Business English Listening and Speaking Course Blended Learning

Activities: Evaluation Model Construction and Application

Yang Song

Foreign Languages Department, Dalian Neusoft University of Information, Ganjingzi District, Dalian, China

Keywords: Business English Listening and Speaking Courses, The Third-Generation Activity Theory, Blended Learning,

PLS-SEM Formula.

Abstract: Based on the third-generation activity theory and blended learning instructions, this study explores the

evaluation model of factors in on-line and off-line BL learning activities in Business English Listening and

Speaking courses. The result shows that students’ learning motivation positively influences their attitude

towards the teaching resources and compliance with rules. The effective correlation of on-line and off-line

resources integration further influence students’ overall learning outcomes and gains. Teachers’ on-line and

off-line feedback shows great effect on the overall performance. The model contributes greatly to the solution

of blended learning effects evaluation. The study provides meaningful and practical implications for applying

the third-generation activity theory in blended learning activities evaluation model construction.

1 INTRODUCTION

Blended learning is a way to combine traditional

teaching activities with online teaching activities. At

present, BL based on SPOC and MOOC is a new form

of teaching innovation. And the focus of BL has been

shifted from the teaching resources design to the

design of teaching activities. The third-generation

activity theory focuses on the conflicts of internal

factors in an activity system and the integrations of

these factors. The third-generation activity theory can

provide theoretical bases and guidance for BL

activities design and better learning outcomes. BL in

foreign language teaching has exhibited its unique

characteristics. Its flexibility and effectiveness has

been recognized widely. However, the studies on how

to evaluate the effectiveness of foreign languages BL

activities have been deficient. Business English

Listening and Speaking course is the core curriculum

for Business English major students. The course aims

to improve students’ listening and speaking ability in

the business environment. Business knowledge,

listening strategy, and communication skills are all

important knowledge input for the course. The course

is a big challenge for both teachers and students.

Based on the third-generation activity theory, the

study will focus on the conflicts and interactions in

the blending learning activities of Business English

Listening and Speaking course. And the study aims to

deepen the application of BL in Business Listening

and Speaking courses and also to provide effective

reference for the evaluation of BL activities.

2 RELATED THEORY AND

RESEARCH

2.1 Blended Teaching Activities Design

in Business English Speaking and

Listening Course

Blended learning is a new approach that combines

online teaching materials and resources with off-line

classroom-based teaching activities (Guan, 2020).

Blended learning is to enhance the teaching and

learning experiences for teachers and students by

combining face-to-face learning activities with on-

line learning activities. In recent years, many cases

showed that BL can achieve better learning outcomes.

Also more efficient teaching and better course

management can be seen in BL, as it provides more

diversified ways of knowledge input and teaching

methods. Technology advancement provides new

opportunities and tools for students to learn in multi-

medium environment. BL is designed and delivered

in a way that enhances and changes the teacher’s role

486

Song, Y.

Business English Listening and Speaking Course Blended Learning Activities: Evaluation Model Construction and Application.

DOI: 10.5220/0011914200003613

In Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on New Media Development and Modernized Education (NMDME 2022), pages 486-491

ISBN: 978-989-758-630-9

 2023 by SCITEPRESS – Science and Technology Publications, Lda. Under CC license (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

from a lecturer to a facilitator, from a dominator to a

helper. BL on-line platforms can further support class

activities like group discussions, deliverables

submissions, and feedbacks provisions. Varied BL

materials increase the availability and richness of

learning resources for students to interact with each

other and collaborate.

2.2 The Third-Generation Activity

Theory

Activity theory views that in the process of human

leaning activity, the role of mediations is very

important and it is the key factor for the learning

subject to change the objects and to realize the

cognition development (Vygotsky,1978). Activity

theory has evolved for generations. Vygostky in 1978

firstly proposed the first generation of activity theory

as part of the social cultural theory. The idea of

Vygostky is that human interactions are based on

mediations and interactions with the surrounding

environment. And in n1981, Leont forms the second

generation of activity theory based on the first one.

With the increased interest on individual and common

complexity, together with the existing of social

mediators, the second generation of activity theory

contains more levels of activities. In 1999, Engestrom

and Miettient further propose that human activities

are realized through practices and collaborations.

This is the third generation of activity theory and it

includes at least two sets of interaction activities.

