Blended Learning Course Research Articles

Institutional Support for Academic Engagement in Online and Blended Learning Environments

In light of the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, leaders of higher education institutions around the world have been contemplating ways to help their universities engage in a digital transformation that must have student engagement and learning as the foremost considerations. This study reports on the work conducted at a university in Colombia that created an evaluation instrument based on the Academic Communities of Engagement (ACE) framework (Borup et al., 2020) to examine how well the institution was supporting the affective, behavioral, and cognitive (ABC) dimensions of engagement in its online and blended learning course offerings. This survey, the ACE in Higher Education (ACE-HE), measures indicators of the ABC engagement dimensions as well as indicators of institutional support for those elements. The survey was completed by 1,295 university students representing a broad demographic profile. Structural equation modeling found good fit for both the model of ABC engagement dimensions and the model of institutional support for ABC engagement dimensions. Institutional support for affective engagement showed strong relationships to affective, behavioral, and cognitive indicators of engagement, while institutional support for behavioral and cognitive engagement did not have the same outcome. This research provides access to both English and Spanish versions of the ACE-HE instrument. It also highlights ideas for institutions that want to improve their support for student ABC engagement dimensions in online and blended environments. Finally, several implications for making updates to the ACE framework are shared.

The Effectiveness of Blended Learning for Dermatology Undergraduate Medical Students

Background Novel internet-based applications and associated technologies have influenced all aspects of our society, ranging from areas of commerce and business to entertainment and health care. Education is no exception. In this context, this study was designed to evaluate the impact of a dermatology e-learning program on the academic performance of medical students. Objective We aimed to develop a dermatology blended learning course for undergraduate medical students and compare the knowledge gained by students who took this course to those who attended traditional classes. Methods This prospective study evaluated the performance of fourth-semester medical students from the Federal University of Bahia, Brazil. A total of 129 students were selected and divided into 2 groups. The first group (n=57) attended traditional classes and used printed material (books and handouts). The second group (n=72) took our e-learning course and used an e-book as a supplement in a hybrid setting comprising online plus traditional learning. Each course was evaluated with multiple-choice, paper-based tests that were administered at the beginning and end of the course. Results Although the precourse tests did not show any difference between the traditional and hybrid groups (mean 2.74, SD 1.25 vs mean 3.2, SD 1.22), students attending the hybrid course had better final term grades (mean 8.18, SD 1.26) than those who attended traditional classes (mean 7.11, SD 1.04). This difference was statistically significant (P<.05). Conclusions The results suggest that the performance of undergraduate students who took a course supplemented with e-learning material was superior to those who attended a traditional course alone. Conflicts of Interest None declared.

Evaluation of a blended learning approach on stratified care for physiotherapy bachelor students

BackgroundStratified models of care are valuable for addressing psychosocial factors which influence the outcome of patients with musculoskeletal disorders. Introducing such models in undergraduate training has the potential to propagate this knowledge with evidence and foster its implementation. The objective of this paper is to explore the perception and changes in the fear-avoidance beliefs of physiotherapy students participating in a developed blended learning course on stratified care.MethodologyA mixed-methods with a convenient sample of two consecutive cohorts were given a blended learning course on stratified care for patients with low back pain. The blended learning course comprised scientific rudiments and application of stratified care in clinical practice conceptualised using the KERN’ 6-step approach. The exam scores, perceptions, performance on self-reflection-tests and pre- and post-scores on The Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia for Physiotherapists’ (TSK-PT) were obtained. After gaining clinical experience, participants were invited to discuss their clinical experiences and perceptions in workshops. The quantitative data was analysed explorative-descriptively. The qualitative data was analysed following an inductive coding system with constant comparisons.ResultsNinety-one participants consented to the evaluation (mean age = 22.9 ± 1.6 years), 66% were female. Exam scores correlated with time spent in training (r = 0.30) and scores on self-reflection-tests 1 and 2 (r = 0.40 and r = 0.41). Participants in both cohorts described the learning resources as promoting their interest in the subject (72% and 94%), up-to-date (91% and 93%) and helpful (91% and 97%). The fear-avoidance scores for participants decreased from 53.5 (± 9.96) to 40.1 (± 12.4) with a large effect size (d = 1.18). The regression model [F (2, 49) = 1151.2, p < 0.001] suggests that pre-TSK-PT and the interest of participants in the training predicted post-TSK-PT. The workshop participants (n = 62) all worked in clinical practice. Emerging from the analysis were 4 categories (evolving to maturity in practice, perceiving determinants of stratified care, strategising for implementation and adopting an outlook for future practice).ConclusionThe quality of engagement in learning, training strategy and interest in the subject contributes immensely to learning outcomes. This blended learning course was successful in reducing kinesiophobia and influencing the participants’ attitude towards care with the potential of being translated into long-term practice.

