Blended Learning Strategies and EFL Learners’ Self-Regulation in Academic Writing

Blended learning in Iran has provided a novel learning milieu for language learners and teachers. This study examined how blended learning writing strategies might contribute to the self-regulation of EFL learners in their writing performance. To this end, grounded theory was used as the study's systemic methodology. Ninety-four Iranian EFL teachers were purposively selected through Writing Strategies and e-Learning Experience questionnaires. The participants were further interviewed to provide information on the blended learning strategies which can contribute to the self-regulation of the learning process. To enrich the data, the interviews were triangulated with some document analyses, observations, and field notes. The collected data were analyzed through open, axial, and selective coding processes in grounded theory. The results included some web-based strategies that Iranian EFL learners can take into account in order to become academic writers, some web-based strategies which might put Iranian EFL learners into the self-regulated learning frame, and some web-based strategies through which Iranian EFL learners can become self-regulated academic writers. The entire analyzed data were modeled and put into a putative frame. The results revealed that blended learning helps EFL writers in becoming contributors rather than just followers in the development of their compositions, and more importantly, in developing their self-regulated writing skills. The findings can have implications for teachers and students alike.