The implementation of blended learning approach in higher education institutions – A solution to teaching English in large classes

ISSN: 1859-2171 TNU Journal of Science and Technology 199(06): 87 - 92 
 Email: jst@tnu.edu.vn 87 
THE IMPLEMENTATION OF BLENDED LEARNING APPROACH 
IN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS – A SOLUTION 
TO TEACHING ENGLISH IN LARGE CLASSES 
Hoang Thi Thu Hoai
1
, Tran Thi Thao
2* 
 1Thai Nguyen Medical College, 2TNU University of Education 
ABSTRACT 
Teaching English in large classes has presented teachers many challenges, especially in higher 
education institutions. It is difficult for teacher to discipline the class, especially for students who 
are lack of self-control. The oversize classes also causes problems in carrying out teaching 
practices as well as assessment activities. It is problematic in satisfying all the needs of students 
who have different interests, personalities and capabilities. This paper attempts to suggest a 
learning approach that is believed to solve the problem; the blended learning. This is not a new 
idea in language teaching literature. However, the combination between traditional face-to-face 
classroom and the application of Internet and communication technology might lessen the burden 
for the teachers because of the advantages of the learning approach. Students can develop self-
regulated learning styles meanwhile teachers can take control of what their learners do outside 
classroom. We strongly believe that the blended learning approach once carefully studied will be 
the trend for future education. 
Key words: large classes; challenges; blended learning; self-control; self-regulated 
Received: 02/5/2019; Revised: 31/5/2019; Approved: 31 /5/2019 
ỨNG DỤNG ĐƯỜNG HƯỚNG DẠY HỌC KẾT HỢP TRONG GIÁO DỤC 
ĐẠI HỌC - MỘT GIẢI PHÁP CHO NHỮNG LỚP HỌC ĐÔNG SINH VIÊN 
Hoàng Thị Thu Hoài1, Trần Thị Thảo2* 
1 Trường Cao đẳng Y tế Thái Nguyên 
2Trường Đại học Sư phạm – ĐH Thái Nguyên 
TÓM TẮT 
Việc giảng dạy tiếng Anh cho những lớp học đông sinh viên đã gây ra nhiều thách thức cho giáo 
viên, đặc biệt trong giáo dục đại học. Giáo viên khó triển khai các hoạt động duy trì kỷ luật lớp 
học, nhất là đối với những sinh viên thiếu ý thức làm chủ bản thân. Việc dạy học trong những lớp 
học đông sinh viên cũng gây nhiều khó khăn cho công tác giảng dạy, cũng như các hoạt động kiểm 
tra, đánh giá. Hơn nữa giáo viên khó lòng đáp ứng hết nhu cầu khác nhau của sinh viên. Bài viết 
này hướng tới việc giới thiệu một phương pháp dạy, học được tin là sẽ giải quyết được phần nào 
vấn đề lớp học đông sinh viên, phương pháp dạy, học kết hợp. Đây không phải là một ý tưởng 
mới. Tuy nhiên, việc kết hợp giữa mô hình lớp học truyền thống và ứng dụng công nghệ thông tin 
trong giảng dạy và học tập sẽ giúp phần giảm áp lực cho giáo viên. Sinh viên sẽ phát triển được 
phương pháp học tự chủ trong khi giáo viên vẫn kiểm soát được các hoạt động bên ngoài lớp học 
của sinh viên. Chúng tôi tin tưởng rằng phương pháp dạy, học kết hợp này nếu được nghiên cứu 
một cách toàn diện sẽ trở thành xu hướng giáo dục của tương lại. 
