Abstract
This paper reports the effect of a blending learning experience on college freshmen's receptive
vocabulary (RV) uses along with their collocations. 101 English language learners (ELLs)
responded to an online 5-category vocabulary survey. From the survey's results, we selected 45
target RV items to be activated by all ELLs. The ELLs participated in a blending learning
experience consisting of in-class collocation instruction, online writing tasks, and in-class
conversation practice. The data were analyzed using mixed methods. RV activation was
quantitatively measured by a Productive Vocabulary Level Test (Laufer & Nation, 1999) taken by
ELLs before and after the blended learning experience. Observations were adapted to examine
ELLs' written texts. Paired-difference tests showed statistically significant increases in mean scores
for weeks two through nine. RV activation had faded for week one, suggesting that RV should be
reactivated approximately nine weeks after initial activation. ELLs exhibited semantic ambiguity
when collocations were not used, that is, collocations improved the correct interpretation of RV
items. The performance and competence errors found in ELLs' vocabulary production suggests that
vocabulary knowledge deepened specifically in the development of word meaning.
