Open AccessOnline and blended learning in vocational training institutions in South Korea
Author(s) -
Tami Im
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
knowledge management and e-learning: an international journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.526
H-Index - 21
eISSN - 2309-5008
pISSN - 2073-7904
DOI - 10.34105/j.kmel.2021.13.011
Subject(s) - vocational education , blended learning , flexibility (engineering) , e learning , psychology , open learning , experiential learning , educational technology , training (meteorology) , mathematics education , pedagogy , medical education , knowledge management , cooperative learning , teaching method , computer science , medicine , management , physics , meteorology , economics
This study aims to explore the current status of using e-learning in vocational training institutions in South Korea and the institutions’ intent to adopt e-learning or blended learning. A total of 116 responses to an online survey were received from the instructors and administrators in vocational training institutions. The findings of the study are summarized as follows. First, e-learning content was found mostly used as supplementary materials in blended or classroom learning. Second, the main reasons for not using e-learning were related to the low training effectiveness in e-learning and the difficulty of finding appropriate e-learning content. Third, the dominant reasons that vocational training institutions believed they might need e-learning were related to content reuse and e-learning flexibility. Fourth, National Competency Standards-based content, theory-focused content, and practice alternative content were found to be most useful e-learning content in vocational training institutions. Fifth, the most preferred type of e-learning content was smaller modules developed for learning specific knowledge or skills. Lastly, vocational training institutions were found to be hesitant about using e-learning in the future because of the lower training effectiveness in e-learning and the lack of interaction among learners and instructors in e-learning contexts. Suggestions for practitioners and researchers are provided on the basis of the findings.