ICT Self-Efficacy, Organizational Support, Attitudes, and the Use of Blended Learning: An Exploratory Study Based on English Teachers in Basic Education

Abstract

The study aims to build a model that predicts the behavior of the use of blended learning by English teachers of basic education in China in the environment of repeated lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic. It examines the relationships between ICT self-efficacy, organizational support for blended learning, attitudes toward blended learning, and the use of blended learning. Data were collected from 562 teachers using a survey questionnaire. Employing partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), a hypothesized model was tested for path coefficients and predictive power. This study found that ICT self-efficacy and organizational support for blended learning are sound predictors of teachers' use of blended learning and that the former appeared to be a stronger determinant. In addition, attitudes toward blended learning can directly influence teachers' use of blended learning and mediate the relationship between ICT efficacy and the use of blended learning and between organizational support for blended learning and the use of blended learning. These three variables account for 54.7% of the variance in teachers' use of blended learning.

Impact of Organizational Support on Students’ Information and Communication Technology Self-Efficacy, Engagement, and Satisfaction in a Blended Learning Environment: An Empirical Study

“…Furthermore, some researchers argue that additional internal or external influences should be considered, in order to clarify why and how variables affect the intention in different research contexts (Al-Azawei et al, 2017;Bazelais et al, 2018;X. Chen et al, 2022;Esteban-Millat et al, 2018;Gangwar et al, 2015;Lazar et al, 2020;Martı´n Garcı´a et al, 2019;Sa´nchez & Hueros, 2010;Shakeel et al, 2022;Ye et al, 2022). In the proposed model of this study, organizational support is regarded as the PU antecedent variable to investigate its influence on students' attitudes and behaviors in the context of blended learning.…”

“…Furthermore, engagement is an essential aspect of academic success in both traditional and technology-enhanced instruction (de Brito Lima et al, 2021). Much of student satisfaction with blended learning can be attributed to ICT self-efficacy (Morton et al, 2016; Ye et al, 2022). Evaluating student engagement and satisfaction serves as an important baseline measurement for classes that are conducted in blended learning (Garrison & Kanuka, 2004), and high ICT self-efficacy can promote student engagement and improve student satisfaction and academic performance (Bouilheres et al, 2020).…”

“…However, existing research primarily focuses on providing social support for students' ICT self-efficacy, rather than organizational support. Only a few studies (e.g., Ye et al, 2022) have studied blended learning under organizational support, but they have mainly targeted teachers, not students. Social support provided by individuals in social networks (Sarason et al, 1990), primarily focuses on providing a sense of belonging and connectedness for individuals facing challenges or difficulties, and it operates within an informal structure (Ba¨chtold et al, 2023).…”

“…Teachers use blended e-learning systems to design student-centered curriculum resources and interactive activities. Blended learning has become the only option for students to catch up with learning progress (Ye et al, 2022). Chinese students now have been exposed to different blended e-learning systems, such as Teachermate, Chaoxing , and Treenity , to complete their curricula.…”

Perceptions of teacher competencies in a new higher education blended learning programme: An exploratory study

“…It has been shown in several studies that underlying teacher beliefs and attitudes are essential for effective blended learning programmes. In a study of Chinese teachers of English, Ye et al (2022) highlight that during Covid-19, teacher attitudes toward a blended learning approach and the use of technology can have a direct impact on teachers' effectiveness in such a teaching environment. Similarly, Bervell et al (2020) argue that factors such as performance expectancy, effort expectancy and facilitating conditions should be critically addressed while implementing a blended teaching approach through a Learning Management System (LMS).…”