Từ khóa: Lớp học đông sinh viên; thách thức; dạy; học kết hợp; tự chủ; tự kỷ luật 
Ngày nhận bài: 02/5/2019; Ngày hoàn thiện: 31/5/2019; Ngày duyệt đăng: 31 /5/2019 
* Corresponding author. Email: thaott.dhsptn@gmail.com 
DOI: https://doi.org/10.34238/tnu-jst.2019.06.978 
Hoang Thi Thu Hoai et al TNU Journal of Science and Technology 199(06): 87 - 92 
 Email: jst@tnu.edu.vn 88 
1. Introduction 
1.1. Rationales 
It is a fact that many universities are facing 
growing enrollments that push the limits on the 
scalability of classroom pedagogies. For 
example, providing students the opportunity to 
orally present technical work becomes 
challenging as the number of students per class 
grows to large numbers. Additionally, the 
personalization of knowledge is also affected 
because of the numbers of students in a class. 
Teachers of English at institutions of Thai 
Nguyen University are not an exception. 
They are struggling with teaching 
overcrowded classes which affect them in 
teaching performance, classroom 
management and assessment activities. The 
ineffectiveness of teaching large classes has 
been reported in many researches not only in 
Vietnam but also in many countries where 
English is taught as a second language or a 
foreign language [1], [2], [3]. 
This paper attempts to present a teaching 
approach that can lessen the burdens for those 
teachers at higher education institutions 
(HEIs) at Thai Nguyen University, the 
blended teaching and learning approach. 
1.2. Tendencies of blended learning 
Bended learning refers to combining 
traditional face-to-face learning environments 
with online education tools and approaches. 
With the ubiquitous use of laptops by students 
and the proliferation of low and no cost tools 
to facilitate online education, opportunities 
for blended learning are more available now 
than ever before. 
Over the last few years, HEIs have seen 
significant changes with the participation of 
the Internet and ubiquitous technologies in 
individuals’ lives [4]. It is undoubtedly that 
the Internet has considerably influenced the 
ways in which individuals across the world 
communicate, share ideas, interact with each 
other, and express themselves. Along with 
this remarkable spread, information and 
communication technologies (ICTs) have 
played an important role not only in 
designing, developing and delivering 
educational courses but also in enhancing and 
enriching the quality of teaching and learning 
experiences [5]. Therefore, numerous 
educational institutions, mostly in developed 
and industrialized countries, have adopted the 
use of ICTs so as to enhance the quality of 
teaching and learning processes. 
In 2002, the editor of The Journal of 
Asynchronous Learning Networks predicted 
that approximately 80-90% of higher 
education courses would become blended in 
the future [6]. In 2004, scholars reported that 
45.9% of U.S. undergraduate institutions 
already offered blended courses [7]. In 2011, 
scholars noted the “explosive growth of 
blended learning” and acknowledged blended 
learning’s potential to become the “new 
normal” in higher education [8]. 
2. A review of related literature 
2.1. Corollaries of large class size in ELT 
context 
The English language teaching (ELT) context 
at institutions of Thai Nguyen University, 
especially non-majored English students at 
the College of Education confronts many 
challenges for teachers of English. One of the 
challenges is the overcrowded classes. It is a 
fact that in many classes the number of 
students may reach to 50, 60 or more. The 
teaching performance as well as classroom 
management becomes less effective. We all 
know that the more the number of students is, 
the more difficulties of the classroom 
management are. Teaching effect is just like 
magnetic or electric field, the larger 
classroom, the weaker teaching effect. The 
less classroom controls, the more serious 
phenomenon of the students “fake 
participation” [9]. Since the new features and 
Hoang Thi Thu Hoai et al TNU Journal of Science and Technology 199(06): 87 - 92 
 Email: jst@tnu.edu.vn 89 
the contradiction of the large classroom have 
appeared, disorder, hard to control, lack of 
language training, etc. could always occur. 
Even if the implementation of the 
communicative approach and task-based 
teaching, teachers will also feel anxious, 
inadequate, inefficient, and ineffective, unless 
adopt effective management. 
LoCastro [10, p.113] generated the list of 
problems related to class size and language 
learning, organized into three categories: 
- Pedagogical-related categories 
 more difficulties in carrying out speaking, 
reading, and writing tasks; 
 difficulties in monitoring work and giving 
feedback; 
 problems with individualizing work; 
 difficulties in setting up communicative tasks; 
 tendency to avoid activities that are 
demanding to implement. 
