was done online. This
implied that students were able to concentrate on the task better through online
means of assessment as compared to written ones. Also, blended learning can
attract students’ attention towards learning English as illustrated by the
comment that it “attracted learners’ attention and interest towards their learning”.

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 165

Blended learning can enhance learning environment and experience. Online

learning did not only spice up students learning through fun and meaningful
media, but also gave them the opportunity to use gadgets and devices. As
shared by a respondent, it has been expressed that her students “learn better
through visuals or pictures.”In parallel, students found security and comfort in
their learning environment, leading them to be active and involved during the
activities. By way of illustration, the interviewees highlighted that blended
learning “provided learners more opportunities to learn…” and “…the nature of BL
was multisensory and interesting for pupils…”.
Blended learning had a positive effect on students’ language achievement in the
English language. In this concern, teachers agreed that blended learning could
enhance students’ understanding in English language learning, in which they
stated that students “…understood the learning content easily…, and deepened their
understanding…”. A teacher added that blended learning led her to discover new
methods, strategies and techniques in English language teaching, in which she
said that it “indirectly exposed to a lot of learning techniques that can help … my
students to comprehend the lesson better…”. Another prominent theme highlighted
was autonomous and self-paced learning. Teachers agreed that blended learning
encouraged students to learn at their own pace and timing. Some examples of
feedback indicating this were the fact that “…online learning environment promised
learners a place where they had control over their own learning” and “…learned at their
own comfortable and healthy pace.” Additionally, "interaction and collaboration
among students and teachers" is another theme recognised, whereby blended
learning allowed them to remain in contact to discuss and collaborate on their
learning tasks. This was congruent with teachers’ feedback statements saying
that “Blended learning helped to connect teachers with students without physically
being present”, and “increased interaction with peers”.

4.2.2. Challenges Faced by the Teachers in Implementing Blended Learning in Rural

Primary ESL Classrooms
Four challenges were identified based on teachers’ feedback and responses: (i)
inadequate facilities and technological constraints, (ii) time consumption, (iii)
lack of exposure and skills in ICT use, and (iv) teacher readiness. Table 5
summarized these challenges, while table 6 covered some responses gathered
from the interviewees in respect the challenges being highlighted.

Table 5. Challenges Faced by Teachers in the Implementation of Bended Learning

Challenges Teacher’s Concerns
Inadequate facilities and i. poor internet connection
technological constraints ii. inadequacy of facilities
iii. expensive maintenance fee
iv. lack of technical experts
Time-consuming and increased i. need more time to arrange the activities and select
workload tasks appropriate for the two modes of learning
ii. a decline in teacher's efficiency
Lack of exposure and skills i. inability to perform tasks and participate actively
towards the use of ICT among students
ii. inability to conduct online classes effectively
among teachers

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 166

Teacher readiness i. inclined to fall back to familiar teaching styles;

ones that they have practised for a long time and
have seen results with

Table 6. Challenges of Blended Learning with Interviewees’ Statements

Challenges Selected Interview Excerpts
“…have limited numbers of laptop…”
“The school facilities…there are no LCD and computer provided for
every classroom”
“…poor internet connection in my school area…affects the delivery of
Inadequate facilities the lesson”
and technological ““…it depends on the classroom size as well as I’ve mentioned earlier,
constraints with the lack of devices to use, my students have to share with one
another…”
“…expenses to afford them, technical issues…”
“The school facilities and internet connection”
“…poor internet or technology access…”
“Using blended learning in my classroom needs me to prepare more
for the lesson…”
“…need to adapt the content for blended learning…ensure the quality
of the instructional processes…takes a lot of time”
Time consumption “…in terms of time management,… still struggling…”
“…Time consuming in preparing materials and to get feedback and
outcomes…”
“…Extend timeframe for students to complete tasks given due to low
self-motivation among students…”
“Pupils were not exposed to technology…”
“…most of them are not familiar with all those technology materials
and online media”
Lack of exposure and “If every student is provided with good technical aspects and IT
skills in ICT use literacy, blended learning can be easily implemented and arouse
students’ interest in learning…meaningful impact on learning
experience or they will fall behind due to family economy support and
challenges with management in an online setting.”
“…comfortable…enriches learning experiences…suits their current
learning environment… convenient to learners who…hardly to use
technologies throughout their learning”
“…blended learning functions as an ‘enhancement tool’ you
Teacher Readiness
know…to the traditional face-to-face interaction”
(Preference of
“Teacher may struggle with as the workload is significantly higher
traditional face-to-face
due to number of classes and subjects to be taught….”
instruction over online
“Teacher prefers face-to-face class to make sure the contents of the
learning)
lesson are delivered fluently and students achieve the learning
objectives during the live time lesson because not all students have
strong communication and collaboration skills in technology…Direct
supervision…increase motivation”