Based on the third-generation activity theory, the

imbalance and mismatch between interactions is

dynamic (Kuutti,1996), and the resolving of conflicts

are helpful in realizing extended learning activity

design. That is to say, the conflicts in the activities are

conducive for the learning object to do extended

learning (Vygotsky,1978). Combining the theoretical

model of third-generation activity theory and the

classification of conflicts, BL design in Business

English Listening and Speaking courses should

consider the very basic activity system, that is the

offline teaching system, which includes the internal

conflicts like students’ learning motivations, teaching

resources, and the learning experience. What’s more,

the conflict between the basic activity system with the

new activity system, that is the BL system is very

obvious as well. Finally, the conflict between the

basic activity system and the on-line SPOC system,

like the integration with SPOC on-line tools with

offline class teaching. The first two conflicts are the

internal conflicts within the basic activity system, and

the third conflict is the conflict between the basic

activity system and the new activity system, the forth

conflict is the conflict in the integration of on-line and

off-line teaching activities. These conflicts are

dynamic due to the characteristics of the learning

subjects. The learning subject continuously interact

and compromise with the conflicts to develop and

evolve further (Kuutti, 1996). The third-generation

activity theory not only provide the theoretical bases

for the design of blended teaching activities, but also

provided the framework and guidance for blended

teaching evaluation model construction and

application.

2.3 PLS-SEM Formula

PLS-SEM is short for Partial Least Square-Structural

Equation Modelling. PLS-SEM includes

measurement scheme, modelling scheme, and the

weighting scheme. And the two main categories of

PLS-SEM are Reflective measurement and

Informative measurement, as it is shown is Figure 1.

Partial least squares (PLS) is an iterative estimation

that combines principal component analysis with

multiple regression. It is a causal modelling method,

which is used in Sweden, the European Union and the

United States. PLS method has many advantages:

there is no distribution requirement, while LISEREL

method, one of the other methods, assumes that the

joint distribution of explicit variables is multivariate

normal, and the goal is to predict according to the

block structure, internal relationship, and causal

prediction relationship. PLS estimation is consistent

and basically consistent when the sample size is large

and there are many explicit variables for each hidden

variable.

Figure 1: PLS-SEM Formula.

For Reflective measurement, it can be clearly seen

that the latent variable Y causes items, which are

expressed through indicators. For Informative

measurement, it is obvious that the latent variable Y

is caused by items, that is, the indicator forms the

Business English Listening and Speaking Course Blended Learning Activities: Evaluation Model Construction and Application

487

latent variable. In fact, before 2010, the most

commonly used method was CB-SEM, Covariance-

based Structural Equation Modelling based on

Covariance, which was a typical confirmatory

method. The advantage of the model is used to

determine whether the researcher result is consistent

with the actual data. PLS-SEM evaluates the

parameters based on the variance of the data. It

focuses on what are the exogenous variables that

affect the dependent variable. Thus, what are the Xs

that affect Y. PLS-SEM focuses on multiple X

explaining their respective Y (multiple Y), that is,

multiple indicators explaining a single X, and how

multiple X affects Y.

=Λ +

(1)

In the above measurement equation, it describes

the relation between variables and indicators, like the

BL influential factors and the mediation tools in the

teaching process. And X is the exogenous variable. Y

is the endogenous variable. The measurement

equation model is to study the relationship between

the variables like the satisfaction rate and the

credibility of the certain items. The equation model

sets the potential rules and inter connections between

different variables and the influential items.

3 EVALUATION MODEL

CONSTRUCTION

3.1 BL Framework of Business English

Speaking and Listening Course

The SPOC based BL model for Business English

Listening and Speaking courses is to adopt and

combine unit topic related SPOCs into the pre-class,

in-class and after-class teaching procedures. SPOCs

can be used as lead-in learning materials for students

to learn about the unit topics. Also SPOCs are very

important in the difficult and important knowledge

points teaching, as they can provide basic concept

explanations with varied examples and business cases

combined. SPOCs can also be used in after-class

course review and course assignment. We provide

business case study materials and case analysis

requirements for the students. SPOC is a good way to

present business cases to the students after class

through varied blended learning platforms, like Blue

Ink Cloud Class, Rain Class and others. By using

SPOCs in their blended learning process, students can

better their self-study before class and get prepared.

They can internalize the knowledge in class and

consolidate the knowledge after class (Zheng, 2019).

In this way, SPOC is in every phase of the course

learning and its flexibility can greatly promote

independent learning online and offline.

Before class, teachers determine the teaching

objectives and teaching contents according to the

course requirement. Teachers need to prepare

teaching materials for the course including PPTs,

micro lectures, and other video and audio files, and

publish them on blended learning platforms for

students to do pre-class self-learning and get prepared

for the class. Students need to preview micro lectures

for the unit key points which are about listening

strategies and then finish the basic and challenging

exercises for the micro lectures. Also students need to

preview the micro lectures for the unit difficult points

which are about business communication skills and

then upload the oral discussion group work to Blue

Ink Cloud Class. Thirdly, students need to preview

the Business Background Information part of the

textbook. Supplementary micro lectures are also

provided for students to watch and learn. Unit Study

Guide and Unit Resource Usage Guide are also

available for students' pre-class self-study usage.

