Atomic Physics Teaching Materials in Blended Learning to Improve Self-Directed Learning Skills in Distance Education, Essays (university) of Physics

Download Atomic Physics Teaching Materials in Blended Learning to Improve Self-Directed Learning Skills in Distance Education and more Essays (university) Physics in PDF only on Docsity! 20 ATOMIC PHYSICS TEACHING MATERIALS IN BLENDED LEARNING TO IMPROVE SELF-DIRECTED LEARNING SKILLS IN DISTANCE EDUCATION Dr. Nia ERLINA ORCID: 0000-0003-2199-5046 Department of Physics and Science Education Universitas Pendidikan Ganesha Singaraja, INDONESIA Dr. PRAYEKTI ORCID: 0000-0003-3527-4100 Department of Physics Education Universitas Terbuka Jakarta, INDONESIA Dr. Iwan WICAKSONO ORCID: 0000-0003-0717-1577 Department of Science Education Universitas Jember Jember, INDONESIA Received: 31/12/2020 Accepted: 16/07/2021 ABSTRACT Atomic physics teaching materials support student motivation to learn independently, guide, and direct students to master material with abstract characteristics. The teaching materials in blended learning can improve the tutorial system’s interaction process in distance education with special characteristics. Universitas Terbuka students have various ages, professions, geographic location, social environment, and prior knowledge. This study aimed at analyzing the practicality and effectiveness of atomic physics teaching materials in blended learning to improve students’ self-directed learning skills in the open and distance education system. This research involving 121 students spread across 12 regional offices in Indonesia. Analysis of the impact and consistency of students’ self-directed learning skills used inferential statistics, then for data analysis, the improvement used N-gain. The results of the study showed the average tutorial feasibility using atomic physics teaching materials is the most dominant in explaining the teaching material thoroughly and is easy to understand. The average percentage of student activity results get the highest score on the activity of conducting discussions. The effectiveness analysis results showed the atomic physics teaching materials are proven to be effective in increasing students’ self-directed learning. ANOVA obtained no significant difference from all test classes so that atomic physics teaching materials are effective for application to students who have low, medium, and high abilities. The process of practicality and effectiveness has implications for developing teaching materials for distance education systems that must pay attention to the tutorial process, learning management system, and several other components. Keywords: Atomic physics, blended learning, distance education, self-directed learning skills. INTRODUCTION The distance education system has been widely used to expand access for people to obtain an education. The distance education system is an alternative institution for people to participate in educational programs due to scarcity of resources and the high cost of taking part in regular education programs (Kaye & Rumble, Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education-TOJDE October 2022 ISSN 1302-6488 Volume: 23 Number: 4 Article: 2 21 2018). The Universitas Terbuka (UT) provides distance education system services to community groups who cannot attend face-to-face or regular education in various forms, modes, and coverage supported by learning facilities and services as well as an assessment system that ensures the quality of graduates is following the national standards of Indonesian education (Budi ̇astra, Wi ̇caksono, & Erlina, 2020). Teaching materials and information technology used in the form of a distance education system make it possible to conduct lectures remotely without being tied to distance, wherever and whenever they can access this learning (Richter & McPherson, 2012). The distance education system requires students to study independently using a variety of teaching materials and learning assistance services. Self-directed learning in the context of this system impacts the use of information and communication technology, meaning that various media can be used as teaching materials (Wicaksono et al., 2017). In this distance education, the teaching materials used must be more varied when compared to face-to-face education. Teaching materials are an important requirement in the lecture process, especially to achieve the set instructional goals. One of the challenges faced by the distance education system is how students can achieve maximum competence (Butcher, 2015). It is because students are physically separated from lecturers and other students, learning material plays an important role in replacing an instructor’s presence in the learning process. Good distance teaching materials need to pay attention to the learning process itself, namely how the teaching material can provide clear and communicative instructions, considering that students are not directly accompanied by tutors in the learning process (Perraton, 2012). In fact, there are still many weaknesses in the tutorial process, especially in atomic physics material. The teaching materials presented use symbols that are difficult for students to understand. The questions in