46 need to be supported by teachers directly. Even though computers become very
helpful in supporting teaching-learning process, they will never completely eliminate all human instructors and other forms of educational delivery.
2.1.5 Blended Learning
A new educational phenomenon focusing on “blended learning” has been discovered. The use of different and various resources in the classroom such as
text books, scientific journals from conferences, and even simple articles from the magazine have supported teachers and students to get more knowledge during the
teaching and learning process. The emerging models of blended learning that combines online and face-to-face delivery become more popular nowadays.
Blended learning models are being developed and implemented by schools and universities throughout the world. Lots of schools and universities suggest that a
large part of the future of education will involve providing content, resources, and instruction both digitally and face-to-face in the same classroom Watson, 2008.
Dziuban, et.al. 2004 mentioned that the blending of face-to-face instruction with various types of non-classroom technology-mediated delivery has
been practiced within the academy for more than four decades. Various online programs have developed rapidly from the emergence of the Internet. These
programs represent the latest evolution in distance learning. As cited by Dziuban,et.al 2004:2, DeZure, Buckley, Barr and Tagg noted that :
“The confluence of
new pedagogies
,
new technologies
and
new theories of learning
are enabling entirely new models of teaching and learning and that this change is of sufficient magnitude to be described as an
educational transfo rmation or paradigm shift”.
47 In this context, the term
new pedagogies
refer to the change in emphasis from teacher-centered to student-centered learning paradigms. The term
new technologies
could be referred to the spread of the Internet, World Wide Web and personal computers. Meanwhile, the term
new theories of learning
give the examples of brain-based learning and social constructivism. In brief, they all
support the development of these new models and a nexus for this has been the online environment.
According to Watson 2008,
blended learning
is referred to as both blended and hybrid learning, with little or no difference in the meaning of the
terms among most educators. In general, blended learning is a term referring to the way in which the training program is delivered by on-line and face-to-face
medium. Dziuban, et.al. 2004 also describes that blended learning should be viewed as a pedagogical approach that combines the effectiveness and
socialization opportunities of the classroom with the technologically enhanced active learning possibilities of the online environment. In this study, the term
“blended” means that traditional instructor ‑
led and face-to-face training is being supplemented with electronic formats. Blended learning combines different
training media e.g. technologies, activities and events which are used in the classroom to create an optimum training program or learning situation to promote
active learning by students.
48
2.1.6 Instructional Design Model