The main challenge faced was inadequate facilities and technological constraints.
Among the responses received were those related to “limited numbers of
laptop…”and “…poor internet connection in my school area” as claimed by the
interviewee. The same participant also talked about how the class size affected
the smoothness of blended lesson delivery, and this is felt in the following

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 167

excerpts wherein “…it was depended on the classroom size as well as I’ve mentioned
earlier, with the lack of devices to use, my students had to share with one another…”.
The larger the class size, the more facilities such as laptops were needed for
students’ individual use. A teacher shared that revisitation of a particular task
was bound to happen due to the lack of technological infrastructure and access;
as the participant had to “redo the same learning content in a hardcopy (worksheet)
for students when it came to poor internet/technology access in order to ensure every
student was updated with the content or knowledge.” Bearing in mind that the
teachers were working in rural schools, and consequently students may not had
“…expenses to afford them…” and there may be difficulties in getting experts to
resolve “technical issues”.

Next, the challenge reported by teachers was that implementing blended

learning was time consuming. The responses recorded that teachers “…were
required to adapt the content for blended learning…ensure the quality of the
instructional processes…took a lot of time” and “…in terms of time management,
…still struggling…”. However, two respondents mentioned that blended
learning helped to save time in lesson delivery. Planning blended lessons may
require a lot of time but teachers perceived to reduce delivery or teacher’s
presentation time. A response signifying this was that it “…helped save time rather
than giving long explanations”. Another challenge posed towards students was the
lack of exposure and skills in ICT use, as indicated by three respondents. From
their point of view; “If every student was provided with good technical aspects and IT
literacy, blended learning can be easily implemented and arouse students’ interest in
learning…meaningful impact on learning experience or they will fall behind due to
family economy support and challenges with management in an online setting.” This
implied that without adequate competency in handling ICT among students,
blended learning effectiveness may be affected, and they may find it
burdensome, instead of enjoying the learning process.

Furthermore, a challenge experienced by teachers themselves in blended

learning was teacher readiness. This was regarding their preference of
traditional face-to-face instruction over online learning. A teacher’s comments
were“…comfortable…enriches learning experiences…suit their current learning
environment… convenient to learners who…hardly to use technologies throughout their
learning”. Hence, this showed that the respondent still believed in the
significance of having face-to-face interaction. Another teacher justified that“not
all students had strong communication and collaboration skills in technology.” The
same interviewee stood firm on the perception that “teachers and students in rural
areas required the physical presence or face-to-face practices regarding the contents and
delivery of lessons to enhance their knowledge and learning behaviour.” Based on the
respondent’s experiences on teaching in rural areas, depending on technology
alone would be insufficient and irrelevant.

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 168

5. Discussion
5.1. Teachers’ Experiences in the Implementation of Blended Learning

minimal
knowledge
on blended
promotes open to the
learning
autonomy idea of
and self- applying
paced blended
learning learning

enhances enrich
learning teacher’s
environment knowledge
and and upgrade
experience Teachers’ their skills
Experiences in
the
Implementation
of Blended
positive Learning
influence on
promotes
students’
the use of
participation
ICT
and
engagement

a convenient
means of could save
searching time in
and English
obtaining instruction
information cost-
effective

Figure 2. Teacher Experiences in Blended Learning

The major finding obtained from this study was that teachers have minimal
knowledge on blended learning. This was illustrated by the mixed reactions
teachers had on the application of blended learning in the primary ESL
classroom. This could also be attributed to the limited exposure teachers had in
blended learning. This finding was in congruence with the study of Ying and
Yang (2016), in which academics probably provided vague feedback and
expressed the shortcomings of blended learning as an indication of them being
unfamiliar with the approach. Despite the lack of knowledge teachers had on
blended learning, the answers provided suggested that they were still able to
relate it to their teaching practices over the years within the traditional face-to-
face classroom, and their attempts in using ICT in their teaching and learning
practices. On the subject of ‘perceived usefulness’ (PU) in TAM (Davis, 1989),
teachers may be unaware and uninformed about the probability of blended
learning in enhancing their teaching practice. This could explain their lack of
recognition towards blended learning as a potential strategy to help improve
English instruction. The mixed views could also be associated with the limited
number of teachers who had never applied blended learning method and those
who had never gone for blended learning training. As advocated by Bruggeman
et al. (2020), for effective blended learning implementation, a detailed
understanding and knowledge of the pedagogical concept was needed.