- Management-related categories 
 correction of large numbers of essays 
virtually impossible; 
 pair and group work often cumbersome to 
execute; 
 noise level high, affecting neighboring classes; 
 difficulties in attending to all students 
during class time; 
 discipline problems more acute. 
- Affective related categories 
 difficulties in learning students’ names; 
 impossibility of establishing good rapport 
with students; 
 concerns for weaker students who may get 
lost; 
 crowd phenomenon: students’ not listening 
to teacher and other students; 
 problems in assessing students’ interests and 
moods. 
Hayes (1997) [11] classifies the problems 
associated with teaching in large classes into 
five categories: (1) Discomfort caused by the 
physical constraints; (2) Control problems 
(discipline aspects); (3) Lack of individual 
attentions; (4) Difficulty on evaluation; (5) 
Problems of charging learning effectiveness. 
These problems can be physical, 
psychological but to a great extent technical. 
Harmer (2000) [12] also finds out in his study 
that large classes bring difficulties to both 
teachers and students and process of teaching 
and learning. It is difficult for teachers to 
contact with the students sitting at the back 
and for students to get the individual 
attention, and it is even impossible to 
organize dynamic and creative teaching and 
learning sessions. Most importantly, large 
classes are especially daunting for 
inexperienced teachers. This also indicates 
that teachers need more technical strategies in 
large class. 
In large classroom teaching process, students’ 
dependence on teachers cannot be reduced, 
until they are taught how to learn. Only when 
the students get some self-learning ability 
under the guidance of teachers, can they learn 
by themselves and improve the ability of 
obtaining knowledge. It seems to be difficult 
to reduce the class size in these classes 
because they are non-English majored 
students, i.e., these students learn English as a 
subject in their program. Besides, there are 
not enough time and teachers to split up these 
groups. Therefore, it is important to adopt 
advantages of Internet and communication 
technologies (ICTs) in the teaching and 
learning practices, so blended learning might 
be the solution for the problem. 
2.2. How is blended learning defined? 
The term "blended learning", sometimes is 
referred to as “hybrid learning” is a mixing of 
online activities with face-to-face classes. 
Generally speaking, some consider blended 
learning to be when some amount of the 
normally allotted face-to-face time for a 
Hoang Thi Thu Hoai et al TNU Journal of Science and Technology 199(06): 87 - 92 
 Email: jst@tnu.edu.vn 90 
course is substituted by online activities [13]. 
The former Sloan Consortium, now the 
Online Learning Consortium, stated that a 
course can be considered blended when the 
amount of online time replaces from 30% to 
79% of the total course time [7]. Others are 
not concerned whether or not in-class time is 
replaced but choose to focus on different 
aspects of the blend. For example, Garrison 
and Vaughan [14, p. 148] view blended 
learning as “the organic integration of 
thoughtfully selected and complementary 
face-to-face and online approaches and 
technologies”. Looking at learning from 
cognitive perspectives, Singh (2003) [15] 
perceived blended learning as a significant 
and motivating learning approach that 
incorporated diverse delivery media. In a 
recent study by Sabri, Isa, Daud, and Aziz 
(2010) [16], they defined blended learning as 
an integration of conventional classroom 
teaching with a combination of media, tools 
and teaching methods in web-based 
environment settings. As mentioned by Zhang 
(2010) [17], blended learning is not a 
replacement of the face-to-face class 
education with a web-based education. On the 
other hand, blended learning is a superior 
single delivery teaching approach that 
combines advantages of both conventional 
face-to-face classroom instructions with an 
online learning experience. The term has 
evolved to include so much more. The 
Innosight Institute [18, p.4] defines blended 
learning as: 
A formal education program in which a 
student learns at least in part through online 
delivery of content and instruction with some 
element of student control-over time, place, 
path, and/or pace and at least in part at a 
supervised brick-and mortar location away 
from home. 
The phrase “with some element of student 
control over time, place, path, and/or pace” 
was added to distinguish blended learning 
from technology-rich instruction [18, p.6]. 
