An Exploratory Study of Blended Learning Activities in Two Classes

Abstract

Though there are a number of research studies on the adoption of a blended learning approach to enhance learning, few comparative studies have examined the use of this approach for inter-class activities. Two undergraduate classes at different levels of study participated in an online discussion, an online debate, and two face-to-face debates. Data were gathered for triangulated analysis from a questionnaire that solicited participants’ opinions, from focus group meetings, and from tracked statistics provided by the learning platform. The tracked statistics showed that the participants often read online postings but not many of them expressed their opinions online. Both the responses to the questionnaire and the opinions expressed in the focus group meetings showed that they preferred a face-to-face approach to an online learning approach. Furthermore, the students embraced the opportunity to interact with another class when preparing and having face-to-face debate.