Using hybrid learning strategy for teaching English to students on the philology and other specialitists at university: efficiency and key components

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Department of Foreign Philology Chernihiv Polytechnic National University

Using hybrid learning strategy for teaching english to students on the philology and other specialitists at university: efficiency and key components

Olga Nikolaienko, Senior Lecturer

Tetiana Ushata, Senior Lecturer

Chernihiv, Ukraine

Abstract

The purpose of the research is to clarify the role of the hybrid learning strategies in learning and teaching foreign languages for specific purposes in higher education. The authors emphasise the fundamental transformations of the entire education system that have resulted in a forced change in the organisation of the educational process under quarantine conditions that have arisen due to the spread of the Covid-19 virus pandemic and which might be caused by the future pandemic situation and warfare. In the context of conceptual restructuring of the education system in general and higher education in particular, there is a search for innovative methods, techniques and technologies that can not only make learning more efficient and inclusive, but also one that motivates higher education applicants to learn. According to the authors, hybrid learning can be considered as one of the most popular and effective learning technologies in general and in the process of mastering foreign languages particularly. It is stated that hybrid learning and blended learning are not synonymous. Hybrid learning is implemented through the use of traditional and electronic forms of learning. The difference between blended learning, which is characterized by a combination of formal learning tools (work in the classroom while learning language material) and informal tools (study and discussion of important aspects of learning material by video conferencing, e-platforms, social networks, e-mail), is proved in the article. It is noted that hybrid learning is a synchronous process, when during the full-time classroom learning students are divided into two types - those who are present in the classroom in person, and those who have joined the classroom with the help of information and communication technologies, namely, by means of video conferencing. Synchronisation of receiving and sending information between participants in the learning process takes place in person, in real time and allows students to interact with each other, ensuring equality in education. Reasonably, the use of hybrid learning technology significantly improves the quality of the process of learning foreign languages, makes the process interesting and modern.

Key words: foreign languages for specific purposes, higher education system, hybrid learning, blended learning, effectiveness, technology, strategy, methodology, equity in education.

Анотація

Ольга НІКОЛАЄНКО,

старший викладач кафедри іноземної філології Національного університету «Чернігівська політехніка» (Чернігів, Україна)

Тетяна УШАТА,

старший викладач кафедри іноземної філології Національного університету «Чернігівська політехніка» (Чернігів, Україна)

ЕФЕКТИВНІСТЬ ТА КЛЮЧОВІ КОМПОНЕНТИ СТРАТЕГІЇ ГІБРИДНОГО НАВЧАННЯ В ПРОЦЕСІ ВИКЛАДАННЯ ІНОЗЕМНОЇ МОВИ СТУДЕНТАМ ФІЛОЛОГІЧНИХ ТА НЕФІЛОЛОГІЧНИХ СПЕЦІАЛЬНОСТЕЙ В СИСТЕМІ ВИЩОЇ ОСВІТИ

Стаття присвячена дослідженню ролі стратегій гібридного навчання в процесі вивчення іноземних мов професійного спрямування в системі здобування вищої освіти. Автори наголошують на кардинальних трансформаціях всієї системи освіти, які проявляються у вимушеній зміні організації навчального процесу в карантинних умовах, що виникли через розповсюдження пандемії вірусу Covid-19, та які можуть бути обумовлені в майбутньому несприятливою епідемічною та воєнною ситуацією. В умовах концептуальної перебудови системи освіти взагалі та вищої освіти зокрема відбувається пошук інноваційних методів, прийомів та технологій, здатних не лише зробити навчання більш ефективним та інклюзивним, а й таким, що мотивує здобувачів вищої освіти до навчання. На думку авторів, саме гібридне навчання може розглядатися як одна з найбільш затребуваних та найефективніших технологій навчання в цілому та в процесі опанування іноземними мовами. Вказано, що гібридне навчання та змішана форма навчання не є синонімічними поняттями. Гібридне навчання реалізується через застосування традиційної та електронної форм навчання. Доведено відмінність змішаного навчання, яке характеризується комбінуванням формальних засобів навчання (робота в аудиторії при вивчені мовного матеріалу) та неформальних засобів (вивчення та обговорення важливих аспектів навчального матеріалу засобами відео-конференцій, електронних платформ, соціальних мереж, електронної пошти). Зазначено, що гібридне навчання - це синхронний процес, коли під час очного аудиторного заняття здобувачі вищої освіти поділяються на два типа - ті, хто присутні на занятті очно, та ті, що доєдналися до аудиторного заняття з допомогою інформаційно-комунікаційних технологій, а саме, засобами відео конференції. Синхронізація отримання та відправки інформації між учасниками навчального процесу відбувається в очному форматі, в реальному часі і дає можливість взаємодіяти між собою, гарантуючі рівноправність в освіті. Обґрунтовано, застосування технології гібридного навчання суттєво підвищує якість процесу вивчення іноземних мов, робить процес цікавим та сучасним.

