Blended Learning Strategies of College English Learning in Chinese Higher Education: A Systematic Review

Chinese higher education innovates through technological advancement to meet various learning needs. Blended learning, an emerging teaching model, has filled many gaps in traditional teaching methods and is welcomed by a large number of teachers and students, occupying an increasingly important position in Chinese higher education. However, despite the significant importance of blended learning in Chinese college English education being widelycommitted, the system evaluations on it remain inadequate. In this paper, the researcher adopted the “Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and M eta-Analyses (PRISMA)” framework to assess current studies. Based on four prominent journal databases (i.e., Science Direct, Scopus, Web of Science, and Taylor & Francis), a systematic keyword search has been conducted with the terms such as “blended learning,” “strategies,” “college English courses,” and “China higher education”. This study identified a total of 35 articles, primarily uncovered four key themes: cooperative-based learning, learning management systems, the integration of mobile apps, and technology-based learning. These themes shed light on various aspects of blended learning in the context of Chinese college English education. In conclusion, the researcher presented a set of recommendations at the end of the study, providing valuable insights for future research endeavors.


Introduction
Technology development in the Artificial Intelligence Age has revolutionized the field of education.Chinese highereducation institutions must keep pace with the advancement of technological innovations.Widely used to integrate mobile technology into the education process, blended learning is an innovative teaching form combined with even distributed online and offline modes (Lee et al., 2016).The combination of online and offline teaching activities (Lee et al., 2016), it facilitates an "accessible, flexible, active, interactive, encouraging, and inspiring" teaching and learning environment (Zhang and Zhu, 2018).As the name suggests, this innovative teaching model involves both traditional practices (i.e., Vol 13, Issue 1, (2024) E-ISSN: 2226-6348 510 physical student-to-student, student-teacher interactions that occur in the classroom) and virtual activities (i.e., online courses with mobile applications) (Wang, 2021).Blended learning combines face-to-face classroom interaction with computer-based systems to create courses that carefully balance the proportions of physical presence and virtual performance (Graham et al., 2013).Blended learning refers to "the thoughtful integration of face-to-face classroom learning experiences with online experiences" (Garrison & Kanuka, 2004).Additionally, attempts to combine face-to-face and technology-supported teaching formats also fall under the term blended learning (Porter et al., 2014).Blended learning methods based on computers or mobile technologies provide new opportunities for designing innovative teaching models that can effectively integrate online resources and activities with offline classes into a dynamic and sustainable teaching experience that is independent of time and space.limits.Since the 2000s, various technologies and devices have been introduced Rasheed et al (2020) and are still under development in educational institutions (Serdyukov, 2017).In the past few decades, blended learning, as an emergent technology, has been adopted by many educational institutions (Mims-Word, 2016).Lots of efforts have been made by China to improve the education environment of universities via the transformation of teaching methods from traditional to be innovative for the new generation (Fan, 2020).Chinese universities and colleges have been able to integrate many of the latest technologies, teaching frameworks, and techniques to revolutionize the quality of education (Lee and Yuan, 2018).The development of certain technologies fosters the application of many innovative technologies into teaching practice, such as English teaching.With the combination of online and offline activities, a hybrid teaching model (i.e., blended learning) has formed, which has been regarded as one of promising technologies and an effective solution to problems encountered in fully online or face-to-face teaching practices (Fan, 2020).China is committed to developing its higher education landscape by integrating the latest educational frameworks and adopting various technologies such as hybrid learning models and big data.In addition, some projects introducing blended learning in educational institutions across the country have also been welcomed (Zhu, 2019;Fan, 2020).Chinese higher education sector is already equipped with the most promising and latest frameworks (Rui, 2014), and blended learning has been used as a tool to promote the adoption of these models and transform the higher education sector for the next generation (Lim et al., 2019).Despite the increased trends of research in Chinese English learning, the systematic reviews are focused more on comparing traditional teaching methods and blended learning models Sun (2018); Jiang (2022), students' or teachers' perspectives on blended learning methods Lin (2019); Qian (2022); Jiang (2021), thereby leaving a gap.Therefore, there is an urgent need to review blended learning strategies used for Chinese college students in the Chinese English courses.This article conducts a comprehensive and systematic review of blended learning strategies in higher education English courses in China, with a view to outlining the application of blended learning in higher education English learning environments.Subsequently, this study is expected to provide insights to the field of blended learning in Chinese higher education.

