Students’ Experiences in Using Spectrum: Textbook or Classroom?

Since the 2000s, many universities have introduced virtual learning environments in their educational system to deliver “blended learning” (BL). The University of Malaya, in Malaysia, launched its BL system, named SPECTRUM in 2010. Five years after its implementation, this research aims to gain a more detailed and deep understanding of the lived experiences of postgraduate students in the faculty of education who have been using SPECTRUM for their learning practice. The research purpose required focusing attention on the qualitative aspects of the experience itself. So phenomenology is chosen as an appropriate methodology to answer the research question. We have used focus group and individual semi -structured interview for collecting data. Results show that students found SPECTRUM as a useful platform in their studies. Lecturers’ styles of using SPECTRUM in the classroom contributed to students’ experience. They perceive SPECTRUM as an online classroom for interaction and textbook when materials are uploaded weekly.