Graduate Nurses’ Perception and Experiences of Assessment Feedback in Blended Learning Courses at the University of Rwanda

BackgroundConstructive assessment feedback is considered one of the learner-centred pillars in the blended learning mode.PurposeExplore graduate nurses’ perceptions and experiences on assessment feedback in blended learning courses.MethodologyQualitative descriptive design with semi-structured interviews was used to collect data from 15 enrolled learners in a Master’s Programme of Nursing at the University of Rwanda. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Purposive sampling and thematic data analysis were use.FindingsEight females against seven male graduate nurses participated in this study, 67% worked in health facilities and 33% worked as lecturers in Bachelor of Nursing. The graduate nurses at the University of Rwanda perceived that lecturer in blended learning used different types of assessment feedback. They experienced the reception of assessment feedback through synchronised and asynchronised channels or via paper-based mode. Effective feedback is hindered by delays, inadequate digital infrastructure, and using marks as the only form of feedback. Accordingly, the graduate nurses perceived that learners’ preparedness and involvement in the assessment feedback process are critical to establishing and enhancing deep and lifelong learning.ConclusionThe findings revealed that different types of assessment feedback were used, while different ways were utilised to deliver assessment feedback; graduate nurses perceived and experienced that prompt and sandwich feedback are pillars of effective feedback to enhance blended learning for graduate learners.Rwanda J Med Health Sci 2023;6(2):161-174

Development of a Training Strategy Aimed at Increasing Veterinarians' Awareness of the Proper Use of Antibiotics on Rabbit Farms.

The rabbit sector faces significant challenges with antimicrobial usage (AMU) and antimicrobial resistance (AMR). A focus group involving nine rabbit sector stakeholders identified key issues contributing to high AMU and the need for veterinarians' training. Participants emphasized the lack of clear legislation, biosecurity standards, and the importance of training on best practices to reduce AMU. To address these concerns, a blended learning course for rabbit veterinarians was organized, focusing on responsible drug use to lower AMU. The course design promoted participant interaction using group exercises and online discussions. The output was an operational tool, encompassing crucial elements to reduce drug dependence, covering housing, environmental conditions, feed, reproduction, disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatments. Validated in veterinarians' daily practices, the tool proved valuable. The tool, presented as a checklist, assists veterinarians in supporting field activities regarding proper drug use and AMR issues. It also helps farmers address knowledge gaps in breeding management and adopt biosecurity practices for disease prevention. Participants were encouraged to use the tool during farm visits and collaborate with farmers. The project presented in the manuscript is a crucial step towards the development of effective strategies for responsible AMU and AMR mitigation in the rabbit sector and beyond.

Assessment of Student Satisfaction with Distance and Blended Learning

Introduction. Blended learning has gained prominence due to increased technological inclusion in the wake of post-Covid era. It comprises hybrid learning strategies where in-campus and online learning mediums are used. However, the students’ satisfaction has become the most significant concern of the researchers in the context of the adoption of blended learning in the educational domain. The purpose of this article is to present the results of a study on the effectiveness of blended and distance learning in terms of student satisfaction. Materials and Methods. The study is quantitative in nature and purposively recruits 200 study participants who were either undergraduate students or diploma holders studying at a university. An online survey form was designed to collect data from the participants. The data collected was analyzed using Statistical Package of Social Sciences version 23.0. Descriptive Statistical Analysis using frequencies and percentages were used. Moreover, to find the association between students’ satisfaction and blended and distance learning, ANOVA test was conducted. Results. The study shows that students’ satisfaction had been greatly acknowledged as a significant factor in recognizing the courseʼs effectiveness, especially the blended learning course. In conclusion, this study provided positive feedback about hybrid learning methods and distance learning and their effect on studentsʼ satisfaction, leading to better learning and academic performance. Discussion and Conclusion. The findings of this study are significant for the teachers as they will be coordinating with the students and will be able to assist them in learning and management issues.