Research Questions
Review questions arise from an analysis of previous research and needs for future research.Specifically, the researchers searched for reviews in the field of blended learning related to learning college English.Judging from the results, review articles focusing on blended learning in college English learning are still insufficient and do not meet its importance in English teaching and learning practice.In addition, further identification of blended learning strategies implemented for Chinese college students' English learning is needed.Therefore, this study is necessary to answer the following question RQ: What are the blended learning strategies implemented for Chinese college students in English learning?

Literature Review
Past research has predominantly focused on investigating various blended learning strategies adopted by higher education institutions in China and other countries.Scholars have scrutinized these strategies from multiple perspectives.Some earlier studies have underscored diverse blended learning strategies employed in teaching and learning.However, these studies remain inadequate, as not many scholars have systematically reviewed current research.Systematically reviewing past studies is crucial.For instance, Telegram is utilized for teaching reading comprehension (Fathi, 2018), Wiki and Microblogs (Hosseinpour, 2019;Abu Bakar, 2017) for writing instruction (Hosseinpour, 2019;Abu Bakar, 2017;Ma, 2021), and smartphones and mobile apps for learning and practicing English speaking (Abugohar, 2019;Sītú, 2018).Traditional literature reviews have some drawbacks, such as susceptibility to reviewer bias, lack of comprehensiveness, and minimal attention to variations in research quality (Lame, 2019).This paper contributes to the existing body of knowledge by undertaking the challenge of creating a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) on blended learning strategies employed in higher education institutions.An SLR is immensely helpful in reviewing current literature using established methods.Additionally, it is a rigorous process that categorizes, selects, and critically evaluates past research to address research questions (Dewey, 2016).Researchers conducting systematic literature reviews establish protocols or guidelines before the review process.The processes in a systematic literature review are transparent, as the identification process in SLR is conducted through multiple databases, allowing other researchers to replicate and reproduce the procedure.The core research question of this review is: What are the blended learning strategies implemented for Chinese college students in English learning?The study aims to address this gap by carefully examining past similar research, filling knowledge voids in the relevant field, and gaining a better understanding of the implementation of blended learning strategies in the context of higher education in China.Additionally, considering the challenges faced by college students studying English in China and the difficulties encountered during the implementation of blended learning (Yin, 2019;He, 2020), this research is of significant importance.Therefore, identifying the current blended learning strategies adopted by Chinese college students in learning English is crucial to assist them in choosing appropriate strategies.

Methodology
The systematic review was executed following the PRISMA guidelines, aiming to pinpoint pertinent papers across four databases: Science Direct, Scopus, Web of Science, and Taylor & Francis.The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) delineates a peer-reviewed and standardized method, articulating a set of guideline items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses to guarantee the review's quality and replicability (Liberati, 2009).Then, this systematic process continued with a few phases of identification, screening, eligibility, and exclusion (Moher, 2009).Throughout the entire process of preparing this systematic review paper, we have adopted PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) as guidance.PRISMA is widely used in the field of education.Sierra-Correa (2015) outlined the advantages of PRISMA: it clearly states research questions for systematic research, identifies exclusion and inclusion criteria, and enables researchers to examine a vast database of scientific literature.PRISMA provides researchers with the opportunity to conduct a rigorous search on terms related to blended learning strategies.This approach can be employed to identify the blended learning practices used in English teaching and learning across various Chinese higher education institutions.The study relied on four databases (Science Direct, Scopus, Web of Science, and Taylor & Francis).Science Direct is an online document retrieval and access service provided by Elsevier, a leading academic publishing company.It is a comprehensive academic database that offers access to thousands of scholarly journals, books, and reference works, covering nearly all disciplinary fields, including natural sciences, engineering, medicine, social sciences, and humanities.Scopus is regarded as one of the largest abstract and citation databases including peer-reviewed literature.It covers a wide range of subject areas such as environmental sciences, social science, as well as agriculture and biological sciences.Web of Science is an academic database that encompasses a wide range of disciplinary fields, covering areas such as natural sciences, social sciences, humanities, and engineering and technology.It aggregates high-quality academic resources globally, including scholarly journals, conference papers, and patents.Taylor & Francis is an international academic publishing company headquartered in London, United Kingdom.Founded in 1852, the company has since become one of the leading publishers in the global academic, scientific, and medical fields.It covers multiple disciplines, including humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, engineering and technology, medicine, and law.Its publications span a diverse range of topics, providing the researcher with a broad array of academic resources.Several eligibility and exclusion criteria have been established.Firstly, in terms of literature type, the selection is limited to research articles, excluding review articles, book series, books, book chapters, and conference proceedings.Secondly, to ensure clarity and avoid translation difficulties, non-English publications have been excluded, focusing exclusively on articles published in English.Thirdly, a specific timeframe of 5 years, spanning from 2018 to 2022 (as the data retrieval for this study was conducted until October 2023, excluding literature published in the full year of 2023), has been chosen to provide an adequate window for capturing the evolution of research and related publications.Lastly, for enhanced accessibility, only open-access articles have been included (refer to Table 1).Open Access All open access Others Several stages were involved in the systematic review process: identification, screening, and eligibility.The review process was conducted in October 2023.The first phase involved identifying keywords for the search process.Drawing from previous studies, keywords that were similar to and related to "blended learning," "strategies," "hybrid learning," and "ESL in China" were used (refer to Table 2).

