Application Of Blended Learning In Online Writing Course

With the advent of 21st century, the development of computer and network technology has provided tremendous potential for improvement to distance education, as a result of which learning-centered network digital learning has been receiving global attention. The doctoral online English writing course in Second Military Medical University was a new attempt based on the network learning. However, gradually it was discovered that e-learning was not as effective as thought. The concept of Blended Learning, namely combining the characteristics of traditional learning approaches with advantages of e-learning, thus came into being. The author found that most of the PhD students were able to make progress in online writing course, but in the process of participation problems like low learning efficiency still existed. This study applies Blended Learning to online writing course and attempts to introduce a new ecological perspective to studying the virtual community. Ecological principles and rules were used to examine and study the whole online writing ecosystem and the mode's effect was observed in order to promote the application of Blended Learning and improve the efficiency and quality of online learning.In this paper, twenty-two PhD students in one topic group of online writing course in SMMU were chosen as subjects in this empirical study. Pretest and posttest papers as well as two questionnaires were employed as instruments. The data from ELT writing scores, composition length and the questionnaires in the pretest and posttest were compared and analyzed with the statistical software SPSS 13.0 to see whether there was some significant difference between them. Finally, interviews were conducted. From the responses we can get the students'views on Blended Learning.The results from the experiment show that Blended Learning can serve as a solution to the problems existing in fully online instruction. Students'writing proficiency, interest in learning and writing confidence have been improved and finally their English writing level has been promoted. This proves that it is feasible and efficient to apply Blended Learning in online writing course.