Instructional design applied in a blended learning environment for the english language teaching in pre-intermediate students (level 3) at Universidad de la Sabana

Abstract

This deepening proposal seeks to create an instructional design with a constructivist framework that supports students from Universidad la Sabana with their learning process in a foreign language, as it is English. Therefore, for its design there are some theoretical aspects that will be taken into account to set up the instructional design, as the Moodle platform use, the features that a blended learning environment must have, the positive effects that Flipped Learning has on the students’ learning process; lastly, the constructivist pedagogical approach pertinence into a virtual environment. The main objective of this proposal is to ensure that the blended learning environment designers (level coordinators) take full advantage of the tools that Moodle has, the new educational trends to have a successful face to face class, a great instructional design on the activities suggested in Virtual Sabana and a good learning language proficiency in the level three students. In order to do this research, the mixed methods research was chosen to collect the required data, bearing in mind the explanatory sequential design (quantitative data + qualitative data + interpretation). The instruments to carry out this process are the following: Questionnaires, Teacher’s field notes, experimental and control groups. There were some surprising results in regards to the information that had to be known by students beforehand; nevertheless, the advised activity (Technological Educational Activity) with the aim of using the constructivist pedagogical approach had a great impact on the students’ discernment in regards to the class task (speaking activity assessed) that had a different focus and methodology. There are definitively varied ways to tackle the in-class activities mixed with the activities given in a virtual environment; how can teachers do that? By exploring and identifying new strategies and educational trends that can support the students’ language proficiency.