Table 2
The search string used for the systematic review process

Science Direct
Blended learning AND hybrid learning AND flipped classroom AND strategies ESL in China OR English learning in China

Scopus
TITLE-ABS-KEYY(("blended learning" OR "blended education" OR "blended courses" OR "hybrid learning" AND "flipped classroom" OR "mobile techniques" OR "mobile applications" AND "English Learning in China" OR "ESL in China")) Web of Science TS = (("blended learning" OR "blended education" OR "blended courses" OR "hybrid learning" AND "flipped classroom" OR "mobile techniques" OR "mobile applications" AND "ESL in China" OR "English learning in China"))

Taylor & Francis
Blended learning AND hybrid learning AND "flipped classroom" AND ESL in China OR English learning in China The second phase is the screening process.In the beginning, 52 duplicate articles were eliminated after exporting the search reports from the databases and importing them into Mendeley to identify duplicates.Following the application of the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 115 articles were deemed ineligible as they did not meet the specified criteria outlined in Table 1.The third phase pertains to eligibility, during which full articles were carefully reviewed according to the quality criteria listed in Table 3.

Quality criteria
1.The research objectives are focused on enhancing blended learning and strategies in Chinese English learning.
2. The research context is in Chinese higher education.
3. The areas of using blended learning and strategies are clearly stated.
4. The research is aimed to explore the blended learning strategies implemented for Chinese college students in English learning.
5. The strategies is clearly described in the conclusion based on the results.
There are three main stages in the systematic searching strategies, namely identification, screening, and eligibility (Figure 1).

Publication Year
Among the 35 articles selected for the systematic review, 5 were published in 2018, 4 in 2019, results on blended learning for English higher education in China.

Main Findings
Strong proficiency in the English language is deemed essential for English learners.Nevertheless, English language skills continue to pose challenges for these learners, encompassing reading, writing, speaking, and listening (Yao, 2019;Jiang, 2022;Wang, 2020).Previous literature has unveiled that the subpar writing abilities of English learners stem from the intricacies of writing conventions and the predicaments associated with anticipating reader responses (Li, 2022).Furthermore, previous studies focusing on speaking skills have indicated that English learners exhibit limited engagement and participation in speaking activities (Teng, 2022).In a study pertaining to reading skills, English learners were reported to contend with disruptions such as unfamiliarity with learning software and sudden pop-up advertisements when utilizing online reading materials (Wang, 2020).All these findings from prior research underscore the challenges faced by English learners when engaging in English language lessons and activities.Nonetheless, these issues can be mitigated through the implementation of appropriate blended learning strategies in the English classroom.

516
This section explains four themes or categories of blended learning strategies that can be used in college English teaching in China to address the challenges English learners face in terms of language proficiency.The four themes are collaborative learning, learning management systems, mobile application integration, and technology-based instruction (Table 4).A total of 19 sub themes emerged within these four themes identified in this systematic review.The following subtopics explain each topic and the corresponding subtopics in more detail.

Learning Management System
Based on the review of 35 articles, the researchers found that 7 articles discussed learning management systems in their study (Table 6).In their articles, the researchers extensively discussed various learning management systems, including online learning platforms, automated essay scoring systems, and the Blackboard platform.As mentioned by Zhou (2022), learning a language in multimedia environments, including automated essay scoring systems, can assist students in improving their writing abilities.Tao (2020) conducted a study investigating learners' perceptions of learning English and their online self-regulation in an online learning environment.According to the survey of respondents, learners with different English learning philosophies demonstrated varying strategies in self-regulation for online learning.Teng (2022) discussed the impact of blended learning on the development of English speaking ability among foreign language learners through empirical research.