Students can enter the SPOC teaching platform to

learn related relevant expanded contents to the unit

topic and complete the online discussion and self-

check activities. In class, teachers check and monitor

students online learning process through Q&A

session, group discussion and pair work. Teachers

design various forms of classroom activities such as

role-plays, case analysis, presentations, listening and

dubbing tests and other offline activities to improve

the interaction with students. More importantly,

teachers must play the role as the scaffolder to give

students timely feedback and comment according to

the students in-class performance so that students can

find their weaknesses and make rectified plans to

complete the tasks better and make progress. Finally,

teachers need to summarize and evaluate classroom

teaching activities and review the key and difficult

points. After class, students can access the after-class

assignment and learning materials on the blended

learning platform as well. The after-class study tasks

mainly include oral debates and discussion oral work

related to the business communication skills of the

unit and the basic listening exercises, which are

compulsory. The optional study tasks are the extra

business case studies and the TED listening and

speaking practices. The course blended learning

model is shown in Figure 2.

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Figure 2: Blended teaching framework based on the third-generation activity theory

As it is shown in Figure 2, the SPOC teaching

activity system includes the students learning

motivation, the online learning effect, which, SPOC

resources, and the course requirements, together with

the teacher and student collaboration and the work

distribution factors. What’s more, how the students

use the resources, whether the students obey the rules,

and whether the students can finish the online study

tasks are all critical factors in evaluating the

realization of the course objectives in Business

English Listening and Speaking courses. And on the

left, it is the off-line teaching activity system. The

mediation tools include the textbooks, the course

resources and the related class activities, together

with the classroom rules and regulations, the group

work division, and the teacher’s feedback are all very

important in the internalization of the course input.

Only through combining the off-line teaching with

online teaching and deepening its integration, the

utmost learning outcome can be achieved. BL design

in Business English Listening and Speaking courses

can promote the integration of on-line and off-line

teaching effectively. Teachers served as mentors and

guidance providers in the teaching process. The

students are the subjects. SPOC resources and off-

line teaching resources served as mediation tools. The

on-line and off-line classroom rules, the work

distribution, and the interaction and collaboration all

work together to realize the teaching objectives of the

course.

3.2 The Bl Activities Evaluation Model

Design

Based on the third-generation activity theory and BL

of the Business English Listening and Speaking

course, and referring to the existing research results

by previous scholars, the study designed the

following evaluation model to evaluate the teaching

effects and effectiveness of the Business English

Listening and Speaking course BL teaching. The

evaluation model considers the course related item

including the students’ learning motivation, teaching

resources, the course assessment, and the on-line /off-

line classroom rules. All the factors are set according

to the third-generation theory, including, the subject,

the mediation tools, the object, and the rules. And the

specific evaluation perspectives are set in details

according to course settings, including 6 factors. The

evaluation model includes open questions to get the

students comment and feedback on on-line and off-

line teaching effects. The corresponding evaluation

model setting with all the relating factors are as

follows:

Table 1: Business English Listening and Speaking course blended teaching evaluation model.

Activit

Factor BL Learnin

Elements Evaluation Content

Subject Learning Motivation

Based on the knowledge of the Business English Listening

and Speaking Course

Mediation Tools

SPOC Resources

Based on the variety, quality and relevance of the SPOC

resources

Classroom Resources

Based on the text material and classroom quality and the

interaction with SPOC resources

Business English Listening and Speaking Course Blended Learning Activities: Evaluation Model Construction and Application

489

Object Learning Outcome

Based on the satisfaction of business knowledge, Listening

strate

lication, and oral communication abilit

Rules

Evaluation Rules

Based on the requirements of online and offline rules and its

relevance

On-line Study Rules

To obey the on-line learning rules and the blended learning

latform usa

e data

Off-line Study Rules

To obey the off-line classroom rules and the involvement

and com

letion of classroom tasks

Feedback

On-line Feedbac

Based on teachers on-line comment and feedback effect

Off-line Feedbac

Based on teachers off-line comment and feedback effect

3.3 Data Collection

The study was done through Sojump online survey

tool. It is used as part of the course on-line test

platform as well. The sample covers all together 135

Business English major students who are currently

taking the course, and the survey was done three

times respectively at the beginning of the term, the

middle of the term, and the end of the term. The

survey was designed covering all the activity factors

as discussed above, and all together 27 questions were

asked regarding the students learning motivation, the

resource using experience, and the on-line and off-

line task feedback, and etc. The study of the learning

outcomes covered the three aspects of business

English learning, including the listening

comprehension ability, the oral communication

ability in business environment, and also the ability

to involve and participate in certain business

occasions with cross-cultural backgrounds.

