Blended Learning Approach: Voice from the Open University

With the speeding up of the use of technology, we have seen an unprecedented emergence of the various approaches to teaching and learning. Nowadays, e-learning has become the counterpart to face-to-face learning which has given rise to a new approach called “blended learning approach”. The present study intends to investigate the extent to which the blended approach can be used in the teaching-learning process to the students from the distance mode. A total number of 38 students who have studied through open and distance learning mode were taken as samples across the disciplines through purposive sampling method from the University of North Bengal, West Bengal. A researcher-made questionnaire was prepared and standardized by the subject experts. A descriptive survey method and interview technique were adopted for the collection of data and qualitative methods were used to analyze data. The objectives of the study were to find the students' opinion regarding the blended learning; to study the extent to which blended learning is applied across various disciplines and to find the benefits that blended learning may provide to students' learning experiences. The results suggested that in the University of North Bengal (distance learning mode) blended learning has not been initiated so far. Although the students had a clear understanding of this approach and gave positive feedback yet they were not able to explore their learning because of non-use of blended learning instruction in their program of study.