An Innovative Approach in The Field of Higher Education: Blended Learning and Massive Open Online Courses

E-learning is currently growing daily, and Blended Learning and massive open online courses are vital tools for implementing this notion. This paper sheds light on the Blended Learning and massive open online courses concepts. Blended Learning is an innovative concept that in the classroom clinches the advantages of both teaching modes, traditional and online teaching methods. MOOCs take place online by default and they are free, which is evident in this research with multiple meanings. The current paper aims to address blended learning and massive open online courses, their main characteristics, benefits, and its implementation in the Pakistani scenario. The recent paper also explores how a blended learning and massive open online courses approach needs to be adopted to attain better results.

Pharmacy students' perceptions and satisfaction with blended instruction in quantitative chemical analysis course

Background: Course satisfaction in blended learning has become a priority among educators to keep students on track during their studies. This study investigated the Community of Inquiry (CoI) three key components, i.e. teaching, social, and cognitive presences and other factors that affect student satisfaction at Lebanese International University (LIU). Objective: The study aimed to examine pharmacy undergraduate students who enrolled in, and the effect of blended learning courses on learning environment perceptions, learning outcomes, and overall academic performance. Methods: Exactly 283 second-year students from a private School of Pharmacy registered in the Quantitative Chemical Analysis course participated in this study. Data were collected using an online survey, assessing students' prior pre-pharmacy course experiences. Results: The majority of students (58%) commended the course content, organisation, teaching resources, course design, and clarity of directions. Course satisfaction significantly correlated with age and social, cognitive, and instructional presences (Spearman’s Rho: 0.739-0.750, p &lt; 0.05). Discussion: Studies found that blended instruction can improve student engagement, satisfaction, and learning outcomes, which are influenced by the quality of online materials, communication, feedback, and the degree of student and instructor interaction. Conclusion: The outcomes of this study support the assumption that blended learning encourages active, in-depth, and self-directed learning.

Unfolding self‐regulated learning profiles of students: A longitudinal study

AbstractBackgroundIt is vital to understand students' Self‐Regulatory Learning (SRL) processes, especially in Blended Learning (BL), when students need to be more autonomous in their learning process. In studying SRL, most researchers have followed a variable‐oriented approach. Moreover, little has been known about the unfolding process of students' SRL profiles.ObjectivesWe present the insights derived from a study that measured motivation and the learning strategies used by 198 students of a university entry‐level, business school, BL course to develop an understanding of students' SRL processes.MethodsThe Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) was used to survey 198 students three times during a semester to investigate SRL profiles and how they unfolded as the course progressed using a person‐oriented approach. Through a clustering approach, we focus on MSLQ's motivation aspects as its importance has been emphasised by different SRL theories, and extant research into motivation in learning analytics (LA) is still lacking.Results and ConclusionsThrough the longitudinal clustering approach, we identified minimally, average, and highly SRL profiles. We acknowledged that students might change their SRL profiles as the course progressed as a result of feedback they received.What are the 1 or 2 Major Takeaways from the Study?This study contributes to the SRL theory by examining students' SRL profiles adaptation longitudinally (addressing the challenge identified regarding the cyclical nature of SRL). This study contributes to LA by investigating motivational constructs currently lacking in the field and bringing forward theory based empirical evidence to inform theory and practice.

How Blended Learning Techniques can be Applied in Teaching Mathematics to Engineering Students

Begun in the mid-90s, computers have long been a staple in teaching mathematics to engineering students. In recent years, with the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and the arrival of Generation Z in tertiary education, the role of blended learning has increased. This paper highlights some of the greater challenges and successes of the transition from traditional teaching techniques to the creation of blended learning environments through three case studies. First, the translation of pen-and-paper education to a computerissed form in everyday online and face-to-face practice classes. Second, the reimagination of correspondence courses as blended learning courses. Finally, setting the final exams in a computerised environment: what types of questions are appropriate to measure students' effective understanding of engineering mathematics.

