The effect of a blended course on developing AOU students’ reading and writing research skills

Joint Authors

Milad, Marine
Sahakian, Sirvart

Source

التعليم المفتوح : الدور، التحديات و الحلول : المنعقد في الفترة 25-27 نوفمبر 2013

Publisher

Arab Open University

Publication Date

2013-11-30

Country of Publication

Kuwait

No. of Pages

14

Main Subjects

Educational Sciences

Topics

• Higher education
• Blended learning
• Conferences

English Abstract

The present study aimed at developing Arab Open University (AOU) students' reading and writing research skills of some identified sub-skills.

This was achieved through applying the proposed blended course which employed Web-Quests (WQs) and the Blended Reading and Writing Research Model (BRWRM) developed for the sake of this study.

The study adopted one group design with pre-test, treatment and post-test.

The study answered the raised questions through its instruments giving the following results: Computer Skill Analysis Questionnaire (CSAQ) identified the targeted students’ background of some technological skills, Reading Research Skills Inventory (RRSI) listed the reading research sub-skills that need to be developed for the AOU students, Writing Research Skills Inventory (WRSI) listed the writing research sub-skills that need to be developed for these students, Pre/Post Test (PPT) assessed the target students' performance in the identified reading and writing research skills before and after receiving the treatment, Blended Course employing WQs (its aims, objectives, content, methods, media, activities, and evaluation using three rubrics) developed the identified reading and writing research skills and the three rubrics helped both the instructor and the students to assess their performance, identify and adjust their weakness, Blended Course Assessment Questionnaire (BCAQ) identified the students’ assessment, satisfaction and reflection on learning English Language in a blended environment using WQs.

When testing the hypotheses, results indicated that there were statistically significant differences at 0.001 level between the mean scores of the experimental group on the pre/post administrations of the pre/post test in favour of the post one.

In addition, statistical analysis indicated that there was a significant improvement in the students' reading and writing research skills as a whole and their variety of strategies, such as those included in the stages of the reading and writing process in order to approach them systematically.

Consequently, the proposed blended course proved to be effective in developing the AOU students’ identified skills.

Data Type

Conference Papers

Record ID

BIM-436069

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• AMA