Effects of Blended Learning on Addis Ababa University Students‟ Reading Comprehension: College of Business and Economics in Focus
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Date
2025-06-24
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The general objective of this study was to investigate the effects of blended learning (BL) on Addis Ababa University students’ reading comprehension. Students’ attitudes toward blended learning-based reading comprehension were also examined. To fulfill this purpose, a quasi-experimental research design with mixed method approach was employed. In addition, from the College of Business and Economics at Addis Ababa University social science stream, four sections of freshman students were purposely selected and assigned to experimental (n=42) and control (n=42) groups. This was followed by a 12-week experiment involving students at Addis Ababa University in the first semester of the 2024/25 academic year. The same reading comprehension contents adapted from communicative English skills I course were taught to both groups. The only difference was that the experimental group was taught by a BL method that combined both online and face-to-face instructions, while the control group used the conventional, teacher-centered instruction. SPSS version 26 for quantitative data and NVivo 10 for qualitative data were used to analyze the data gathered from pre-posttests, attitude questionnaire, and focus group discussions (FGDs). Based on the analysis of the reading comprehension test results, the experimental group showed a large effect size and a statistically significant difference in reading comprehension components at the p < .05 level. However, the control group's reading comprehension results revealed no statistically significant differences in the pre- and posttest results. According to the results of the independent samples t-test, the experimental group scored better in all reading comprehension components than the control groups. Besides, students’ attitudes toward blended learning-based reading comprehension were examined through descriptive statistics for closed-ended questionnaires and thematic analysis for open-ended questions and FGD, using Nvivo 10 software. The major findings indicated that the blended learning (BL) approach positively affected students’ reading comprehension skills, with most students in the experimental group expressing positive attitudes toward it. The results leading to the recommendation that BL should be integrated into EFL classrooms to promote reading skills. Consequently, it would be advantageous to incorporate blended learning approaches that integrate online reading resources with conventional face to face instruction to improve students’ reading comprehension skills at the tertiary level in Ethiopia.