The Effect of Using Blended Learning on Iraqi EFL Students’ Reading Achievement

Abstract

Improvements in technology have made blended learning (also known as hybrid learning) a crucial component of education worldwide. The word "blended learning" (BL) refers to a teaching approach that combines classroom activities with online learning. In this study, the main objective was to investigate how blended learning affects students' reading achievements in Iraq. For the academic year 2022-2023, at the Directorate of Education, Diyala, 62 students were chosen from the fifth preparatory class, in order to investigate the effects of blended learning on the participants' reading achievements. The participants were classified into intervention and control groups. In the intervention group, the students received traditional general English instructions while using computers and internet-based learning. As for the control group, they were all instructed by the textbook, which followed the traditional learning model. The results demonstrated a statistically significant factor distinction within the experimental and control groups' mean achievement scores in reading comprehension, indicating that using a blended learning strategy is a more beneficial and effective strategy than using a traditional approach. According to the findings, blended learning presents an interactive and tech-based learning that improves the results of the teaching-learning process and opens up new opportunities for life-long learning and self-directed studies.