Can Blending Face-To-Face Teaching With E-Learning Support the Development of Phase 4 Apprentices in Mathematics? A Formative Evaluation Research Study.
Year: 2006
Type: article
Abstract: This thesis is a formative evaluation research study_ Its purpose is to establish if\nblending face--to-face and e-leaming delivery methods can support the development of\nPhase 4 apprentice plumbers in mathematics in the Department of Construction Skills in\nthe Technologicl University Dublin. The study also included the design, development\nand evaluation of a mathematics web site called Plumatics 4 U which is grounded in\nestablished theoretical criteria for effective blended delivery within third level\neducation. This web site is currently in use by Phase 4 apprentice plumbers and is\ndelivered through WebCT. The CD accompanying this thesis contains a short film\ngiving an overview of the web site.\nThe research design used a mixed method approach combining both quantitative and\nqualitative data derived from questionnaires. interviews, non-participant observation\nand focus group sessions. The research, which lasted three months, involved forty\nPhase 4 apprentices, half of whom had the Leaving Certificate and the remainder the\nJunior Certificate as their highest second level educational quaJification. Only one of\nthe research group was female and their ages ranged from twenty to twenty-three years.\nA literature review was conducted covering areas such as formative evaluation of third\nlevel programmes, blended learning models, socia1 constructivist approaches to learning\nand teaching and principles of effective web course design. Primary studies were used\nto inform the research process and identify a suitable methodology and methods of data\ncollection.\nThe principal findings of the research indicate that Phase 4 student apprentices who\ntook part in the blended learning module. and whose highest second level educational\nqualification is the Junior Certificate, showed a 10% improvement in examination\nresults in questions with a mathematical content. The research also indicates that if\nPhase 4 students are to be offered the opportunity to participate in e-ieaming, additional\nresources will be required and staff will need to be trained in the use of the WebeT\nplatform. The staff who deliver mathematics to this group believe that an e-Ieaming site\nas a learning and teaching resource should be encouraged and fostered in the\ndepartment.\nFeedback from students who took part in the study shows that their experience of elearning\nwas extremely positive and that 84% would like to participate in this type of\ndelivery method in the future. The feedback also indicated that the Plumatics 4 U web\nsite would benefit from certain revisions such as the addition of more self-tests and the\nintegration of a grading scheme for these self-tests.\nThe conclusions of this research show that teaching mathematics using a blended\nlearning strategy can lead to improved student performance in examinations. Finally, it\nis recommended that the Plumatics 4 U web site be made available to other Institutes of\nTechnology that deliver the Phase 4 plumbing programme.
Author: Peter Hinch
Institution: Dublin Institute of Technology
Language: English
Topic: Online and Blended Learning
Subfield: Education
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Quality education
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W1576056857