Awareness and effectiveness of using online platforms within a blended approach for soft skills

This research investigates students' transferable skills in an integrating blended learning environment, specifically addressing writing skills. Drawing on Biggs' application of constructivism theory, the study analyses students' characteristics, perception of the designed teaching methods, and confidence in their writing skills. The study context was a suite of accounting and finance programmes in the United Kingdom. 164 student participants answered questionnaires, from among whom focus group participants were organised. A mixed research method was adopted to clarify the drivers of the active learning process. The findings reveal that students' characteristics influence perceptions, and that a well-designed blended learning method can alter their perceptions and improve students' writing skills. The study contributes to the literature on blended learning by providing evidence of its positive impact on the students' learning process and performance. The findings encourage accounting educators to develop strategies to improve students' performance in transferable skills through an appropriate learning design.