A Quasi-Experimental Study on Hybrid Teaching for College English Reading Using the ISmart Platform

Abstract

This study explored how hybrid college English reading teaching based on iSmart platform can improve students’ English reading proficiency. This study adopts a mixed research method. A quasi-teaching teaching experiment was carried out in an experimental class with 48 students and a control class with 49 students. The quantitative data of students’ reading achievements were collected. Five students from the experimental class and three English teachers were interviewed. The research results showed that using hybrid English reading teaching based on iSmart platform can significantly improve students’ English reading achievement. After the quasi-teaching experiment, students could reveal some advantages of learning from iSmart platform, such as the convenience of using the resource, the abundance of the available resource, the suitability of the available resource, and the effectiveness of English reading learning. Besides, students can also express their willingness to continue using the platform. Teachers all agreed that conducting hybrid college English reading teaching based on iSmart platform has a powerful effect on students learning process, like increasing students’ learning participation, improving learning enthusiasm, rationalize the study load and so on. However, different teachers hold different views towards their willingness to continuing using the platform. Practical implications of the results were discussed.