Global Change Challenge in the Higher Education Curriculum on the Approach of Blended Learning

Global change is one of the greatest challenges facing societies today. Higher education plays a crucial role in providing knowledge on global change, contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. How is global change integrated into the planned, delivered and achieved curriculum? Has the pandemic promoted the development of blended learning courses on global change? To answer these two research questions, we conducted 25 interviews with academics about the prominence of global change in their courses and curriculum. We also analysed several geography curricula. It emerged that universities play a central role in mainstreaming global change into curricula in the context of education for sustainable development (ESD) and climate change. There were two main findings: (i) ESD has been implemented selectively in higher geography education, with a focus on environmental issues and different approaches and (ii) blended learning is a useful approach to develop new curriculum structures and content to educate students about global change.

블렌디드 러닝을 활용한 한국어 수업 모형 개발 및 효과 연구

This study aims to develop a Korean language-teaching model using blended learning and verify its effect through experiments. By probing into the teaching model and investigating the actual needs of teachers and learners, it proposes a teaching model suitable for Chinese learners. To verify the effect, 29 Chinese learners were taught using the blended learning model for 17 weeks, while 29 learners of similar levels were selected as statistical groups for traditional teaching. The test scores of the two compared groups indicate the blended learning course has greatly improved the listening and speaking abilities. Questionnaires and interviews show that the blended teaching mode has a positive effect on the learning enthusiasm, initiative, and autonomous learning ability.

Using virtual reality in a blended learning course of clinical reasoning competency in primary care: a case study in Central Vietnam

Using virtual reality in a blended learning course of clinical reasoning competency in primary care: a case study in Central Vietnam

Student Satisfaction with Blended Learning: An Online Survey in a Vietnamese University

Blended learning has been widely applied in Vietnamese higher education in recent years. In blended learning, student satisfaction is regarded as a decisive factor in assessing whether blended learning courses are successful or not. This paper assesses the students' satisfaction with a blended English language learning course and with four groups of criteria, including course contents, teaching methods, exercises on LMS (Learning Management System), and assessment tasks. An online survey with 250 students from a Vietnamese university reveals that students have a high level of satisfaction with the course and other criteria. Furthermore, a strong linear relationship has been identified between the overall satisfaction of the whole course and the students’ progress after the course. The findings are expected to promote and improve blended learning practices in Vietnam universities with practical implications for course developers and other stakeholders.

Assessing Student Perceptions of Blended and Online Learning Courses in Pharmacoeconomics, Management, and Leadership

Objective. Blended learning combines traditional face-to-face education with online instruction. This learner-centered approach has been shown to improve student engagement, critical thinking, and performance outcomes. The objective of this study was to assess and trend student pharmacist perceptions of blended and online learning used to teach pharmacy management, leadership, and economics within a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) curriculum.Methods. Qualitative methods were employed using in-depth, semistructured interviews. Second- and third-year student pharmacists were recruited by purposeful and snowball sampling and interviewed to a point of saturation. The interview guide was based on social cognitive theory. Themes identified through initial deductive thematic analysis were categorized by the three domains of social cognitive theory: cognitive, behavioral, and environmental factors. The coding team additionally analyzed the transcripts using inductive thematic analysis to ensure no themes outside of social cognitive theory were missed.Results. Twenty students were interviewed. Themes reveal perceptions that blended learning facilitated greater understanding of course material, increased motivation among learners, provided more flexibility in workload completion, and was a more enjoyable way to learn compared to traditional didactic instruction. Furthermore, blended learning offered additional distinct advantages over traditional and online-only pedagogies.Conclusion. Student pharmacists perceived blended and online learning positively and acceptable for the delivery of a pharmacy course on management, leadership, and economics over traditional didactic instruction. Blended learning may enhance innovation, leadership, management, and economics content delivery and the student learning experience.

