MANAGING EFL STUDENTS’ ONLINE LEARNING IN VIETNAMESE BLENDED LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS

In light of Web 2.0 advances in educational contexts, blended learning (BL), an effective delivery method in language classrooms, can make use of advantages of both face-to-face learning and online learning. However, EFL lecturers in Vietnamese universities have not taken advantages of online learning in BL environments; moreover, how to effectively manage students’ online learning is still considered as their top concern. This study aims to explore EFL lecturers’ purposes of implementing online learning and their strategies of managing students’ online activities in Vietnamese BL environments. Semi-structured interviews were employed with 10 EFL lecturers in different Vietnamese universities. The results reveal that online learning was mainly delivered via a university-based learning management system and optional Web-based resources to support face-to-face learning. The weightings of online learning are specified in the course syllabi according to students’ English levels, assessments or learning stations. EFL lecturers implemented online learning to serve 14 educational purposes outside classrooms. In addition, six online learning activities were employed to support students’ face-to-face learning inside classrooms. Due to different university-based policies and varied teaching experience, EFL lecturers in Vietnamese universities applied 13 pedagogical strategies to manage students’ online learning in BL environments. The study ends with some recommendations for an effective management of EFL students’ online learning in Vietnamese BL environments.

Key words: blended learning, management strategies, online learning, EFL, Vietnamese