BLENDED LEARNING FOR MARITIME ENGLISH: CHALLENGES AND INSTRUCTOR INSIGHTS

Abstract

Blended learning has been a common model of learning applied in education, including in maritime education. It is imperative to explore teachers’ challenges in conducting blended learning to teach maritime English for the Seafarer Upgrading Program. The present study aimed to explore teachers’ voices regarding the challenges they faced and strategies they used in teaching seafarer students. The study was conducted under a qualitative study. Four English instructors with at least three years of experience in teaching maritime English using blended learning were interviewed. The data were analyzed thematically. The findings have shown that the teachers identified and dealt with challenges concerning technical, teaching and learning, and environment. Some implications were addressed to foster more effective English teaching using blended learning for maritime education.