Mobile Apps Application
The use of mobile applications was another theme that emerged in the reviews of 35 articles.The types of social media applications used in English classes vary depending on sociocultural practices.Tiktok, WeChat, WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook, and Youtube are a few social media tools commonly used for learning English in English classes.However, in the articles of this systematic review (Table 7), only Wechat and Social media tools were discussed by the authors.Two articles discussed the use of mobile apps in English blended learning (Shu, Gu, 2018;Wen, 2018).Wechat has proven to be particularly useful for English learners, especially in English speaking practice and teacher-student interaction (Wen, 2018).As mentioned by Shu and Gu (2018), the integration of various social media tools in college English classrooms can enhance learners' interest in learning, improve their engagement in activities, and consequently enhance their English language skills.Lin & Wang (2018) discussed the use of audio-video materials when teaching listening and speaking skills in Chinese college English classrooms.Li (2022) emphasized the effectiveness of audio-video materials for improving speaking skills, while Chen (2022) highlighted factors affecting learners' progress in English reading skills.Early research results showed some notable achievements in speaking skills.As for the latter, several factors affecting students' reading comprehension have been identified, including limited vocabulary, restricted use of original English reading materials, and difficulties in accessing the learning platform due to network issues.Jiang (2022) explained the use of Quizlet software by Chinese college students to learn English.The results showed that students have positive attitudes towards using Quizlet software to help them learn English and believe that it can increase their motivation to learn the language.In addition to Quizlet software-assisted English learning, Qiu (2022) also integrated online video materials into his blended English courses.The findings indicatedthat the use of authentic online video material contributes significantly to improving students' English skills.This highlights the important role of online video materials in college English learning.Furthermore, as shown in Table 8, four articles mentioned the use of web-based systems in English language learning classrooms.These articles Tao (2020); Sun (2018); Lu (2020); Ma (2022) had similar findings, suggesting that implementing web-based systems in college English language classrooms can offer various benefits.Another type of technology-based instruction is virtual learning or online learning.Many authors have discussed this issue in their articles (Yang, 2022;Li, 2020;Qian, 2022;Ding, 2021;Wang, 2021;Shu & Gu, 2018;Zhang 2022;Peng, 2021;Han, 2022).Students' acceptance, students' achievement, students' satisfaction, students' engagement, self-regulation, and motivation were among the aspects focused on by the authors.Most studies indicated that integrating online learning tools into English language learning has yielded positive findings.Many authors confirmed through their studies that integrating online learning can improve students' motivation and enhance their English scores compared to traditional learning (Cao, 2019;Sun, 2018).Furthermore, the results of research indicated that the use of online learning tools can have a positive impact on students' English skills (Peng, 2021).All these results highlight the importance of online learning tools for English teaching.However, the challenges of implementing technology-based teaching cannot be ignored.Gao conducted a study on first-year undergraduate students, revealing that students face challenges in blended English learning classrooms, including limited technology access, limited proficiency in dealing with complex technology, and a lack of usage experience 2021.

Discussion
This study highlights various blended learning strategies used in Chinese college English classes.Overall, a range of blended learning strategies were identified based on the findings, including collaborative teaching, learning management systems, mobile application applications, and technology-enhanced teaching.However, the review results highlight that technology-enhanced teaching is the most commonly used blended learning approach in college English teaching compared to the other three strategies.This highlights the widespread recognition of technology-enhanced teaching as an effective means of addressing the challenges of college English teaching.
Research findings indicate that audio-video materials can effectively address students' English speaking issues Li (2022), while online authentic materials have proven highly advantageous in improving students' English proficiency (Qiu, 2022).Other technology-supported instructional methods, such as mobile applications and augmented listening and speaking activities, contribute significantly to enhancing students' engagement, motivation, and selfregulation (Tao, 2020;Sun, 2018;Lu, 2020;Ma, 2022).Despite technology-supported instruction being the most prevalent form of blended learning, the roles of other blended learning applications in addressing issues in university English teaching cannot be dismissed.Social media applications like Wechat and Social Media tools can also effectively address students' English language skills issues (Shu, Gu, 2018;Wen, 2018).Additionally, MOOCs have shown promise in enhancing students' English language skills.For students grappling with writing difficulties, the Machine Learning Automatic Composition Scoring System offers valuable assistance (Zhou, 2022).Group activities are another useful tool in university English classrooms for boosting students' engagement and fostering an interest in English learning (Li, 2022).The review's findings reveal that students hold a favorable view of technology-related tools integrated into university English classrooms.This positivity may stem from the characteristics of technology tools, such as flexibility and self-directed learning (Ding, 2021).These characteristics empower students to access these technologies anytime and anywhere, provided they have a reliable internet connection.Consequently, students can select the most suitable technology or tools for their English learning.Moreover, technology tools reduce students' dependence on teachers and promote self-directed learning.Furthermore, it can save students time by providing online access to learning materials.Costeffective technology tools are especially advantageous for students as they can facilitate language learning without a substantial financial burden (Wang, 2021).Insufficient motivation is recognized as one of the factors contributing to students' speaking challenges (Teng, 2022).Furthermore, these tools offer supplementary support to students and enable them to engage in collaborative learning.All these attributes of technology enhance students' engagement and motivation, ultimately boosting their English learning efficiency.This underscores the significant role of blended learning strategies in enhancing students' English language achievements.Despite its favorable attributes, some scholars (Jiang, 2022;Ma, 2022;Cao, 2019) contended that blended learning is conceptually straightforward but somewhat intricate to implement.Effective integration of blended learning necessitates collaborative efforts from teachers and students.Such efforts are indispensable for mitigating challenges students face when incorporating blended learning into English classrooms.

