Evolution and Impact of Blended Learning in Higher Education: A Brief Systematic Review From 2010 to 2022

Abstract

As education has moved towards the digital reality, one of the greatest challenges has been to provide students with an engaging learning environment. This era of technological advancement has yielded various teaching and learning tools and strategies. Among these, blended learning has emerged as a practical solution, seamlessly merging traditional in-person instruction with digital resources. This extensive review, encompassing 161 articles from reputable databases such as Scopus, Web of Science, and ERIC, spanning 2010 to 2022, is guided by the PRISMA model for article selection. The primary goal was to assess the effectiveness of blended learning strategies across multidisciplinary courses in higher education. Following meticulous examination, which involved eliminating duplicate records, excluding articles that were not relevant (totaling 37 exclusions), and filtering out non-English articles (9 in total), a refined set of 39 relevant articles remained for thorough analysis. Exploring these 39 preceding studies consistently validates the effectiveness of blended learning as the favored pedagogical approach in higher education. It not only engages students but also cultivates critical thinking skills, thereby fostering a conducive learning environment. This learning strategy creates a conducive learning environment for the students by engaging them and improving their critical thinking skills. A literature review found that since 2011, the same models have been repeated and practiced in various settings.