MEASURING THE READINESS AND RESPONSIVENESS OF JEST TOWARDS BLENDED LEARNING: AN INVESTIGATION FROM DISTRICT SHAHEED BENAZIRABAD

Abstract

In the field of education, ICT plays a great role and it has been spreading throughout every branch of education. Blended learning, a revolutionary approach to education, expands on the significant contribution that ICT has made to improve the learning process. It provides a dynamic and adaptable environment for students with traditional in-person and online learning components. The purpose of the current research was to measure the readiness and responsiveness of JEST teachers towards blended learning: An investigation from district Shaheed Benazirabad. Identification and examination of the JEST teachers’ level of responsiveness and readiness towards blended learning were the main objectives of the study measured with the help of a quantitative research method and paper paper-based survey was conducted. The adopted questionnaire with the 5-point Likert scale was used for data collection. The sample of the study was N=200 senior and junior JEST teachers who were working in secondary schools of Taluka Sakrand and Nawabshah, within the district Shaheed Benazirabad, Sindh; and the data was collected with the help of a convenience sampling technique. The data was analyzed in frequency, mean, and standard deviation. From the results, it was concluded that the majority of the JEST teachers were not ready to teach with blended learning while their responsiveness or perception level was positive towards blended learning. It is recommended that the government should provide proper facilities to schools and teachers, training relevant to computer literacy, and professional development programs (PDP) for the JEST teachers to use the current trending blended learning approach within their classrooms and policymakers, donor agencies, and relevant authorities should look at the matter carefully and seriously. The JEST teachers should be trained with online teaching tools for teaching with blended learning. In general, training is highly recommended for the JEST teachers to teach with a blended learning approach.