Ten years prior, Stahl (2002) [19] clearly 
outlined the four dimensions of time, place, 
path, and pace. Time means that learning is 
no longer limited to a traditional school day 
or school calendar year. Place refers to 
learning that is no longer limited to the 
traditional classroom. Path can be defined as 
learning that is no longer limited to the face-
to-face strategies used by the teacher. Pace is 
described as learning that is no longer limited 
to the pace of the entire class, but is 
individualized. The second part of the 
definition states that the learning must be 
“supervised” and take place off campus. This 
is to make the distinction between students 
learning full-time online at a brick-and-mortar 
location and off campus such at the student’s 
home or self-chosen location. 
For whatever blended learning is defined, it is 
undoubtedly understood that the combination 
of traditional teaching and learning methods 
and the implementation of ICTs is the 
inevitable trend of future schooling. The pure 
face-to-face practice is no longer satisfied the 
increasing demands of modern learning and 
teaching. 
2.3. What are the benefits of blended 
learning? 
According to Singh (2004), blended learning 
is expanded to five dimensions. The first is 
the simplest level - a blended learning 
experience that combines offline and online 
forms of learning where the online learning 
usually means “over the internet or intranet” 
and offline learning that happens in a more 
traditional classroom setting [20]. Second is 
the blending of a self-paced and live, 
collaborative learning. Self-paced learning 
implies solitary, on-demand learning at a pace 
that is managed or controlled by the learner. 
Collaborative learning, on the other hand, 
implies a more dynamic communication 
among many learners that brings about 
Hoang Thi Thu Hoai et al TNU Journal of Science and Technology 199(06): 87 - 92 
 Email: jst@tnu.edu.vn 91 
knowledge sharing [20]. Third is the 
combination of structured and unstructured 
learning. Formal learning program is in 
organized content with specific sequence like 
chapters in a textbook. On the other hand, 
most learning in the workplace occurs in an 
unstructured form via meetings, hallway 
conversations, or email [20]. The fourth 
dimension is blending custom content with 
off-the shelf content. Off-the-shelf content is 
by definition generic- unaware of an 
organization’s unique context and 
requirements. However, generic self-paced 
content can be customized today with a blend 
of live experiences or with content 
customization [20]. Fifth level is blending 
learning, practice, and performance support. 
Perhaps the finest form of blended learning is 
to supplement learning with practice and just-
in-time performance support tools that 
facilitate the appropriate execution of job-
tasks [20]. 
Ekesionye & Okolo (2011) [21] maintain that, 
blended learning application ensures that 
teaching and learning are information and 
communication technology based, and it has 
the following benefits: 
 Enable students to have equal 
opportunities with their contemporaries in 
other part of the world. 
 Could be used to introduce an interesting 
variety of the inventory of instructional 
materials. 
 Exposes students and teachers to basic 
skills in Computer Education for the purpose 
of accessing the internet and sourcing of 
information for effective learning. 
 Helps teachers and students to be 
comfortably entrenched in the global village. 
 Exposes the teachers and learners to 
instructional best practices in information 
technology. 
 Facilitate teaching, knowledge creation 
and dissemination of information in the 
tertiary institution. 
From the above-mentioned benefits of 
blended learning, we strongly believe that this 
approach will partly lessen the burdens for 
teachers who are teaching English in large 
classes. During the offline sessions, students 
are presented with something related to 
theories or knowledge of language. Then they 
will do the practice and drills following the 
online sessions. However, we all know that 
each solution has its drawbacks, blended 
learning is not an exception. We need 
technical preparedness for the issues such as 
computer, internet access and knowledge of 
ICT, but the advantages outweigh the 
limitations. 
3. Conclusions 
In conclusion, blended learning approach 
once considered carefully will be a perfect 
solution for the overcrowded classes. Besides, 
the approach can help students develop self- 
controlled and self -regulated learning. The 
teachers can track down what students do 
outside classroom. The approach can also 
applicable for many other subjects rather than 
English teaching and learning with the 
assistance of modern technologies. 
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