Challenges of the New Normal: Students' Attitude, Readiness and Adaptability to Blended Learning Modality

Abstract

In Mid the second semester of the academic year 2019-2020, the Kalinga State University commenced the application of a blended/Flexible learning approach which combines synchronous and asynchronous learning modality. This study explores students' attitudes, readiness for learning to determine their adaptability to a blended learning environment using different technological platforms and investigate problems and challenges that the students faced in their learning. Drawing upon 508 questionnaires using the Google form, with closed and open-ended questions along with virtual interviews with 25 interviewees, The researcher analyses the survey data quantitatively and open-ended questions and virtual results qualitatively and then merges the two sets of results to assess in what ways the results about students' attitude and readiness to blended learning converge and diverge employing the convergent parallel-side by the side mixed-method approach. Mixing the two databases by merging the results during interpretations, the findings revealed Technological Lapses, which covers the educational device's unavailability; unreliable internet connectivity hinders the success and productive implementation of blended learning adaptability. Students also have a positive attitude and showed a moderate level of readiness to implement blended learning. But there is a negative correlation between the students' attitude and students' readiness towards blended learning environment; Conversely, results from open-ended question responses and the virtual-interviews confirmed or validated the results from the closed-ended questions