TITLE:
Characteristics, Technology Capabilities, and Experiences of In-Service Teachers on the Use of Online/Blended Learning at a Tertiary Institution in Jamaica
AUTHORS:
Cynthia Onyefulu, Carmel Roofe
KEYWORDS:
Online/Blended Learning, In-Service Teachers, Learner Characteristics, Technological Capacities, Online Learner Experiences
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Access Library Journal,
Vol.6 No.1,
January
22,
2019
ABSTRACT: Students’ success in the online environment seems to be inextricably linked to learner characteristics and experiences related to the use of information and communication technologies. An increasing number of in-service teachers are being encouraged to pursue continuing education via the use of these technologies. This study examined learner characteristics, experiences, and technological capacities possessed by 55 in-service teachers pursuing postgraduate studies using the online/blended learning approach. The paper was also aimed at determining if there are differences in the views expressed by the male and female in-service teachers on learner characteristics, experiences, and technological capacities. Five research questions guided the study. A questionnaire was used to collect data, and descriptive and inferential statistics were used for the analysis. The findings indicated that a majority of the in-service teachers possessed the characteristics and technological capacities needed to succeed in the online learning environment. The findings also showed that most of the in-service teachers had the characteristics needed to do online/blended learning, had basic technology capabilities needed to succeed in an online/blended learning programme, and the in-service teachers had different experiences with the online/blended learning approach. Recommendations were towards making the in-service teachers’ experiences more desirable.