Ключові слова: іноземна мова професійного спрямування, система вищої освіти, гібридне навчання, змішане навчання, ефективність, технологія, стратегія, методологія, рівноправність в освіті.

Statement of the problem. Nowadays by the COVID-19 pandemic having transported everything from banking to education in virtual dimension, we are forced to miss interacting and socializing in person. It should be mentioned that through the COVID- 19 as well as warfare and their aftermath we will never return to the world as it was before. Our goal is to support the educational response to COVID-19 by providing strategies and approaches of hybrid learning instead of full-time in-person education. Therefore, in this contingency case including quarantine requirements it is necessary to switch education to remote mode. Taking into account that many educators and learners are against remote learning environment in teaching foreign languages for specific purposes especially in higher education, it is posed a question how efficient and effective methods and approaches of remote learning to choose in order to address inequalities and inequities of all participants in online learning .

Global pedagogical society, having argued much about the most appropriate form of education organization, must have stopped disputing and begun to implement and probate new recent approaches to teaching and learning (Kristyn, 2010). Comparing various forms of education, namely, online learning, e-learning, remote learning, face-to-face learning, blended learning, independent learning, Computer Assisted Language Learning, Computer Enhanced Language Learning, hybrid learning, it ought to be correctly understood all advantages and disadvantages of each of them.

Research analysis. More and more researchers are writing about hybrid learning, its educational opportunities and prospects. The concept of hybrid and blended learning is not yet well established in the scientific papers. However, in foreign scientific pedagogical magazines we can find descriptions of models of hybrid learning, its practical paradigm, the difference from blended learning, as well as its effectiveness. Hybrid learning (combined, integrated learning) is relatively a new notion, which has recently appeared. Such researchers as P. Sharma, C. Bonk,

Barrett, M. Olivier, firstly, tried to educe and define the notion of `hybrid learning', secondly, tried to implement the principles of hybrid learning model in scientific area.

From the outset the method based on the technology of e-learning was called `hybrid learning'. It was popular among large corporations which required profoundly trained professionals as well as their further refresher training. First results of using hybrid learning model in training in higher education, or universities, were published in «Handbook of Blended Learning» by C. Bonk and C. Graham, and «Blended Learning in Higher Education: Framework, Principles, and Guidelines» by N. Vaughan and R. Garrison. The authors' experience and wide use of information technologies like Internet made it possible to synthesize face-to-face learning and learning based on using online resources. C. Bonk and C. Graham had collected and analysed data on that methodology, and developed and announced publicly own term «Blended (Hybrid) Learning» (Garrison et al., 1960). This model includes such learning systems as face-to-face in-person and remote computer learning systems. Hybrid learning is a combination of e-learning programs in real time and in-person learning with teachers in class. Some foreign educators like

Reed, H. Singh emphasized on undeniable advantages of hybrid leaning. Among advantages there is outlook widening, time and resource management optimization, effectiveness enhancing, positive influence on students learning results (Singh et al., 2001) .

Our research aims to implement innovative teaching methods of hybrid learning strategies in teaching foreign languages for specific purposes in higher education that include the use of new information technologies in the teaching of student anatomy and to analyse both the impact of these strategies on academic performance, and the degree of all participants' satisfaction.

Presenting main material. Hybrid learning is gaining its popularity due to its similarities to remote learning. Certainly, remote learning has had rich traditions and is still developing because it is demanded in educational market. The key feature of hybrid learning is the combination of in-person and online learning simultaneously. It should be mentioned that putting hybrid learning in practice is a big challenge for teachers, because they need strong knowledge and understanding of class management in order either to organize work for both learners in the classroom and off-line, or also to ensure educational equity, collaboration in class, or to provide feedback and assessment. Nevertheless, such features of remote learning as arriving in university for a couple of time to meet lecturers for face-to-face consultations or practical classes despite of remoteness, delayed students works checking, a lack of teachers assistance, disability to develop discussion, technological hardships including unstable Internet connection, low powered digital devices or low-quality or dead software programs, as well as poor computer operation skills, might provide a bad impact and form negative attitude to remote learning system (Klimova et al., 2015). Besides, it required more profound teachers training and their constant support. Taking into consideration disadvantages of remote learning, hybrid learning looks like more attractive alternative both for educators and learners because it makes possible to use information and communication technologies more effectively in education and keep up to date.