Blending a sweet pill to swallow with TRIZ and industry talks for enhanced learning during the COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND: While studies have investigated relationships among learning motivation, social presence, and cognitive presence, there appear to be no studies on the inclusion of industry talks and the theory of inventive problem-solving (TRIZ) in strengthening engineering students’ learning motivation, social presence, and cognitive presence within a blended learning setting. OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the influence of industry talks and TRIZ on learning motivation, social presence, and cognitive presence in a blended learning environment. METHODS: Data samples were obtained from 98 engineering students in a blended learning course and analysed using Spearman’s correlation test, regression, ANOVA, and t-test. RESULTS: Findings suggested that TRIZ and industry talks strongly, positively, and significantly correlated with learning motivation, social presence, and cognitive presence. A well-rounded learning experience compounded of TRIZ and industry talks significantly affected learning motivation, social presence, and cognitive presence, thereby enhancing students’ programme outcome (PO) achievement. CONCLUSIONS: These findings can be attributed to the students’ independent learning capabilities with TRIZ and industry talks. Analogically, embracing TRIZ and industry talks helps turn blended learning into a “sweet instead of bitter pill to swallow” for engineering students in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Improvement of learning outcomes in traditional learning model by introducing online activities and big data analytics

ABSTRACT The main aim of this research was to improve a blended learning course, by adding specific online activity that will improve learning outcomes and enable producing, collecting and analysing educational data. Moodle LMS, a widely used, well-known learning environment, was used for realisation of the online activity. Data collected over LMS Moodle was analysed by using Big Data technologies to find out performances and check learning outcomes in the extended blended learning system. Over 600,000 records generated by students and teachers during the three schoolyears were collected as a part of this research. The total number of activities, type of activities and their correlation with the final grade on the course have been observed and analysed. Research results show, that by introducing only one mandatory activity – online discussion, the number of all activities and the number of aimed activities have been increased significantly. More frequent and numerous access to educational content increased the number of students who passed the final exam and increased the average grade. The research was conducted at the Academy of Technical and Art Applied Studies Belgrade, Department School of Electrical and Computer Engineering on the course Social Networks Analysis.

Digital courseware meets professional learning community: blended learning to improve the teaching of early literacy in a developing country

ABSTRACT This article reports on a study of a teacher professional development (TPD) course that combined digital courseware with a face-to-face professional learning community. The aim of the course, implemented in a developing country, was to improve teacher knowledge and practice in early childhood literacy and numeracy. Using interview and questionnaire data, this article focuses on teachers’ views on the literacy modules of the course; that is, their views on the impact of the course on their learning and teaching and the design features of the blended course. The findings highlight that the blended course was successful overall despite a number of challenges associated with contextual conditions in a developing country. Themes related to teacher knowledge, views and practices, positive features of the course design and limitations of the course design. The findings have implications for future development, delivery and evaluation of blended learning courses for teacher professional development in developing countries.

Learning effectiveness of a flexible learning study programme in a blended learning design: why are some courses more effective than others?

Flexible learning addresses students’ needs for more flexibility and autonomy in shaping their learning process, and is often realised through online technologies in a blended learning design. While higher education institutions are increasingly considering replacing classroom time and offering more blended learning, current research is limited regarding its effectiveness and modifying design factors. This study analysed a flexible study programme with 133 courses in a blended learning design in different disciplines over more than 4 years with a mixed-methods approach. In the analysed flexible study programme, classroom instruction time was reduced by 51% and replaced with an online learning environment in a blended learning format (N students = 278). Student achievement was compared to the conventional study format (N students = 1068). The estimated summary effect size for the 133 blended learning courses analysed was close to, but not significantly different from, zero (d = − 0.0562, p = 0.3684). Although overall effectiveness was equivalent to the conventional study format, considerable variance in the effect sizes between the courses was observed. Based on the relative effect sizes of the courses and data from detailed analyses and surveys, heterogeneity can be explained by differences in the implementation quality of the educational design factors. Our results indicate that when implementing flexible study programmes in a blended learning design, particular attention should be paid to the following educational design principles: adequate course structure and guidance for students, activating learning tasks, stimulating interaction and social presence of teachers, and timely feedback on learning process and outcomes.

