Exploration and Practice of College English Multi-Blended Teaching Model Based on OBE Concept ()
1. Introduction
In the traditional college English classroom teaching, there are a large number of students which results in a lack of interaction between teachers and students (Xiong, 2006). The relationship between teachers and students is described as knowledge transfer and knowledge acceptance. Learning is inefficient and passive (Huang & Xia, 2013). It is difficult to meet the diverse needs of students in the information age by classroom learning alone. With the application and development of the Internet in the field of education, the online learning model has been developed rapidly. However, the single online learning model lacks the authenticity of the teaching situation, the course completion rate is low, lacks personalized guidance and face-to-face communication, and learning problems are prominent (Luo et al., 2014). It is increasingly unable to meet the various needs of learners nor can it completely replace face-to-face classroom learning.
2. The Development Process of Blended Teaching
With the development of modern educational technology and network platform, the blended teaching model integrating the advantages of online and offline teaching has attracted the attention of domestic as well as foreign scholars (Porter et al., 2014; Park & Yun, 2018; Graham et al., 2019; Chen & Ma, 2019; Zheng, 2019; Zheng & Su, 2020). This mode allows students to learn flexibly at anytime and anywhere without time and space restrictions, and increases students’ motivation and engagement in learning (Garrison & Vaughan, 2008), enriches the learning forms, optimizes the teaching process, increases students’ input, improves the learning experience (Alebaikan & Troudi, 2010; Castao-Muoz et al., 2014; Lowenthal & Hodges, 2015; Simbolon, 2021), integrates the usage of teaching resources (Owston & York, 2018). So that learners become the subject of individual learning process, subjective initiative is stimulated, to acquire and apply knowledge specifically (Yang et al., 2017).
Since the 1990s, the development of mixed teaching had generally gone through three stages: technology application stage, technology integration stage and “Internet+” stage (Feng et al., 2018). Researches in the initial stage were mainly about related concepts—proposing, and emphasizing the definition of mixed teaching. The most representative one was from the Sloan Alliance (Sloan Consortium): “Mixed teaching is a combination of face-to-face teaching and online teaching, combining two separate teaching models in history: traditional face-to-face teaching and online learning. That is, combining a certain proportion of online teaching and face-to-face teaching” in the teaching content (Bonk et al., 2009; Allen & Seaman, 2003). In the middle stage, the research mainly focused on defining the dimensions of mixed teaching characteristics, including mixed teaching strategies, teaching methods, teaching design, etc. Among them, Bliuc et al.’s definition (2007) was the most influential—blended learning describes a new way of learning that combines face-to-face (live) interaction and online interaction between students and students, students and teachers, students and resources. With the rapid development of network technology and modern educational information technology, especially the arrival of the “Internet+” era, the concept of blended teaching has changed from “a mixture of online teaching and face-to-face teaching” to “a teaching situation based on internet technology learning environment and classroom discussion” (Wasoh, 2016). It can satisfy the new experience of students’ personalized learning, improve their participation and promote independent learning. The teaching characteristics such as providing learning support for students and bringing innovation changes to teaching are gradually strengthened.
But there are still various problems throughout the current situation of college English teaching. For example, most teachers only pay attention to the mixed teaching forms in the implementation process. The teaching and learning effects are not put into practice; the classroom is still dominated by teachers’ instruction, online learning only plays a role as complement to remedy and promote face-to-face classroom teaching. The traditional teaching mode and method have not changed in essence. This paper aims to integrate online learning resources, and innovate the application of blended teaching model, so that students can have a better learning experience in the learning process, and achieve a better learning effect.
3. Definition of Core Concept
3.1. Mixed Teaching Model
Blending Learning refers to the integration of traditional teaching techniques into modern information technology, where students carry out learning activities through information technology means and traditional paper media (Graham et al., 2019). It combines the advantages of traditional classroom teaching and network learning, and makes full use of information technology to promote the initiative and creativity of learners in the learning process (He, 2002; Bonk & Graham, 2012). With learners as the center, combining offline face-to-face interaction and online human-computer interaction, we reflect the students’ “principal status and teachers” guidance, and introduce learners into deep learning. It provides students with more learning resources and development space, strengthens students’ personalized learning, and emphasizes teachers’ targeted guidance. Meanwhile, it improves students’ engagement in learning, enhancing students’ learning effect and learning ability.