Focusing on the positive influences blended learning had, the results suggested
that teachers were open to the idea of applying blended learning in the teaching
and learning of English. Based on the questionnaire's feedback, many

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 169

respondents (40.7%) agreed that blended learning offered a good balance

between online and classroom activities. In the words of a respondent,
“…Blended learning was a style of learning that provided learners more opportunities to
learn in two major ways…”. The same respondent described the traditional face-
to-face interaction as ‘convenient to learners’ especially in a rural classroom setting
where students hardly had the luxury of owning gadgets and online learning as
‘enhancement tool’ that complements face-to-face instruction. This could be an
impetus for teachers to consider the use of blended learning and what
affordances it had to offer in their classrooms.

Apart from that, respondents acknowledged that they put in efforts to integrate
the two activities (traditional face-to-face and online learning), accounting for a
total of 44.1% of those who agreed to the matter despite having the opinion that
combining the two modes were difficult. This contrasts with the concept of
'perceived ease of use' (PEU) in TAM (Davis, 1989), which promoted the
tendency of individuals to use a particular system when it was free of effort. In
this case, the teachers chose to commit through the complexity of managing two
modes of activities. This is in line with the findings of Ibrahim and Nat (2019), in
which they discovered that the instructors' motivation to use blended learning
was unaffected by their academic workload.

Blended learning had positively impacted the education landscape in various

ways. The benefits of blended learning were as follows:
(i) Enriched teacher’s knowledge and upgraded their skills in many
aspects such as pedagogical knowledge and digital competency,
(ii) Promoted the use of ICT with set of skills mandatory for the future
generation to thrive in the future world, thus making it appropriate
and relevant for learners to be exposed and trained to use technology
competently,
(iii) Saved teaching and learning time as teachers were more organised
and prepared for class,
(iv) Cost-effective as there were readily available technological tools such
as showing lesson content, using PowerPoint slides ,or submitting
tasks through email , and/or uploading to a learning management
system that did not require the use of paper.
(v) A convenient means of searching and obtaining information,
(vi) Increased students’ participation and engagement, whereby it can be
observed that students participated more actively and showed more
interest during the classroom activities,
(vii) Offered the prospect of communication and collaboration within and
beyond the classroom walls where students can build stronger
relationships among themselves, and together with their teachers,
(viii) Enhanced learning environment and experience, which in turn
helped to improve language achievement, and

Promoted autonomy and self-paced learning as students were encouraged to

play a more dominant role in their learning for the very reason that learning
may take place according to their pace and ability.

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 170

6. Conclusion and Future Implications

To a certain extent, this research's findings indicated that blended learning had a
positive influence on the teaching and learning of English in rural primary ESL
classrooms. Nonetheless, there were more to discover about blended learning
adoption decisions among teachers. Teacher perceptions that implied otherwise
were vindicated by the limited exposure and knowledge on blended learning.
The challenges which obstruct teachers from implementing the approach should
steer the Ministry of Education, academicians, and education personnel to work
closely with teachers and other stakeholders (students and parents). This was
essential for the intensive and extensive preparation and planning prior to
implementing the blended approach in English instruction. School
administrators should take the initiative to create an environment that would
foster open communication and collaboration, apart from promoting a respectful
and supportive atmosphere to encourage teachers to have constructive
discussions to address their concerns. It was critical to conduct training to up
skill teachers' digital knowledge and skills. With a clear understanding of the
blended learning modus operandi, teachers would be more confident and
organised in the planning, delivery, and time management. Furthermore, the
availability and usability of facilities in schools should be deliberated along with
the consideration to expand internet access predominantly in rural areas. The
limitations to this study were that the teachers had different academic
qualifications, indicating that some did not have an English major, a small
sample size, and that generalisation was obscure to experiences of teachers in
other geographical locations with disparate demographics. Some suggestions for
future work were put forward:
• Diversified learning contexts in Malaysia, focusing on English as a
Second Language (ESL) classrooms,
• Examining the effect of blended learning implementation with primary
school students with different levels of proficiency and age,
• Blended experience in the teaching and learning of the four major
English language skills in a primary ESL classroom,
• Types of blended learning models and appropriate designs for the
current CEFR-aligned curriculum in Malaysia,
• Types of digital tools or applications preferred or widely used by
teachers to teach English language skills and components.

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