Evaluation of Evidence-Based Practices in Online Learning: A Meta-Analysis and Review of Online Learning Studies

A systematic search of the research literature from 1996 through July 2008 identified more than a thousand empirical studies of online learning. Analysts screened these studies to find those that (a) contrasted an online to a face-to-face condition, (b) measured student learning outcomes, (c) used a rigorous research design, and (d) provided adequate information to calculate an effect size. As a result of this screening, 51 independent effects were identified that could be subjected to meta-analysis. The meta-analysis found that, on average, students in online learning conditions performed better than those receiving face-to-face instruction. The difference between student outcomes for online and face-to-face classes—measured as the difference between treatment and control means, divided by the pooled standard deviation—was larger in those studies contrasting conditions that blended elements of online and face-to-face instruction with conditions taught entirely face-to-face. Analysts noted that these blended conditions often included additional learning time and instructional elements not received by students in control conditions. This finding suggests that the positive effects associated with blended learning should not be attributed to the media, per se. An unexpected finding was the small number of rigorous published studies contrasting online and face-to-face learning conditions for K–12 students. In light of this small corpus, caution is required in generalizing to the K–12 population because the results are derived for the most part from studies in other settings (e.g., medical training, higher education)

An investigation into the use of a blended model of learning

The weaknesses of ‗traditional‘ modes of instruction in accounting education have been widely discussed. Many contend that the traditional approach limits the ability to provide opportunities for students to raise their competency level and allow them to apply knowledge and skills in professional problem solving situations. However, the recent body of literature suggests that accounting educators are indeed actively experimenting with ‗non-traditional‘ and ‗innovative‘ instructional approaches, where some authors clearly favour one approach over another. But can one instructional approach alone meet the necessary conditions for different learning objectives? Taking into account the ever changing landscape of not only business environments, but also the higher education sector, the premise guiding the collaborators in this research is that it is perhaps counter productive to promote competing dichotomous views of ‗traditional‘ and ‗non-traditional‘ instructional approaches to accounting education, and that the notion of ‗blended learning‘ might provide a useful framework to enhance the learning and teaching of accounting. This paper reports on the first cycle of a longitudinal study, which explores the possibility of using blended learning in first year accounting at one campus of a large regional university. The critical elements of blended learning which emerged in the study are discussed and, consistent with the design-based research framework, the paper also identifies key design modifications for successive cycles of the research

An Investigation of the Impact of Student Satisfaction on Student Outcomes Among Undergraduate Students in a Blended Learning Environment in University A

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of student satisfaction on student outcomes among undergraduate students in a blended learning environment in University A. It was a quantitative predictive correlational design, with predictor variables satisfaction with course, sex, age and race/ethnicity, and criterion variable end-of-course score. The Corona Virus pandemic highlighted the central role of blended and online learning in educational processes globally. The technological revolution in education characterized by the infusion of digital technologies in classrooms, indicates that blended learning will continue to feature prominently in educational settings. Student satisfaction in blended learning redounds to the benefit of students and educational institutions since it could contribute to improved pedagogical and curricular practices, goodwill, enhanced reputation, and increased enrollment. Participants for this study were drawn from a convenience sample of 330 undergraduate students enrolled in a blended general education course at University A. Data collection procedures for predictor variables were accomplished through the online administration of the Satisfaction with Blended eLearning Systems (BELS) Questionnaire, while criterion variable data was garnered from student records. Applying multiple linear regression analysis, a statistically significant relationship was found between the linear combination of satisfaction with course, sex, age, race/ethnicity and end-of-course score. However, satisfaction with course emerged as the only significant predictor of the end-of-course score. Course satisfaction in blended learning settings influences performance. Further investigations are needed in other tertiary level institutions in the Caribbean, across different disciplines, and different blended learning delivery methods

Pre-service EFL teachers’ online participation, interaction, and social presence

Participation in online communities is an increasing need for future language teachers and their professional development. Through such participation, they can experience and develop an awareness of the behaviors required to facilitate their future learners’ participation in online learning. This article investigates participation, interaction patterns, and social presence (SP) levels of pre-service English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers in online communication within a longitudinal blended learning setting. A secondary aim of this article is to explore social network analysis (SNA) as an alternative method to measure SP. Data analysis included calculation of number of forum entries and words, qualitative analysis of interaction patterns, content analysis, and SNA. The results indicated that an online course on tutoring skills and SP improved pre-service EFL teachers’ online participation skills. Increased interaction and a more cohesive network were observed as the course progressed. The findings are significant in that they suggest a relationship between content analysis for SP (especially the interactive dimension) and SNA measures (centrality, influence, and prestige), implicating SNA as an emerging research method for the investigation of SP. This article concludes with future research perspectives and suggestions for EFL teacher training

Effective instructional strategies and technology use in blended learning: A case study

This case study explored effective instructional strategies and technology use in blended learning (BL) in a graduate course in the USA. Varied forms of data were collected, including (1) semi-structured interviews with students, (2) mid-term and final course evaluations, (3) two rounds of online debates, (4) four weeks of online reflection journals, and (5) the instructor\u27s reflections. Thematical analysis and descriptive statistics were conducted to analyze qualitative and quantitative data respectively. Multiple methods were employed to establish trustworthiness of the study. Effective and ineffective instructional strategies and technology uses were identified in BL. The findings indicated that students valued real-time interactions with peers and the instructor. However, inappropriate asynchronous discussions were considered less effective in BL. In addition, immediate feedback from peers and the instructor motivated learners and improved the quality of their work. Learning technologies played a critical role in BL, but the use of learning technologies should be simplified and streamlined. Technical support was essential to reduce learners\u27 cognitive load

