The Development of Learners’ Autonomy through Blended Learning Activities

DOI:10.21742/AJEMR.2021.6.2.01

AUTHORS

Anna Mrajca,University of Bielsko, Biala, Poland

Krzysztof Polok,University of Bielsko, Biala, Poland

ABSTRACT

The study investigates the effect of blended learning activities on the development of learners’ autonomy as well as the influence of the level of learners’ autonomy on their writing skills. During our research a quasi-experimental study was conducted, involving three experimental groups and a control one. The participants were 57 Polish secondary school students. The members of the experimental groups were subjected to three different types of blended learning treatment, namely flipped classroom, project work, and individual WebQuests whereas the control group was taught traditionally. The intervention lasted for three months. The data was collected with the use of a learner’s autonomy questionnaire and writing tasks, which were administered in each of the groups. The quantitative data thus obtained was analyzed with the use of one-way and two-way ANOVA. The results were inconclusive as the findings demonstrated that the flipped classroom group and the WebQuest group had a significantly higher level of autonomy after the intervention, whereas the project workgroup increase in the level of autonomy was not statistically significant. The findings concerning writing abilities evidenced that only the WebQuest group members’ skills had improved. The most important limitation of the study was the fact that it was conducted during the remote education period caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, based on the findings, some implications of the study were formulated.