Blended Learning: The Perceptions of First-year Geography Students

Abstract

Focusing on Digital Worlds, a first-year geography blended learning course at the University of Auckland, this paper gives voice to the students, examining how they perceived e-learning versus traditional learning mechanisms; how e-learning mechanisms have affected their learning behaviour; and why certain e-learning mechanisms offered in the course were more appealing than others. It demonstrates that students' views are determined by their individual learning styles and how they perceive the university experience. Information and communication technologies were recognized to provide complementary learning benefits, especially when other factors inhibited learning, but traditional mechanisms such as lectures were still greatly valued.

Keywords:

• Blended learning
• e-learning
• tertiary students
• information and communications technologies (ICTs)

Notes

¹ The five categories used were None or Trivial, Modest—i.e. course outline/lecture online, Significant—i.e. active elements online but no reduction in face-to-face time, Web Dependent—i.e. largely online, and Conducted Online.

² For more specific information please use the following link http://www.cad.auckland.ac.nz/index.php?p = elearning