Evaluation of a blended learning language course: students' perceptions of appropriateness for the development of skills and language areas

This study investigated students' perceptions of the usefulness of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in all the skills and areas of language in an English as a Foreign Language blended course, which integrated ICT fully, and compared these perceptions to those of pupils of a Spanish as a Second Language blended course with a lower level of ICT integration. Our results showed that both student populations had not used ICT much for language learning previously, that their ratings varied depending on use of ICT in their course and that students with an increased use of technology in their courses seemed to realize its true potential for productive skills, but also some of its disadvantages. The perceived usefulness of ICT for skills and different areas of language was also different. The students who had used ICT less in their course rated it as most useful for some areas of language (grammar and vocabulary) followed by receptive skills, and least useful for the development of pronunciation and productive skills. However, students who had used ICT more in their course rated it lower for its usefulness for areas of language and receptive skills, and rated it higher for the improvement of pronunciation and productive skills. This study encourages the use of ICT for language learning, showing that students had very positive perceptions of its usefulness, and recommends adding guides and training to blended learning experiences to diminish the number of students rejecting the use of ICT.