A systematic literature review on synchronous hybrid learning : gaps identified

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The Effects of Cooperative and Collaborative Strategies on Student Achievement and Satisfaction in Blended and Online Learning Environments

The purpose of this study was to examine whether cooperative versus collaborative strategies used for a group project had differential effects on students\u27 achievement, process and solution satisfaction, value and preference for collaboration, and perceptions of community of inquiry in online and blended environments. The study sample consisted of teacher education students enrolled in a technology integration course. Students\u27 age, academic level, online experience, and teaching experience were used as covariates in an effort to identify differential effects associated with student characteristics. Cooperative and collaborative strategies were differentiated by the amount of structure imposed by the instructor as well as the design of the group-based and activity. Cooperative strategies were characterized as highly structured, with assigned roles and scaffolding of teamwork skills and group processing, Collaborative strategies were characterized as less structured, meaning that groups were be encouraged to take on specific roles or divide the task. Additionally, teamwork skills and group processing were scaffolded. Statistical procedures that were employed included a factorial ANCOVAs and factorial MANCOVAs. The findings show that cooperative and collaborative learning strategies are equally effective in online and blended environments in regard to individual achievement, but cooperative strategies are less effective with regard to group achievement. Student satisfaction with the group process and solution did not differ according to course delivery method or learning strategy. Student perceptions of social presence and cognitive presence did not differ according to course delivery method or learning strategy, but teaching presence differed significantly by course delivery method. Of particular note was the finding that blended cooperative students had lower perceptions of the design and organization of the instruction in comparison to the other treatment groups, a result that mirrors the results found for group project grades

Learning English as a Foreign Language in a Blended Mode of Face-to-face and Online Discussions: A Case Study in a University in Taiwan

Learning English as a Foreign Language in a Blended Mode of Face-to-face and Online Discussions: A Case Study in a University in Taiwan Previous studies have documented many beneficial results arising from integrating online discussion with face-to-face instruction for language learning, yet the interactive process of students within both formal and informal contexts remains to be explored. This research examined the dynamics of student learning in blended face-to-face and online discussions in and after class in the context of learning English as a foreign language (EFL) in a university in Taiwan. An embedded case study was applied with a mixed-methods approach to investigate how students jointly accomplished tasks, and how this blended approach had contributed to their English learning. The data collected include the qualitative data of observations on three groups of 14 participants, three focus groups with 11 participants, 72 online discussion logs of the three groups and the quantitative data of 45 questionnaire responses. The findings revealed that students learned primarily through mediation of L1 and L2, through collaborative interaction, through co-construction of meaning, and from teacher and peer scaffolds. Students tended to provide information and suggestions in face-to-face discussions by using L1, but they expressed thoughts, gave comments and probed questions in online discussions by using L2. Students changed their interactive patterns from passive to active by mutually assisting each other in accomplishing tasks. Data also showed that students recognised that blended discussions had contributed to their cognitive, language, interactional and affective gains. Blended discussions were perceived as learner-centred undertakings that increased participation, collaboration and engagement. Four key factors were observed to have affected learning in this blended instruction. The research concludes that blended discussions changed the conventional EFL classroom culture and had a positive influence on student learning in terms of interaction, processes of meaning construction and perceptions. Keywords Online Discussion, Computer-Mediated Communication, Computer-Assisted Language Learning, Blended Learning, Collaborative interaction, Co-construction of Meanin

Transforming a Dynamics Course to an Active, Blended, and Collaborative Format: Focus on the Faculty

Mechanical engineering programs are increasingly applying educational research by transforming courses to be more interactive and to use a blend of online and face-to-face materials. However, the process of an existing course adopting these new practices is not well studied, and even less is understood about the faculty experience from on-boarding to delivery of a new curriculum or pedagogy. In this study, we follow the translation of an active, blended, and collaborative (ABC) curriculum for a core dynamics course from a large public university (where the ABC curriculum was developed) to a small private university. We use interpretive phenomenology to focus on the lived experience of the instructor newly implementing these course materials, format, and pedagogical approach. Specifically, we address the following research questions: (1) What is the lived experience of a mechanical engineering instructor at a different institution as she adopts and adapts the provided materials and format? (2) How does the experience of this instructor evolve throughout the semester? We use rich qualitative data to understand the experience of the instructor, who taught this course in its prior format and, in Fall 2015, taught the “off-term” core dynamics course via the new ABC structure. Through weekly reflection prompts, pre- and post-semester interviews, and supplementary process data (e.g., notes of weekly meetings between the new implementer and ABC team at the large public university), we describe and characterize the multi-faceted instructor experience. This includes her experience learning about the curriculum and online tools, implementing the class and adjusting her teaching practices, and assessing her students’ engagement with the course and understanding of dynamics concepts. Our findings suggest further areas of inquiry for studies of faculty practices around curriculum adoption, including probing opportunities for cross-institutional collaborations to share materials and transform courses, interrogating variation in mechanical engineering department and student cultures, and studying sources of faculty development and support throughout the course transformation process