3.2. The Concept of OBE
The OBE concept (Outcomes-based Education) is an educational concept based on learning output, also known as results-oriented education. It refers to the learning outcome design and implementation of teaching steps that students can finally achieve in the education process. It is also known as ability-oriented education, goal-oriented education or demand-oriented education. At present, it is actively promoted in various professional educations in Chinese universities and has been widely recognized. It first appeared in the field of primary education reform in the United States and Australia, and then was applied to the field of engineering education. It is a structural model of organizing, implementing and evaluating education centered on expected learning output (Qin, 2016). Professor Wen (2015) puts forward the “output-driven hypothesis” in the early stage, and applied the OBE concept to “College English” teaching and achieved good results. Different from the traditional “input” education concept, the OBE education concept emphasizes “output”, which refers to an education model that takes output as task-driven and educational goal and emphasizes “student-centered”. Define the objectives of teaching design and implementation so that students can achieve learning outcomes through the educational process, namely-what learning outcomes students are expected to achieve, why students should achieve such learning outcomes, how effectively help students achieve these learning outcomes, how teachers know if a student has achieved these learning outcomes, etc. (Fu, 2018).
4. OBE-Oriented Multi-Blended Teaching Design in College English
Take the course of College English IV as an example to explore and analyze the application and teaching effect of mixed teaching model in College English course. College English IV is designed for non-English sophomores in a four-year college, whose goal is that students can meet the “higher requirements” of College English Teaching Requirements in listening, speaking, reading, writing and translation after learning of this course. The subjects of this online teaching case are non-English undergraduates in an ordinary university from different majors (excluding students from school of arts and sports), with a total number of 260. The course of College English IV involves two textbooks. The learning class hours of the main textbook New Horizons University English (Third Edition) Reading and writing Course 4 are expected to be 32 periods, and the other—New Century University English (Second Edition) Audio-visual Speaking 4 are 16 periods. During the epidemic period, relevant course resources are reasonably integrated and teaching activities in the “classroom” are flexibly designed based on the electronic resources of the U campus platform and of the new concept self-learning platform according to the actual situation of college. Online guidance, management of students’ learning and evaluation are also conducted based on the multi-mixed teaching models.
4.1. College English Multi-Mixed Teaching Process
1) Adopt the online diversified mixed teaching model: “U-campus-platform + Tencent virtual classroom + FIF platform + WeChat group” to realize the process docking of online learning, classroom live broadcast and instant communication.
Based on the resources of the U campus online learning platform (an online platform matches with College English textbooks), College English IV uses Tencent virtual classroom, and FIF oral English training system to carry out online teaching, learning management and interactive evaluation. Teachers and students are expected to finish different tasks respectively online and offline based on the multi-platforms (Figure 1). “U-campus-platform” is used for online autonomous learning and testing, release and review of pre- and after-class learning tasks, virtual classroom interaction and assessment, collection of relevant supplementary resources, etc. “Tencent virtual classroom” is a virtual place used for regular live broadcast (PPT + voice) during the epidemic period, including feedback and summary of students’ assignments, key and difficult points explanation of each learning unit; students’ group activity display, group mutual evaluation; teacher
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Figure 1. Application diagram of the mixed teaching model of College English IV.
comments and other classroom activities. In the meanwhile, activities such as attendance sign-in, voice interaction, discussion area communication and Q & A, are also can be conducted here. Class lessons videos support playing again and again, which is convenient for students to review. “The FIF platform” is an AI smart platform, mainly used for students’ oral English practice and evaluation. “WeChat group” is used for after-class supervision, tutoring and timely communication.
Teachers mainly play the role of guiding, checking, evaluating, urging and feeding back, such as settings of teaching plan, mode of learning and assessment at the beginning of the semester; issue online learning tasks, answer questions and evaluating students self-learning before class; summarize and give a feedback at offline class. Most importantly, make a offline teaching based on the report of students learning analysis to ensure students’ puzzles and questions occurred during their self-learning removed. Students can learn, practice, check online anytime and anywhere with their mobile phones or personal computers. In offline class, students mainly participate in group work, such as group discussion, presentation or peer-evaluation. With individualized learning report from the platforms and teachers’ instant guidance, students are motivated to learn effectively.
2) Optimize teaching and learning based on U-campus-platform to realize students’ accurate input and intelligent teaching.
