A study of the use of ICT blended instruction in the teaching of English in a Thai University

Research Doctorate - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)Due to economic, vocational and educational changes resulting from globalization, Thailand has acknowledged the need to prepare its people to cope with the changing world and competition in the global market place. Under the Thai National Education Act, the Thai government launched a series of educational reforms with the aim of developing Thailand into a knowledge-based society. One of these reforms focuses on using information and communication technologies (ICT) in the educational system. In addition, the government also encourages students to acquire knowledge and skills in English language and educational technologies to promote life-long learning skills. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of introducing ICT into the compulsory, first year English syllabus in Thai higher education through Blended Learning pedagogy. This researcher seeks to advance Thai university students’ English achievement through a greater understanding of the influence of ICT and its impact on students’ English language achievement, students’ participation within English classes and student attitudes towards learning English. The use of ICT blended instruction may provide Thai students with more modern - or less traditional pedagogy than is currently used. This study investigates the expansion of the range of texts and contexts through which these students may experience and subsequently learn English. This mixed method study was conducted using a pre-test, post-test design. Participants were 278 students attending a rural University in North-eastern Thailand, who were arranged into blended learning and face-to-face classes. A course web site was developed for course instruction. This site and social network tools such as Skype, Twitter and Facebook were utilised by the blended learning class for communications and language acquisition. Data was collected from the pre-test and post-test instruments, class room observation check lists, questionnaires, semi-structured interviews and researcher’s field notes in order to compare ICT blended instruction and traditional face to face instruction. Results of the data analysis revealed ICT blended instruction as showing a significant, positive difference in student’s English learning achievement when compared with the English learning achievement of students participating in traditional F-to-F classes. Furthermore, this study establishes that ICT blended instruction can affect a significant, positive difference in student’s behavioural participation within the classroom when compared with student’s behavioural participation within the traditional F-to-F classroom. Finally, this research has identified a significant, positive difference in students’ attitude after learning English through ICT blended instruction. Positive outcomes in learning achievement, participation and student attitude reveal the value ICT blended instruction may afford to the teaching of English language within Thailand. These encouraging results for English pedagogy may be directly transferable to the pedagogy of other academic spheres within Thai education and may inspire further investigation in these directions. As identified by the Thai government through the National Education Act, English language and ICT skills are steps toward a knowledge-based society; advances in the delivery of these skills to the population will potentially benefit an entire Nation. This study also recognises the essential requirement for ICT proficient instructors in order to transfer these skills to the populace. The positive outcomes observed in this study may fortify administrators resolve in implementing English language and ICT policy and encourage educators to pursue additional training in ICT enhanced education and contemporary, blended pedagogy