Blended Learning or E-learning?

Maryam Tayebinik, Marlia Puteh (2012) Blended Learning or E-learning? International Magazine on Advances in Computer Science and Telecommunications, volume 3 number 1 february 2012 , Special Issue on International Conference on Advanced Information System, E-Education and Development ICAISED 2012, Malaysia

ICT or Information and Communication Technology has pervaded the fields of education. In recent years the term “e-learning” has emerged as a result of the integration of ICT in the education fields. Following the application this technology into teaching, some pitfalls have been identified and this have led to the “Blended learning” phenomenon. However, the preference on this new method has been debated quite extensively. The aim of this paper is to investigate the advantages of blended learning over face-to-face instruction through reviews of related literature. The present survey revealed that blended learning is more favorable than pure e- learning and offers many advantages for learners like producing a sense of community or belonging. This study concludes that blended learning can be considered as an efficient approach of distance learning in terms of students’ learning experience, student-student interaction as well as student-instructor interaction and is likely to emerge as the predominant education model in the future.

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