atomic physics teaching materials still do not encourage high-level thinking and it is not facilitate students to achieve instructional goals (Maftei & Popescu, 2012). Students often experience difficulties in understanding the meaning of the reading material presented because atomic physics characteristics are abstract and students cannot directly observe atoms. This fact makes it difficult for students to understand the concept of atomic physics as a whole. Atomic physics teaching materials provide less feedback for the questions it asks, especially questions that have many answers or require complex and deep answers (Endres et al., 2016). The availability of varied and high-quality teaching materials is essential to be considered, especially to independently help students in the learning process. Independence is related to systematic and complete teaching materials, which can be studied independently to benefit the student lecture process in the distance education system (Berg, 2020). Teaching material needs are descriptions and important components such as clearly stating instructional objectives, examples, exercises, summaries, formative tests, feedback, and learning instructions (Kaye & Rumble, 2018). The development of atomic physics teaching materials encourages the presentation of learning material appropriately even though physically they are not in the same place. The teaching materials provide space for applying distance education techniques in the teaching materials easily accepted by students. Atomic physics teaching materials motivate students to study independently, guide and direct them to master the material and provide clear concepts through various independent exercises. Besides, atomic physics teaching materials are integrated with audio-visual media, which is very suitable for explaining abstract atomic physics material for students. Illustration in audio-visual media is designed so that it is easy to accept, attractive, and not boring for students (Zazkis et al., 2009). Learning independence demands a great deal of responsibility on students, so that it requires effort to carry out various activities to achieve instructional goals. Independence is students’ behavior in realizing their wishes or desires in a real way without depending on others. In this case, the student can do learning on their own, determine effective learning methods, carry out learning tasks well, and carry out learning activities (Perraton, 2012). Self-directed learning, in many ways, is determined by the ability to learn effectively. Self-directed learning indicators that students must have include: initiation and persistence in learning, responsibility, discipline and great curiosity, confidence and a strong desire to learn, and organizing learning time and speed (Broad, 2006). Learning ability depends on reading speed and the ability to understand the content of the reading. Self-directed learning becomes effective when UT students must have self-discipline, initiative, and strong learning motivation (Wechsler et al., 2018). Students are also required to manage their time efficiently so that they can study regularly based on their own study schedule. Self-directed learning skills are abilities that are formed from an effective distance education process (Budiastra, et al., 2020). Indonesian government regulation, Permenristekdikti No. 51/2018 states that 24 and able to organize time and set the pace of learning (Broad, 2006; Pandiangan et al., 2017). The research implementation was carried out an online tutorial based on blended learning between tutors and students for 8 meetings and structured assignments 3 times during the tutorial period, which was done in learning management system (LMS). Table 1. Tutorial Implementation Procedure 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Media: LMS Printed E-book Tutorial Process: Online Media: LMS Printed E-book Tutorial Process: Online Media: LMS Printed E-book Video Assignment: Structured 1 Tutorial Process: Online & Face to face Media: LMS Printed E-book Tutorial Process: Online Media: LMS Printed E-book Video Assignment: Structured 2 Tutorial Process: Online & Face to face Media: LMS Printed E-book Tutorial Process: Online Media: LMS Printed E-book Video Assignment: Structured 3 Tutorial Process: Online & Face to face Media: LMS Printed E-book Tutorial Process: Online Data analysis of the practicality of atomic physics teaching materials through the observation of 3 observers who assessed the number of aspects that were carried out so that the average category 3.6 ≤ very good <4.0, 2.6 ≤ good <3.5, 1.6 ≤ not good <2.5, 1.0 ≤ very bad <1.5 (Aryadoust & Raquel, 2019). Student activities during the lecture process are analyzed based on the frequency of activities that appear over a period of 5 minutes so that they can determine the average relevant student activity to reach a minimum percentage of 60% while using atomic physics teaching materials (Swarat et al., 2012). Constraints during the lecture process are analyzed based on alternative solutions that support students’ self-directed learning skills. Analysis of the effectiveness data was further analyzed using inferential statistics with IBM SPSS 22 software. Analysis of the impact