ERIC Number: ED637076
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2023
Pages: 170
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: 979-8-3799-6421-4
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Teachers' Perspectives on the Implementation of Blended Learning in High School Health and Biomedical Science Classrooms to Support Digital Literacy
Kelli Marie Oberheu
ProQuest LLC, Ed.D. Dissertation, Northcentral University
Health and biomedical science courses are meant to teach students the skills they need to be career ready; this includes digital literacy skills as technology in healthcare continues to grow. Blended learning is an instructional strategy that uses face-to-face and digital learning activities and has been shown to improve the digital literacy skills of students as well as other student benefits. The problem is Texas high school health and biomedical science teachers are not consistently teaching essential digital literacy skills to vocational students in a blended learning environment, therefore, limiting employability. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore teachers' perspectives on the use of blended learning, barriers, training needed, and instructional strategies using connectivism as the study's conceptual framework. Nine semistructured interviews and a focus group were conducted using Zoom. Interviews and the focus group were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using thematic analysis, producing seven final themes. The findings suggest that teachers are assisting students in developing digital literacy skills, such as fundamental computer use, researching, identifying credible sources, communicating, collaborating, and content creation. However, barriers can limit the use of blended learning to teach digital literacy skills, such as the inability to access devices fully, unreliable internet, plagiarism, lack of time and funding, teacher competency and comfort with technology, and lack of a blended learning curriculum. The need for blended learning-specific professional development, including opportunities for choice, modeling, networking, and collaboration, was also identified. This study's findings provide valuable information that can be used to inform decisions regarding blended learning implementation, strategies for overcoming barriers impeding implementation, and considerations for designing professional development opportunities. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]
Descriptors: Digital Literacy, Teacher Attitudes, High School Teachers, Health Sciences, Biomedicine, Science Teachers, Technology Uses in Education, Blended Learning, Teaching Methods, Vocational Education, Barriers, Educational Strategies, Educational Environment, High School Students, Science Instruction
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Publication Type: Dissertations/Theses - Doctoral Dissertations
Education Level: High Schools; Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Texas
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A