Resources at U campus platform have been selected as the main resources for course teaching. Teachers can make well use of the main teaching materials and course resources at the platform to set the independent learning mode for students’ semester learning, such as required learning contents, standard for qualification, learning time length, etc. Students can arrange the online course learning, practice and testing at their own pace, with flexible learning time, place and way to meet students’ diverse personality learning needs. Through the platform interaction mode and performance management template, students can get their own online learning data and learning feedback, which is helpful for students to adjust the learning content and learning methods in time, this is true for teachers, vice verse (Figure 2). Targeted input, activate the classroom, improve the online teaching effect. Teachers can supervise and urge students to self-check online and timely follow-up. For students of different levels, teachers can recommend or supplement various audio and video materials, expand resources to help students better understand and complete online learning tasks.
3) Integrate online and offline teaching to increase language practice.
College English courses are highly practical and require students to do a lot of language practice. In order to ensure that the students get corresponding language practice in the teaching model, this research takes the following measures to carry out language practice: 1) when the internet environment is good, students are required to interact with each other in spoken English and written English; 2) Display the group activities with “micro audio and video” to promote language output. 3) Using the training question bank and real-time diagnosis intelligent function of FIF oral training platform, students are organized to
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Figure 2. Analysis of students’ learning on U campus platform.
independently complete a certain amount of oral practice tasks on the mobile phone at their fragmented free time. At the beginning of the semester, the task requirements and tasks will be released, and all the tasks will be included in the usual performance assessment at the end of the semester. Students can conduct independent self-practice according to the smart evaluation and diagnosis chart by the AI platform (Figure 3). The teacher end can check the whole process and supervise it irregularly.
4) Keep various forms of interaction, and maintain effective communication.
Mixed teaching model reserves a wealth of interactive communication programs. In addition to the voice connection and text interaction in the broadcast room, we also communicate with students through classroom sign-in, answer sheet, drawing board, U campus voting interaction, FIF platform course currency reward, recess song, WeChat group questions, and other ways to enhance the emotion between teachers and students. Arouse students’ learning enthusiasm and ensure the learning effect.
4.2. Practical Application of Multi-Blended Teaching Design in College English
1) Pre-class: In this stage, students will mainly study independently online to understand the background knowledge of relevant topics with the help of teachers’ preview tasks and learning lists published on the U campus platform, such as text background reading, guided video watching, groups’ theme discussion, test for preview learning, etc., so that students can clarify the learning objectives and key points of the course. In the discussion area, students can ask questions and discuss the doubts arising in the learning process of preview tasks with classmates and teachers, and upload their learning gains in the way of summary or mind mapping. Before class, teachers can conduct learning supervision, learning situation analysis, accurately prepare lessons, and design relevant teaching activities according to students’ learning progress, learning confusion and learning tests. 2) While-class: In this stage, it is mainly offline classroom teaching—face to face teaching, focusing on students’ output and application of language in tasks. During the epidemic period, live classes were broadcast online. This stage emphasizes full participation and real-time interaction between teachers and students. Half of the class time is for T-S (teacher-student) real-time interaction, including teachers’ presentation, leading demonstration, questioning and answering,
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Figure 3. Analysis of students’ oral English practice.
activity comments and assessments, to help students complete the meaning construction of knowledge. The other half of time is for interaction between S-S (student-student), such as group collaboration, group presentation, peer evaluation, problem discussion, problem analysis, and problem solving, to promote independent thinking and deep learning.
3) After-class: Relevant assignments and further learning tasks are released in this after-class stage based on the learning resources of U campus and FIF intelligent teaching platform. It mainly includes group tasks, personal writing, oral English practice exercises, etc. At the same time, WeChat group or these platforms are used to answer questions, doubts and personalized guidance from students. Excellent works of groups and individuals are selected through voting and mutual evaluation, and shared on the FIF smart teaching platform for students to learn from each other. Or through the platform to collect students’ learning feedback and suggestions, as the basis for a new round of teaching design adjustment, and circular promotion. In this stage, in addition to focusing on the application and extension of language, it also focuses on the implementation of formative evaluation indicators of students’ self-evaluation, peer evaluation and teacher evaluation, which will be presented and feedback on the course evaluation platform, so that students can timely understand their own and others learning dynamics, but also convenient for teachers to adjust their teaching strategies.
4.3. Application Effects of Multi-Mixed Teaching Mode in College English
1) Promoted the effective learning, practiced formative evaluation, and cultivated independent learning ability.
Adopt the ready-made electronic teaching material resources at U campus platform to set the learning mode and performance management template, determine the required content of independent learning, and praise the completion of the selective content, which are counted into the formative assessment. Mobile and computer terminal are seamlessly connected, intelligently learn anytime and anywhere.
2) Check the learning progress, feedback the learning quality, accurately analyze the learning situation, and design teaching activities.
