The Impact of Blended Discussions on Learning Motivation and EFL Reading Performance

Blended learning is an instructional approach that combines traditional face-to-face learning and online learning. There have been debates on the effectiveness and practicality of blended learning use in higher education, yet studies that specifically examine blended discussions to support EFL learning and teaching are still scarce. Thus, this study aimed to explore how variables such as face-to-face, asynchronous, and synchronous discussions in the blended learning environment influenced students' learning motivation and reading achievement. Fifty-one students at a private university in southern Taiwan participated in this study. The research results showed that students' reading scores significantly improved after participating in the blended discussion activity. The highest-scoring group outperformed the other two proficiency groups after applying face-to-face and asynchronous discussion modes. However, no significant difference was found among different proficiency-level learners in synchronous discussion mode. Moreover, students' asynchronous discussion had a significantly moderate influence on their reading performance. Based on the research results, pedagogical implications, limitations, and future research are discussed and presented.