Effects of Blended Instruction on students’ paragraph writing performances: the case of first year Health science pharmacy students at Pharma College Hawassa Campus, Ethiopia

Abstract

This study focused on paragraph writing abilities as it is a fundamental skill for academic and professional success. Improving paragraph writing lays the groundwork for addressing advanced writing tasks and is vital for effective global communication in English. The objective of this study was, therefore, to examine effects of blended instruction on students’ paragraph writing performance at Pharma College Hawassa Campus, Ethiopia. A quasi-experimental design was used to attain this objective. A sample of 54 first-year pharmacy department (26 control and 28 experimental) students was taken purposefully. The control group attended conventional, face-to-face approach; whereas experimental group received instruction using blended learning approach via Google Classroom, which incorporated collaborative writing that allowed for peer interaction and scaffolding, extensive online resources for independent learning, face-to-face support, and feedback. Pre-test and post-test paragraph writing were conducted to test effects of blended instruction, and effect size was computed to measure the magnitude of intervention. Furthermore, students’ questionnaire was used to collect data on participants’ backgrounds and experiences. Results revealed improvements in both groups; however, overall, the experimental group in post-test demonstrated significantly better paragraph writing with a large effect size. Regression analysis highlighted flexibility, collaborative tasks, and instant feedback as key contributors to improvement, whereas impact of authentic materials and face-to-face interactions was comparatively less. Finally, the researchers recommended EFL teachers should benefit from applying blended instruction, which may in turn improve students’ paragraph writing performance in English language in the Ethiopian context.

Keywords:

• Blended instruction
• paragraph writing
• conventional approach
• online learning
• Google Classroom

Reviewing Editor:

• Lin Zhong, Workforce Education and Development, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, USA

SUBJECTS:

• Information & Communication Technology (ICT)
• Teachers & Teacher Education
• Higher Education
• Open & Distance Education and eLearning
• Language Teaching & Learning

Acknowledgments

The researchers would like to express their heartfelt appreciation to all individuals and organizations whose contributions were integral to the successful completion of this study. Special gratitude is extended to the English Language and Literature Department at Hawassa University, Hawassa College of Teacher Education, and Pharma College. The researchers would also like to thank Ato Seyoum Kebede and Dr. Wongelawit Seyoum, the owners of Pharma College, for their financial and material support, as well as Mr. Anteneh Fikre, Research and Community Service Coordinator, for organizing the second seminar in the College.

Authors’ contributions

All authors participated in the conception and design of this study. Teshome Bekele, the first researcher, was responsible for material preparation, data collection, and analysis. Teshome Bekele also took the lead in writing the initial draft of the manuscript. All authors were involved in commenting, revising, and enhancing the final manuscript for submission.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Ethical approval

Data collection for this study adhered to the ethical principles specified in the Hawassa University Ethical Guidelines for Human Subjects. Therefore, approval for the study protocol was granted by the Hawassa University’s College Ethics Review Committee (CRERC) under reference number [CSSH/101/2022]. Informed consent was obtained from all participants, and they were provided with clear information regarding the nature, purpose, and potential implications of the study. Confidentiality and anonymity of participants have been strictly maintained throughout the research process, and any identifying information has been appropriately safeguarded. Finally, the participants were informed that they had the freedom to decide whether or not to participate in the study, and they had the option to withdraw from the intervention at any point if they wished.

Informed consent

All subjects who participated in this study provided their informed consent.

Data availability statement

Data supporting the results of this study can be accessed upon reasonable request from the corresponding author.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Hawassa University and Pharma College Hawassa Campus, Ethiopia.

Notes on contributors

Teshome Bekele Sime

Teshome Bekele Sime is currently a Ph.D. candidate at Hawassa University and a Lecturer in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) at Hawassa College of Teachers Education, Ethiopia. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in English from Jimma University and Master’s Degree in TEFL from Addis Ababa University. His research interests are educational technology and the role of the Blended Learning Approach in English language skills.

Mulu Geta Gencha

Mulu Geta Gencha (PhD.) is an Associate Professor in TEFL at Hawassa University, Ethiopia. He also serves as the Head for the Quality Assurance and Enhancement at Hawassa University in the College of Social Sciences and Humanities. He received a Bachelor’s Degree in English Language and Literature, as well as an MA and PhD in TEFL from Addis Ababa University. His research focuses on Technology Assisted English as a Foreign Language Writing and Blended Learning, termed as 'BLANDOPEDIA'. He has published a number of articles in reputable journals.

Taye Gebremariam Olamo

Taye Gebremariam Olamo (PhD.) is also an Associate Professor in TEFL at Hawassa University, Ethiopia. Additionally, he serves as the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies at Hawassa University. He earned his BA, MA, and PhD degrees in TEFL from Addis Ababa University. His research interests include both qualitative and quantitative research in English language teaching. He has also contributed to the field by publishing a number of articles in reputable journals.