of students’ self-directed learning skills from the pre-test, post-test, and N-gain scores using Paired Sample T-test if the data met normality or non-parametric using or Wilcoxon Signed Ranks-test. While the consistency of the impact of students’ self-directed learning skills uses variance (ANOVA) if the data meets normality or is non-parametric using the Kruskall Wallis Test. The improvement of students’ self-directed learning skills can be analyzed using the calculation of the average n-gain = (post- test score - pre-test score) / (maximum score - pre-test score), with categories including: (1) high if N-gain ≥ .70; (2) moderate if .70> N-gain ≥ .30; and (3) low if N-gain <.30 (Hake, 1999). Student responses to atomic physics teaching materials were analyzed using the Likert scale with the percentage category 19.99% ≤ strongly disagree <0%, 39.99% ≤ disagree <20%, 59.99% ≤ doubt <40%, 79, 99% ≤ agree <60%, 80% ≤ strongly agree <100% (Sax et al., 2008). The UT applies dual pattern learning that is a face-to-face tutorial and online tutorial teaching. Blended learning is applied to online tutorial patterns in this research. The conceptualization of this research is supported by several components of the distance education system as follows. 25 External Internal Greeting Initiation Strategy Confidence & Learning Motivation Self-Directed Learning Skills Advance Organizer Blended Learning Tutorial Process Interactive Discussion evaluation Assignment Media Technology Interesting Electronic Teaching Materials Practical Printed Time Learning System Flexible Space Figure 2. Conceptualization of the tutorial as a support for self-directed learning in a distance education This study uses a open and distance education system that is supported by comprehensive components. The final goal in this tutorial process is student learning independence. Learning independence will be achieved if confidence and learning motivation are fulfilled. Internal and external factors play an important role in supporting self-directed learning. The learning environment can build internal factors for student learning that are interactive, interesting, practical, and flexible. External factors include strategies, technology, teaching materials, and learning systems. Blended learning in research is a supporting component of the tutorial process to build interactive learning strategies in the distance education system. Technology-based media in this research also supports interest in learning. This research also provides practical teaching materials in electronic form in the form of a virtual reading room (https://www.pustaka.ut.ac.id/lib/ruangbaca/) and print, distributed directly to students. The learning system in research is carried out flexibly. This learning system can optimize UT students who are scattered in various parts nationally and internationally. Also, the learning system used is not strictly timed. Students with various professions can listen to the initiation, tutorial process, and evaluation according to their available time to participate through the following LMS. Figure 3. The LMS 26 Validity and Reliability Learning tools were validated by learning experts and physics tutors before they were used for teaching. The validator determines the suitability of 26 statements against the learning device, including the content and construct’s suitability. Validation test using Pearson product-moment correlation for validity and Cronbach- Alpha for Reliability. Table 3 provides information about the validity and reliability of learning devices. Table 3 shows the validation process with valid and reliable results. Pearson Correlation (r) on each validator indicates valid criteria. The validity test uses 26 statements of items with a significance of 5%. Cronbach’s Alpha value .534> .39, then the decision making in the reliability test by four validators was concluded to be reliable. There is a significant correlation between variables. Each validator fulfills the aspects of content, language, presentation, and graphic feasibility assessment. The material expert stated that the material presented showed the concept of atomic physics according to competence using effective language and a clear sequence of presentation. Media experts state that teaching materials can support motivation, attractiveness, and interaction of stimulus and response based on display designs and illustrations. Besides, the tutor also stated that the blended learning used could support complete information in distance tutorials. The language presented is following the stage of student development with the aim of equitable education. Table 2. Validity and Reliability Statistics Validator N of Items Validity (Sig. (2-tailed)) Reliability Cronbach’s Alpha Content 26 .000 < .05 .534 > .39Media .000 < .05 Tutor .000 < .05 FINDINGS The results of this study present the supporting data on the practicality and effectiveness of atomic physics teaching materials in blended learning to improve self-directed learning skills in distance education systems as a whole as follows: (1) Implementation of tutorials; (2) student activities; (3) Constraints and solutions; (4) self-directed learning skills on each indicator; (5) Pretest and Posttest Self-directed learning skills; (6) N-gain of students’ self-directed learning skills; (7) statistical analysis of the students’ learning process; and (8) students’ response to the application of atomic physics teaching materials in blended learning. Implementing atomic physics teaching materials observed in the tutorial allows students to interact with tutors through additional explanations, information, discussions, and work on assignments. The average number of aspects performed per tutorial for all groups can be shown in Table 3. Table 3. The feasibility of atomic physics teaching materials in face-to-face tutorials No Aspect C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 C8 C9 C10 C11 C12 Average 1 Inform the students of the tutorial objectives. 