Check the learning progress through mobile terminal of U campus platform, feedback the process in the whole class and praise well-performance, remind those fall-behind privately by individual chatting, supervision their completion of learning in time. According to the report of students’ answers’ details (Figure 4), know well the weaknesses of the students, choose the key points of guidance, adjust the teaching design, give analysis and guidance by live classroom , and cycle to consolidate.
3) Do small tasks, set small goals; students evaluate mutually, teacher comments individually, cycle improvement.
Give full play to the advantages of online interaction, language of interaction
in the classroom discussion area is expected to be concise and clear. Keywords,
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Figure 4. Student answer details report.
phrases with acronyms are welcome to reduce the length of typing time. Group presentation adopts the form of “one-minute recording video presentation” to realize students’ online display. That is, one recorded video is similar to one critical topic picture and one mind map PPT and one minute length of voice presentation”. Reduce the time of students make videos and extend the time on their language output practice to improve efficiency. To meet the standard, it is very common to practice more than ten times a minute, but students try their best to achieve it.
Five to six groups are required to have presentation per unit. After each display, peer-evaluation is conducted in the Tencent classroom and real-time feedback is provided (Figure 5). Teachers use one sentence to comment or give comments in the last minute of the lesson to ensure the time and class coverage, keep the communicative status encouraging students’ engagement. At the beginning of the semester, the students are already familiar with the peer evaluation process as well as the evaluation standards. Display online, promote mutually. With this kind of practice, not only students’ information technology ability has been greatly improved, but also the quality of language output.
4) Make full use of online extension resources to help students output effectively.
Reorganize the various online teaching resources according to the classification of listening, speaking, reading, writing and translation. Provide them to students before-, during- and after class according to the learning situation. Assist students to understand the learning content, broaden their thinking, and help students accurately and effectively express themselves. Before class, based on the
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Figure 5. Students’ group presentation and peer-evaluation.
electronic chapters of the textbook and further learning resources, skillfully use the U campus test template to release preview tasks, such as words and expressions translation, induction of key points of passages, personal oral statements, etc (Figure 6). In class, excellent assignment samples were highly praised and assignments were shown to students according to high, medium, and low levels to guide students to correct and learn from. After-class tasks were mainly to drive students to make full use of the extension resources, and to conduct group discussions and summaries. The teaching process of “independent learning—teacher feedback—guidance summary—group display—circular improvement” is formed to promote students’ high-quality language expression.
5. Conclusion and Suggestions
The design and implementation of the multi-mixed teaching mode oriented by goal-output and task-based can enrich the teaching content and optimize the teaching evaluation, which improved students’ learning investment, promoted students’ active participation and efficient learning. Extend college English learning from classroom to extracurricular, so that students can use the rich online teaching resources to learn intelligently and communicate interactively anytime and anywhere. However, a good teaching effect is not produced naturally, but depends on the effective integration of students themselves, teachers, and the online platform. There are still some problems that need to be improved in the implementation process of teaching. For example, the design of the teaching process is not fine and reasonable, and the communication needs of individual students cannot be fully met; the existing online resources cannot cover all knowledge points,
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Figure 6. Student weekly task release and completion.
and the resources supporting teaching materials are not optimized; teachers pay insufficient attention to guiding students to carry out critical activities. These problems need us to improve and perfect in the future continuous exploration. In the future, it can be strengthened from the following aspects: 1) strengthen the construction of school-based online resource databases. The opening up of online courses and the construction of quality courses enrich the online teaching resources. However, the online course resources supporting the textbooks are not perfect enough to complete the actual needs of learners’ course learning. But the construction of a high-quality online course often requires a high-level team of teachers. In addition to making full use of high-quality shared resources, colleges and universities should also pay attention to the development and construction of curriculum resources with school-based characteristics to meet the learning needs of students, provide high-quality teaching resources for the society, and expand their academic influence. 2) Attach importance to the development of teachers and accelerate the construction of high-quality teachers. Create a mixed teaching culture atmosphere, help teachers to deeply understand the mixed teaching concept, and clear the role positioning of teachers. Actively practice teaching reflection and transform teaching behavior. Strengthen diversified teacher training to realize the independent development of teaching ability.
Acknowledgements
This Study is Sponsored by the Project “Research on the reform and Practice of Personalized Oral English Teaching Based on the Intelligent Model of ‘AI + Education’ [LNNU (2021) No. 166]” supported by Guangdong Lingnan Normal University and “The research and practice of ideological politics in Foreign language Curriculum (GD21WZX01-06)” supported by Guangdong Philosophy and Social Science Foundation.