4 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

4.1 Evaluation Model to Solve the

Blended Teaching Conflicts

The driving power in the evaluation model design is

to solve the possible conflicts in the BL teaching

process of Business English Listening and Speaking

courses. And the ultimate goal is to improve the

overall learning effect of the course. Firstly, the

students’ learning motivation is the most important

factor when considering students’ learning outcomes.

Only through the promotion of students’ learning

outcomes, the learning effects can be improved

greatly. Teachers can do research on the students’

learning motivations, and try to understand its variety

and characteristics. After sufficient research, teachers

can analyse the existing problems and weak points in

the learning motivation, and set personalized study

plans to effectively improve students learning

motivation. Secondly, the mediation tools, which are

the on-line and off-line teaching resources, are the

most important mediation tools between the study

subject and the object. Thus, in the process of course

teaching, students use SPOC and off-line learning

resources available to realize the internalization of the

course input, the listening strategy, business

knowledge, and the oral communication ability in the

business context. In this whole process, teachers

should focus on the teaching resources and teaching

activity design, to make sure the natural integration of

the on-line and off-line content. Only in this way, the

course intended input can be reconstructed, so as to

realize the transition from knowledge learning to

skills application. Thirdly, the rules and work division

in the class activity setting are important to control

and supervise the whole process of class activity

implementation. In the Business English Listening

and Speaking course teaching, teachers should focus

on the unified goals of both on-line and off-line

teaching. Also teachers should set measurable and

realizable teaching objectives. The coherence

between online and offline teaching is also very

important, as BL is not about multiple teaching goals

nor teaching methods, it is the integration of on-line

and off-line teaching that really matters in the

teaching process.

4.2 Data Analysis

Based on the evaluation model we have constructed,

we set all the components and factors that are

included in the model as F, standing for different

factors. In the SPOC on-line activity system,

students’ study motivation is heavily influenced by

the Quality of SPOC Resources, that is F1. Also the

Obedience of On-line Study Rules(F2) is also an

important factor effecting the students’ learning

motivation. And at the same time, F1 and F2

influence greatly on F8(Students Learning Effect).

And between these two factors, the former influences

the latter as well, that is to say the students’ attitude

towards the SPOC resources highly impact their

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obedience of the on-line study rules. In the offline

teaching activity system, Students Learning Effect are

influenced by F3 (Off-line Study Attitude) and F4

(Obedience of Classroom Rules). And at the same

time, F3 and F4 influence greatly on F8(Students

Learning Effect). And likewise, the students’ attitude

towards the off-line classroom teaching materials

influences the indicators in the obedience of the

classroom rules. Last but not least, the teachers’

mediation during the whole process plays an

important role, as can be seen from the indicator

F5(On-line Feedback) and F6(Off-line Feedback).

On-line and off-line feedback both influences the

F8(Students Learning Effect). And we can see from

the below table that the off-line feedback is more

effective, or to say more impactful.

Figure 3: Blended teaching effect evaluation model.

Using the PLS-SEM formula to do the data

calculation, we found that we set each factor with 3-

4 relevant survey questions. The credibility of this

setting is among 0.6-0.8. And the corresponding

influencing factor has certain differentiability with

other factors question setting. Also the credibility for

each question is above 0.07, and it is an indicator to

show that the questions and the factors are well set

and has great corresponding relations. As it is shown

in Figure 3, in the upper part, it shows the

interrelations in the on-line SPOC activity system.

We can see that the students learning motivation has

positive impact on the students’ attitude towards the

SPOC resources(F1=0.34). Also the study motivation

influences the obedience of online rules (F2=0.27). It

is also a positive influence. All together, the overall

influence on the students learning effect is great

(F8=0.67) In the lower part, we can see the

interrelations between students learning motivation

and its relation with the off-line classroom resources.

It has obvious positive impact as we the indicator

F3=0.36, which is little bit higher than the indicator

between online resources. The same rules go with the

correlation with the obedience of the offline

classroom rules (F4=0.24). Both the off-line

classroom resources and the obedience of on-line

rules account for the overall students learning effects.

The on-line and off-line feedback provided by

teachers and peers also has positive influence on the

overall learning effects, as it is indicated F5=0.20 and

F6=0.36. We can conclude that the mediation on the

above factors are quite obvious and has positive

relations.

5 CONCLUSION

Based on the third-generation of activity theory, take

the evaluation model of Business English Listening

and Speaking courses blended teaching model as an

example, the paper discussed the possible and

potential conflicts in the BL process, and to extend

the current understanding of BL practice. And the

study has its limitations, as the evaluation model is set

from the prospective of students only, not considering

the perspective of teachers and other aspects. Also the

evaluation model didn’t include all the evaluation

factors like the students’ personal interest and the

complexity of the teaching resources. Hopefully, in

the future, the current model can be constantly

improved through the future rounds of teaching and

this teaching model can shine some light on the other

coursed blended teaching design.

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