Impacts of Blended Instruction on Students' Autonomous Learning and Motivation to Practice Speaking Skills

Abstract This study investigated the impact of blended learning on students’ autonomous learning and motivation to practice speaking skills. The researchers used a quasi-experimental design involving two groups (experimental group and a control one). The participants were 66 Ethiopian students at Hawassa college of Teacher Education. The experimental group was subjected to the flex model of blended learning treatment whereas the control group was taught conventionally for three months. The data were collected through a learner autonomy questionnaire and interviews. The researchers analyzed the quantitative data by using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics like t-test for, and the qualitative data using thematic analysis. The results demonstrated that the blended learning group had a higher level of autonomy and motivation to practice speaking skills after the intervention, whereas the increase in the level of autonomy of control group was not statistically significant. Thus, based on the findings, some implications of the study were formulated.