3.2 3.1 3.2 3.1 3.3 3.2 3.2 3.2 3.3 2.9 3.2 3.1 3.2 2 Explain teaching materials thoroughly and easily understood 3.7 3.8 3.7 3.6 3.5 3.8 3.5 3.5 3.6 3.6 3.7 3.6 3.6 3 Asking questions to students 3.4 3.2 3.5 3.3 3.2 3.3 3.5 3.5 3.4 3.4 3.5 3.3 3.4 4 Guide students in completing tutorial assignments 3.3 3.3 3.4 3.2 3.1 3.3 3.1 3.1 3.2 3.1 3.4 3.2 3.2 5 Summing up the material and feedback 3.1 3.3 3.3 3.2 3.1 3.0 3.2 3.2 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.2 3.2 *C : Testing Classes 29 Table 6. The results of statistical testing paired sample t-test student self-directed learning Kelas Uji Paired Sample T-test (pre-test – post-test) N Mean S df t p C1 Pair 1 9 57.42 8.50 8 36.96 p = < .0001 C2 Pair 2 6 57.91 8.72 5 33.17 p = < .0001 C3 Pair 3 15 57.85 8.04 14 35.23 p = < .0001 C4 Pair 4 12 57.76 8.31 11 37.40 p = < .0001 C5 Pair 5 8 57.43 8.27 7 37.99 p = < .0001 C6 Pair 6 9 57.06 9.02 8 28.96 p = < .0001 C7 Pair 7 13 57.64 8.82 12 33.30 p = < .0001 C8 Pair 8 9 57.64 8.82 8 33.30 p = < .0001 C9 Pair 9 10 56.27 9.10 9 32.12 p = < .0001 C10 Pair 10 11 57.85 8.04 10 35.23 p = < .0001 C11 Pair 11 12 58.22 7.84 11 37.82 p = < .0001 C12 Pair 12 7 57.13 8.37 6 31.28 p = < .0001 Consistency analysis of the impact of atomic physics teaching materials on the average N-gain value indicates that self-directed learning outcomes have increased consistently across all test classes. The ANOVA statistical test results based on data that are normally distributed can be shown in Table 7. Table 7. The results of the ANOVA N-gain statistical test of the student’s self-directed learning skills N-gain Sum of Squares df Mean Square F p Between Groups .186 11 .013 .832 .634 Within Groups 5.790 362 .016 Total 5.977 376 Student responses showed reactions or responses in the form of acceptance, rejection, or indifference. Student responses to students’ relevance and reactions to attention, satisfaction, and self-confidence after using atomic physics teaching materials. The results of the Likert scale analysis with the average percentage can be shown in Table 8. Table 8. The result of the percentage of student responses to atomic physics teaching materials Criteria Indicator Response Rate (%) Response Relevance 92.3 Reaction Attention 90.6 Satisfaction 86.5 Confidence 87.3 DISCUSSIONS AND CONCLUSION Practicality The use of appropriate teaching materials is needed in carrying out tutorial activities to improve student self-directed learning outcomes. Table 3 shows that the average tutorial feasibility using atomic physics teaching materials is the most dominant in explaining the teaching material thoroughly and it is easy to understand with an average value of 3.6. Teaching materials that have been developed make it easy for tutors to teach atomic physics material thoroughly. The teaching material symbols are given a description and a 30 brief explanation to understand atomic physics material more easily. Besides, this teaching material can direct students to study independently because it contains problems and steps in solving these problems. Judging from self-directed learning characteristics, atomic physics teaching materials can direct students to think critically, creatively, and innovatively in solving a problem (Wechsler et al., 2018). Teaching materials that lead to self-directed learning are important to be applied to students who take distance education because students with tutors cannot face to face so that the media used by students must be able to meet student needs in achieving their competency goals (Zhang et al., 2008). Indicators of the feasibility of atomic physics teaching materials in the tutorial are inseparable from the aspects contained therein, which include: informing the purpose of the tutorial to students, explaining the teaching material thoroughly and easily understood, asking questions to students, guiding students to complete the tutorial assignments, and concluding the material and feedback (Downes, 2007). Informing the purpose of tutorials to students is a tutoring program provided by the UT in face-to-face tutorial between tutors and students in the classroom to foster the student’s self-directed learning process. This activity also aims to discuss materials that must be mastered by students if they are constrained in understanding them. The results showed that the tutor needed to inform the purpose of this tutorial to overcome the learning problems and difficulties they experienced and master the subjects’ competencies (Forsyth, 2014). Explaining the teaching material thoroughly and easy to understand, the tutorial material occupies a significant position in the atomic physics teaching material’s overall structure. It must be prepared so that the feasibility of the tutorial can achieve the goal. These targets must be according to the basic competencies and instructional goals that students must achieve. Atomic physics teaching materials that have been developed contain tutorial material, basic competencies, tutorial objectives, and ways of evaluating, which are designed systematically so that students can achieve the tutorial objectives. The components in explaining the teaching material thoroughly explain the basic competencies, indicators, and tutorial objectives of atomic physics material. Tutors need to explain how to use this teaching material to be easy to use and understand. The results showed that the delivery of the material in teaching materials needed to be thoroughly explained by the tutor so that students could understand atomic physics material and the tutorial’s objectives that had been determined could be achieved (Glynn & Duit, 2012). Also, by thoroughly explaining, students can apply the knowledge gained in class and apply it in everyday life (Abd-El-Khalick, 2013). The process of asking students questions is an expression of an individual’s curiosity about a certain thing, which could be the information obtained that will be useful for him. The questions asked by the tutor can be constructive, which means that by asking these questions, students can think critically and creatively to answer these questions (Bennett, 2003). The tutor also needs to pay attention to several components in asking a question, including (1) asking questions briefly and clearly; (2) focus the questions so that the answers given by students do not have broad meaning; (3) after asking the question, the tutor needs to give the students time to think; (4) asking questions in turn from one student to another; and (5) the tutor provides answer guidance if the answer is not correct. The results showed that when the tutor wanted to ask the students, the tutor wanted to know the extent of the student’s understanding of atomic physics material after explaining using atomic physics teaching materials (Fortus & Vedder-Weiss, 2014). When guiding students to complete tutorial assignments through a continuous and systematic process of assisting individuals who support knowledge development, the supervisor acts as a facilitator of student development; when viewed from a content perspective, guiding can be done by conveying or transferring teaching materials in the form of science, technology, and art using strategies and methods that suit the differences of each student (Hwang et al., 2009). Based on the strategies and methods used, guiding is more in giving motivation and coaching. The results showed that guidance activities could help students complete tutorial assignments to resolve student difficulties (Pandiangan et al., 2017). Besides, with tutor guidance activities, students can find out students’ cognitive level so that tutors can use variations in guidance for old students to understand something with students who quickly understand something. The process of concluding material and feedback by encouraging the emergence of final opinions based on previous descriptions. When concluding the material, it means taking the essence or essence of atomic physics material to make it easier for students to learn it. Besides, students also need feedback through providing information about whether or not student answers to the questions given are accompanied by 31 additional information in the form of an explanation of the location of the error of the student’s answer (Sadjati & Yuliana, 2017). Students’ feedback during tutorial activities is, for example, asking questions so that feedback is obtained. Feedback is useful in encouraging student activity, assisting tutors in assessing and assisting in choosing evaluation forms. The results showed that through summarizing the material and feedback, a student could determine the extent of his understanding of atomic physics material (Verburg et al., 2019). Besides, this activity can be used to correct the learning development or learning progress of the students themselves. Feedback has three important components, including (1) recognition of the desired goal; (2) evidence about the present position; and (3) some understanding of a way to close the gap between the two (Nathenson & Henderson, 2018). Based on Table 4, five student activities were observed when using atomic physics teaching materials, including listening to the tutor’s explanation, asking questions, responding to the tutor’s questions, conducting discussions, and doing exercises or assignments. The average percentage of student activity results get the highest score on the activity of conducting discussions by 86.5%, which is categorized as very active. Discussion activities lead students to exchange ideas with their group friends in solving a problem related to atomic physics. The results showed that through discussion activities, students could think actively and have the courage to express their