Hybrid learning strategy is an effective tool for teaching and learning foreign languages in higher education in the framework of differential approach to education because it helps develop a base for building interest to improve the target language acquisition level, expand vocabulary, linguistic outlook through interaction between an educator and a student, between students as well working in breakout rooms (Бажаева, 2022). Implementation of hybrid learning for teaching and learning foreign languages is possible in different modes: in class at university and remotely online on different stages of lessons. For instance, the key tasks, which could be performed online, aim to enhance motivation, and, as a result, to form and develop different hard and soft skills and competences.

Texts, written by an educator

Such tasks are represented in a teacher's blog and are proposed to be used as home assignment for consolidation of skills and knowledge: learners need to fill in gaps and send their answers to partners for a peer review. This task is productive in critical thinking building. From a methodological standpoint, this kind of tasks suggests not only independent work, but also getting the feedback from group-mates. In order to develop creative thinking learners can be offered to write own texts for their own blogs to be read and reviewed by group-mates. Peer review in this case can be changed into checking provided by a teacher only for more balanced assessment. education innovative inclusive

Papers, video/audio lectures, conducted by an educator

Starting working with the target topic, a teacher needs to record own lecture by such an application as Vocaroo and ask learners to listen to and fulfill some tasks. For instance, the task for independent work might be the following:

Task 1. Listen to the recording and answer the questions given below:

What happened to agriculture land use (ALU) in the past decades?

What should be done to solve the problem of ALU?

What strategies can you offer to better the use of A LU?

What is land evaluation?

What agriculture land suitability assessment means?

What benefits does agriculture land suitability assessment give?

(recording) Continuous utilization of agriculture land in past decades, regardless of land suitability has caused much more destruction than provide the resources. Hence, proper evaluation based on agriculture land use planning is essential to solve this problem. The utilization of arid areas needs updated management policies in order to avoid further deterioration of land. Thus, utilization of these areas requires adopting proper strategies. Such strategies should be based on identifying the best ways for land exploitation on the basis of water availability, soil management practices and plant adaptability to dry conditions. Land evaluation is a process of predicting land performance over time according to the specific types of use. Agriculture land suitability assessment is defined as the process of assessment of land performance when used for alternative kinds of agriculture. Land evaluation, the process of estimating the potential of land for alternative kinds of use, contributes to the understanding of the relationship between the conditions of a land and the uses to which it is put. The principle purpose of agriculture land suitability evaluation is to predict the potential and limitations of the landfor crop production. Land suitability evaluation can contribute towards better land management; mitigation of land degradation; and designing land use pattern that prevents environmental problems through segregation of competing land uses. The output of suitability analyses provided not only the type of land use for which the land was suitable, but also information about the type of limitation facing the utilization of land.

Task 2. Use Vocaroo to record yourself. Email the Vocaroo file to the teacher for comments.

Online lectures on YouTube or TED

Watching online lectures available on YouTube or TED can be followed by further discussion and mastering vocabulary, grammar content.

Elora Hardy: Magical houses, made of bamboo. (From ted.com)

BEFORE WATCHING

Describe a typical house where you live now.

What's it made from - wood, brick, stone, etc.?

What rooms does it have?

What's around or near the house? A forest? Other buildings? A big garden? Lots of shops?

Describe your dream house.

Where in the world is it? What's it made from - wood, brick, stone, etc.?

What rooms does it have?

What's around or near the house? A forest? Other buildings? A big garden? Lots of shops?

WHILE WATCHING

Watch the talk from the beginning to 2:00. Answer the questions.

When did Elora design her first house?

What rooms does she show and describe?

What type of weather is the house designed for?

Watch the talk from the beginning to 2:00 again. How many architectural features (parts of the house) can you see and name?

Watch the talk from 2:00 to 3:45. Note down as much information as you can about bamboo.

Watch the talk from 3:45 to 5:05. What does she say about the buildings she has built from bamboo?

Watch the talk from 5:05 to 7:15. Which sentence best explains what Elora talks about in this part of the talk?