Conclusion
In summary, this study has conducted a comprehensive review of literature related to the application of blended learning in the context of English language learning in China.The research objective of this paper is to examine the latest trends in blended learning practices within university-level English classrooms.Consequently, this paper contributes to addressing the scarcity of systematic reviews in the realm of university-level English language learning and blended learning practices.We systematically accessed four databases and meticulously selected 35 articles based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria.The primary findings underscore four prominent trends in blended learning within the context of university-level English language education.These trends encompass collaborative learning, learning management systems, mobile application integration, technology-based instructional methods, and 19 subcategories within these overarching trends.Although this review has identified four noteworthy trends, the one that particularly stands out is technology-based instruction.This category includes the use of audio and video materials, authentic online resources, web-based systems and online learning tools.Technology-based teaching plays a vital role in addressing the challenges of teaching English in universities in China, especially those related to English proficiency and other aspects such as student motivation and engagement.Insights from this review enable educators and learners to carefully select appropriate technology-based tools and materials for teaching and learning English.Additionally, various forms of blended learning strategies enable English teachers to use technology-based teaching as an additional teaching method.As indicated by the findings of this review, technology-related tools associated with university-level English learning have shown a positive influence on the acquisition of English language skills.This perspective opens up further possibilities for the integration of an expanded array of technology-based tools in future university-level English teaching and learning.This study has several limitations.Since most university-level English education research focuses on undergraduate students, educational level is not mentioned as a trend in this review.This limitation certainly opens up new possibilities for the future, especially with regard to the choice of English education at different levels of study.Second, this review is based on articles from influential journals in databases such as Web of Science, Scopus, and Science Direct.Therefore, if other databases (e.g., Google Scholar) were used to conduct this review, the results may be slightly different.Future research could explore these two aspects in more depth to further analyze the elements of integrating blended learning practices in Chinese college English education.In summary, this systematic review makes significant contributions to both theoretical and practical aspects of blended learning strategies in Chinese higher education, especially within the context of college English courses.Theoretically, the study enriches academic discussions about blended learning by identifying and analyzing key themes such as cooperative learning, learning management systems, mobile app integration, and technology-based learning.This comprehensive exploration deepens the theoretical framework of blended learning in college English teaching.Moreover, by systematically reviewing 35 articles from prestigious academic databases, this research provides a comprehensive perspective on the current practices and trends in blended learning within the realm of college English education in China.It offers invaluable insights for English educators and policymakers in effectively integrating mobile technology into blended learning teaching strategies.The study underscores the importance of cooperative learning, technology integration, and innovative management systems in the context of college English education in China, demonstrating how blended learning can enhance student engagement and learning outcomes in a rapidly evolving educational environment.The recommendations presented at

Figure 3 .
Figure 3. Level of Articles used in the study

Table 1
Inclusion and exclusion criteria

Table 4
The Findings

Table 7
Findings regarding Mobile Apps Application In these 35 articles, based on the literature review, technology-supported instruction is a topic of great interest among scholars, with the majority of the articles discussing this theme.Table7illustrates the articles that explain technology-supported instruction in the context of college English learning.The findings indicate that most authors associate technologysupported instruction with language skills, namely reading, writing, speaking, and listening.