opinions (Lin-Siegler et al., 2016). Also, discussion activities can foster a sense of responsibility and togetherness to find solutions to problems. Learning independence can be achieved if students are active in discussions. Judging from the characteristics of individuals who have the readiness to learn independently, students need to discuss with friends to foster curiosity about other opinions and foster a sense of responsibility to complete the assigned task (Broad, 2006). The discussion process can pave the way for students who have difficulty achieving the tutorial objectives. The activity of listening to the tutor’s explanation is through listening and paying attention to the words spoken by others. Students need to listen to what is conveyed by the tutor so that the information obtained can be understood properly. The results showed that listening to tutors’ explanations can be used as a means for the communication process to run well (Howard et al., 2016). Students, as good listeners after the listening process, can respond and conclude the results of the information that has been listened. The activity of asking questions through an expression of student curiosity about a certain thing can be useful information. The activity of asking questions shows a dynamic interaction between tutors and students and between students and students. Asking activities will be more effective if the questions asked are sufficiently weighty, easy to understand, or relevant to the topic being discussed. The results showed that when students ask the tutor, it means that they have shown a high sense of curiosity and can train students to foster critical thinking skills (Laurillard, 2013). The tutor can assess the level of student understanding of the questions asked to take appropriate next steps applied in the tutorial. Activities to respond to the tutor’s questions when students can respond to questions from the tutor properly, it can be assumed that the student has understood the material presented. The response to the question depends on the question’s characteristics, which requires students to think critically and creatively, not just remembering or mentioning (Wen et al., 2015). The tutor provides questions that lead to open-ended questions, allows students to answer diverse questions, assesses students holistically, enables students to interpret atomic physics material from the answering process. The results showed that the ability to respond quickly to questions from the tutor arose from listening to material well-being so that students did not find it difficult to answer questions from the tutor. Activities carry out discussions through scientific meetings so that students can exchange ideas in solving a problem. Discussions involve two or more students who interact verbally and face each other regarding the objectives or objectives of atomic physics material by exchanging information and maintaining or solving problems. When discussing, students can freely express their perceptions and opinions. The main purpose of the discussion activity is to find the best solution to a problem in applying atomic physics (Carpenter, 2006). With the discussion, students can exchange ideas with other students in solving atomic physics material problems. The results showed that discussion activities could foster critical thinking skills and train students’ courage to express their public opinions (Wehmeyer et al., 2012). The activity of doing exercises or tasks must be done and becomes the responsibility of a person. Tutors give assignments to students to find out to what extent students understand the material being taught. The assignment aims to make students understand the new generation of atomic physics textbooks. Students carry out exercises while doing assignments so that students’ experience in learning something becomes more integrated. The results showed that by giving 34 exercises that can encourage student self-directed learning activities. Combining illustration examples with the addition of assignments at the end of the tutorial makes students feel satisfied to use this teaching material in the tutorial. Using teaching materials that have been designed according to learning needs, students are directed to become active learners because they can read or study the material in teaching materials before participating in learning activities. Self-confidence is a positive attitude that an individual has to develop self- awareness, have independence, and have the ability to have everything he wants. Someone who already has a high sense of self-confidence can do something according to his mind. The results showed that the teaching materials are part of the tools that must be prepared by the tutor to teach the material to support the tutorial process (John, 2006). Natural physics teaching materials make students more confident in understanding atomic physics material and apply it in everyday life. This is because atomic physics teaching materials have been designed to meet the needs of UT students to improve their self-directed learning skills. Besides, this teaching material has also fulfilled one of the characteristics of the teaching material, namely adaptive, where the content in the teaching