Honey, I shrunk the subject!

Presentation Link:&#x0D; Pre-Recorded Pecha Kucha https://www.pechakucha.com/presentations/alex-tsirgialos-sotel&#x0D; &#x0D; The consistent Learning Management System (LMS) design of large subjects with multiple instructors/coordinators can prove very challenging. Instructors have the freedom to organise their materials in different ways (without specific training on how to do this effectively) which often impacts students’ ability to find key resources in a timely manner (Holmes and Prieto-Rodriguez, 2018). Students in two large subjects at the Melbourne Dental School reported this in subject evaluations: accessing learning materials that were essential prior to campus activities and searching resources for revision was proving impossible. &#x0D; &#x0D; LMS navigation design is seen as important to students’ perceived usefulness of the system (Zanjani et al. 2013). Students will often compare their LMS experience against other (sophisticated) online services, expecting the same standards (Naveh et al. 2012). For Blended Learning (BL) subjects Diep et al. (2017) argue that “institutions should enhance the LMS functionality and design in such a way that they are easier to use, more user-friendly, functional, and personalized” (p.474). &#x0D; &#x0D; Most designs for online learning strive for learning experiences – this is true for online courses where all or most study is asynchronous. In these cases, the learning designer will aim to incorporate a ‘chunked’ or ‘step-by-step’ approach to the curriculum. This results in the familiar sight of modules consisting multiple pages which represent this linear learning experience that begins and ends in the LMS. In Blended Learning courses however, the asynchronous component delivered via LMS is often limited to very few resources and activities that represent only the starting and/or end point in a learning sequence, but not the entire experience. &#x0D; &#x0D; This presentation will showcase how designing the way students interact with the LMS by re-arranging the site’s navigation and structure aims to improve students’ affective domain while maintaining the same cognitive outcomes (no changes have been made to the existing content). It will also show how the design, moving away from the established ‘module as a learning sequence’ approach, is enabling multiple instructors to curate the curriculum in large year-long subjects with improved flexibility. &#x0D; &#x0D; The subjects’ LMS sites have been designed to accommodate the projected student activity. Central to the design is a concise Subject Schedule in which the multiple instructors can ‘curate’ their component’s learning for each week to include single Topic Pages (learning materials and activities), instructions for the Campus activities and reminders for Assessment tasks. Workbooks intended for Campus activities have been removed from the LMS (which isn’t an ideal place for file sharing) and hosted in Microsoft Sharepoint instead. Each subject component has a Component Hub (for all the component related information) and a Video Management System space to host video recordings of seminars if needed. This restructure has reduced the number of pages from several hundred to less than 50 for each subject. &#x0D; &#x0D; The design will be evaluated to determine the degree to which the interventions have improved students’ ‘relationship’ with the LMS and instructors’ ability to flexibly control the structure of their intended curriculum. &#x0D; References&#x0D; &#x0D; Diep, A-N., Zhu, C., Struyven, K., Blieck, Y., (2017) Who or what contributes to student satisfaction in different blended learning modalities? In British Journal of Educational Technology Vol 48, p.474&#x0D; DOI 10.1111/bjet.12431&#x0D; &#x0D; Holmes, K. A., &amp; Prieto-Rodriguez, E. (2018). Student and Staff Perceptions of a Learning Management System for Blended Learning in Teacher Education. In Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 43(3). DOI&#x0D; 10.14221/ajte.2018v43n3.2&#x0D; &#x0D; Naveh, G., Tubin, D., &amp; Pliskin, N. (2012) Student satisfaction with learning management systems: a lens of critical success factors. In Technology, Pedagogy and Education, 21:3, 337-350. DOI:10.1080/1475939X.2012.720413&#x0D; &#x0D; Zanjani, N., Nykvist, S., &amp; Geva, S. (2013) What makes an LMS effective: A synthesis of current literature. In Foley, O, Restivo, M T, Helfert, M, &amp; Uhomoibhi, J (Eds.) Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Computer Supported Education. SciTePress - Science and Technology Publications, Portugal, pp. 574-579. DOI 10.5220/0004384905740579&#x0D;