Student Perceptions Across 4-Skill, 2-Skill, and No Discussion Board Formats in a Blended English Course
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As blended learning (BL) becomes more common in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) contexts, educators must consider how digital tools such as discussion boards (DBs) influence collaboration and skill development. This qualitative study examines student experiences in a first-year BL EFL course at a Korean university across three DB conditions: 4-skill, 2-skill, and no-DB. A total of 81 students completed four collaborative tasks over one semester, with formats adjusted by instructional group. Data were collected through an end-of-semester survey combining descriptive statistics and thematic analysis of open-ended responses. Three research questions guided the study: (1) how students described their activity preferences and discussion experiences; (2) how they perceived language skill development in relation to DB format; and (3) how they viewed collaborative learning opportunities across conditions. Results showed that students valued discussion tasks that were engaging, personally relevant, and socially supportive. Perceived skill gains aligned with DB format: the 4-skill group emphasized speaking and listening development, while the 2-skill group noted reading and speaking gains. Findings suggest that multimodal, learner-generated DB tasks can enhance motivation and support language growth. Implications include the need for scaffolded design, flexible sequencing, and task formats that promote meaningful communication in BL environments.
Abstract
As blended learning (BL) becomes more common in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) contexts, educators must consider how digital tools such as discussion boards (DBs) influence collaboration and skill development. This qualitative study examines student experiences in a first-year BL EFL course at a Korean university across three DB conditions: 4-skill, 2-skill, and no-DB. A total of 81 students completed four collaborative tasks over one semester, with formats adjusted by instructional group. Data were collected through an end-of-semester survey combining descriptive statistics and thematic analysis of open-ended responses. Three research questions guided the study: (1) how students described their activity preferences and discussion experiences; (2) how they perceived language skill development in relation to DB format; and (3) how they viewed collaborative learning opportunities across conditions. Results showed that students valued discussion tasks that were engaging, personally relevant, and socially supportive. Perceived skill gains aligned with DB format: the 4-skill group emphasized speaking and listening development, while the 2-skill group noted reading and speaking gains. Findings suggest that multimodal, learner-generated DB tasks can enhance motivation and support language growth. Implications include the need for scaffolded design, flexible sequencing, and task formats that promote meaningful communication in BL environments.