material is adjusted to the development of science and technology so that students who use the teaching material have high self-confidence to achieve their learning goals (Kent et al., 2016). Based on the research results and discussion above, the study concludes about the practicality and effectiveness of atomic physics teaching materials to improve students’ self-directed learning skills in the distance education system. The results of the practicality analysis, including student activity and feasibility, showed very good results. Constraints that arise in the presentation of the material are not comprehensive enough that the tutor explains the atomic physics in a structured manner. The analysis of the effectiveness, including the improvement of self-directed learning outcomes, showed that the average N-gain value was categorized as high. Besides, impact testing using the paired sample t-test 2-tailed showed a significant difference between each test class’s pre-test and post-test scores. The consistency of the impact using the 2-tailed ANOVA showed no significant difference between all test classes. Student responses to atomic physics teaching materials showed the average results of responses and reactions were very agreeable. LIMITATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS This study has several limitations in implementing tutorials through blended learning before the covid 19 pandemics. Open and distance education students have distance learning activities based on heterogeneous characteristics of age, occupation, status, and place of residence without restrictions. Asynchronous activities provide opportunities for students to independently learn through the learning management system, printed, and e-book media. Some students still have difficulty understanding the objectives and concluding the tutorial material because asynchronous has a passive learning condition in social interaction. The face-to-face activity provides the advantage of actively supporting students’ independent learning. These obstacles become recommendations on optimizing face-to-face activities to apply atomic physics teaching materials observed in the tutorials allowing students to interact with tutors through additional explanations, information, discussions, and doing assignments. Face-to-face activities in this study also support the weakness of student responses to the tutor’s questions, initiation, and persistence. Nevertheless, technological assistance in online tutorials and face-to-face tutorials makes it easier for students to form their different abilities and understand students’ characteristics and needs in online learning. This study provides recommendations for improving blended learning activities during the pandemic, namely applying andragogy models (conditions, interests, and past experiences) and online learning paths (learning, exploring, applying, connecting, evaluating). Acknowledgements: We want to express our gratitude to the Institute for Research and Community Service at the Universitas Terbuka through the University’s Prime Research scheme with contract Number 6434 / UN31.2 / DN / 2018 for financial assistance in completing this research. 35 BIODATA and CONTACT ADDRESSES of AUTHORS Nia ERLINA is Doctoral at the Department of Physics and Science Education, Universitas Pendidikan Ganesha, Indonesia. She completed her Doctoral degree in Science Education from Universitas Negeri Surabaya (2018). She as a lecturer at Universitas Pendidikan Ganesha. She is also active in conducting research, writing learning books, publishing and as a reviewer several international journals. Her research interests include the design and development of learning model and thinking skill. Nia ERLINA Universitas Pendidikan Ganesha Address: Jl. Udayana No. 11, Singaraja, Bali, Indonesia Phone: (+62)82264496864 E-mail: nia.erlina1@gmail.com ; niaerlina@undiksha.ac.id PRAYEKTI is Doctoral at the Department of Physics Education, Universitas Terbuka, Indonesia. She completed her Doctoral degree in Learning Technology from Universitas Negeri Malang (2015). She as a lecturer in Physics Education, Universitas Terbuka. She is also active in conducting research, writing learning books and publishing several international journals. Her research interests include the design and development of technology and physics learning instruction in distance learning system. PRAYEKTI Universitas Terbuka Address: Jl. Cabe Raya, Jakarta, Indonesia Phone: (+62)81318590993 E-mail: prayekti@ecampus.ut.ac.id Iwan WICAKSONO is Doctoral at the Department of Science Education, Universitas Jember, Indonesia. He completed his Doctoral degree in Science Education from Universitas Negeri Surabaya (2017). He as a lecturer in Science Education Universitas Jember. He is also active in conducting research, writing learning books, publishing and as a reviewer several international journals. His research interests include the design and development of learning model and virtual learning media. Iwan WICAKSONO Universitas Jember Address: Jl. Kalimantan No. 37, East Java, Indonesia Phone: (+62)82336199019 E-mail: iwanwicaksono.fkip@unej.ac.id 36 REFERENCES Abd-El-Khalick, F. (2013). 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