Examples of very old bamboo buildings around the world that are modern builders try to copy.

The history of building with bamboo, why it's a difficult material to use, and what we need to do to use it.

An explanation of how farmers raise bamboo and transport it around the world for builders to use.

Watch the talk from 7:15 to the end. Choose the correct words to complete each sentence.

Elora plans houses by building small models / making careful drawings.

She builds houses with no doors / doors of different shapes.

She talks about the challenge of making walls / ceilings.

In kitchens, she uses stone / very hard wood.

Elora believes that bamboo is good for building because it's cheap / it's good for the environment.

AFTER WATCHING

Read the extract from the talk. Discuss the questions.

The floor that you walk on, can it affect the way you walk? Can it change the footprint that you'll ultimately leave on the world?

How does choosing a bamboo floor for your home help the world?

What footprint do we leave on the world?

We can't all live in a bamboo home. But what can we do in our home to change the footprint we leave?

Hybrid learning varies educational environment which aim is to ensure efficiency of mastering subjects, hard and soft skills included in the curriculum by using different educational techniques, tools, platforms and technologies in order to satisfy various educational requirements and needs of all participants of teaching and learning. Obviously, hybrid learning opens up opportunities for both teachers and learners because it increases not only the effectiveness of education at university due to the possibility to attend classes remotely, but also its quality. Hybrid learning successfully combines the Internet technologies and conventional learning techniques in order to satisfy different educational needs and ensuring equity of education and inclusiveness. Hybrid learning makes training materials available to learners, increases motivation to obtain knowledge, keep up interest and strengthens ambition to learn and progress. Apart from, it is crucial for refresher, correspondence courses or corporate training programs because in this case learners are enable to swap between professional activity and educational needs. If education is provided for mature learners who cannot attend classes off-line because of professional duties, hybrid learning gives opportunities to be aware of the latest academic events and have a clear idea what was happening when the lessons were missed for catching up or liquidating academic debts.

Conclusions. To sum up, on one hand, hybrid learning is a big challenge for teachers, because they need to have strong knowledge and understanding of class management, digital competences in order either to organize work for both learners in the classroom and off-line, or also to ensure educational equity, collaboration in class, or to provide feedback and assessment. On the other hand the quality of hybrid learning is impossible without technical, methodological, psychological support from a higher education institution authority, funding and established principles. Hybrid learning substantially has changed the type of teaching because it is such a specific educational environment in which team-teaching is inevitable. A teacher's assistance might assist delivering classes, answering enquiries, support learners technically and etc. But, unfortunately, it might take much time for own education system to grasp and admit the efficiency of team-teaching. The implementation of hybrid learning indicates the appearance if a new educational environment, as well as the fact all participants of education has entered a new type of interaction that needs new approaches.

Bibliography

1. Бажаева А. А. Рекомендации для создания личного образовательного маршрута обучающихся. Раздел: общепедагогические технологии.

2. Friesen N. Report: defining blended learning, 2012.

3. Garrison D. Randy. Blended Learning in Higher Education: Framework, Principles, and Guidelines / D. Randy Garrison, N. D.Vaughan; 1st edition, 1960. p. 272

4. Klimova B.F, Jaroslav Kacetl Hybrid Learning and its Current Role in the Teaching of Foreign Languages, Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences,Volume182.2015.Pages477-481

5. Kristyn Paul. Web 2.0 tools. What's the use? 2010.

6. Singh H. A white paper: achieving success with blended learning / H. Singh, C. Reed // American society for training and development, 2001. p. 326

References

1. Bazhaeva A. A. Rekomendacii dlya sozdaniya lichnogo obrazovatel'nogo marshruta obuchayushchihsya. Razdel: obshchepedagogicheskie tekhnologii. [Recommendations for creating a personal educational route for students. Section: general pedagogical technologies]

2. Friesen N. Report: defining blended learning, 2012.

3. Garrison D. Randy, Vaughan N. D. Blended Learning in Higher Education: Framework, Principles, and Guidelines, 1st edition, 1960. p. 272

4. Klimova B.F, Jaroslav Kacetl Hybrid Learning and its Current Role in the Teaching of Foreign Languages. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, Volume182. 2015. P. 477-481. Kristyn Paul. Web 2.0 tools. What's the use? 2010.

5. Singh H., Reed C. A white paper: achieving success with blended learning. American society for training and development, 2001. p. 326

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