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Introduction
In a traditional high school classroom, students receive instruction from their teacher who
is lecturing at the front of the classroom. The content is being delivered to all of the students at
the same time and the pace is controlled by the teacher. Now, technology, particularly the
Internet, allows educators to deliver content to students individually through videos and online
resources. Students are able to work through the material at their own pace and teachers are no
longer restricted to standing at the board in the front of the room in order to deliver instruction.
The ability for students to learn regardless of whether or not there is a teacher physically present
in front of them offers up a world of possibilities for both our learners and teachers alike.
Despite the fact that Blended learning increases the amount of time that students are
spending on the Internet and learning via technology, it is essential that there is a face-to-face
component to the course in order for it to truly be blended rather than simply an online class.
Owston, Malhotra, and York determined that the face-to-face interactions between students,
teachers, and peers are extremely important to the effectiveness of blended learning (Owston,
Malhortra, & York, 2018). Blended learning models leverage the power of interpersonal
interactions found in traditional school models with the benefits of technology. Technology in
the blended classroom is not a replacement for the human element of education.
Blended learning is quite a departure from traditional educational models and thus, it is
valuable to study students’ preferences and perceptions of the Blended learning environment.
Student satisfaction and preferences concerning Blended learning will have a large influence
over its adoption and implementation. If students are unsatisfied with this style of learning and if
their preferences and desires are not addressed, it will negatively impact buy-in and attitudes.
LITERATURE REVIEW: STUDENT PERCEPTIONS OF BLENDED LEARNING
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This review will analyze research that discusses the value of analyzing student
elements of blended learning that impact student satisfaction. Major themes involve students’
desire for collaboration in their learning environment as well as the importance of leveraging
Student Satisfaction
Students’ opinions, perceptions, and satisfaction with their learning are important and
2016 study found that student satisfaction correlates with academic performance (Dhaqane &
Afrah, 2016). Additionally, a 2016 study determined that there is a strong relationship between
students’ satisfaction with a course and their perception of how much they have learned from the
course (Gray & DiLoreto, 2016). Researchers in a 2009 study determined that student
satisfaction is a valid and important factor to consider when developing a successful and
effective blended learning environment (Gulbahar & Madran, 2009). Students’ satisfaction with
their courses and their perceptions of their learning environments are not fixed; they can change
over the course of a semester or school year. The implementation of blended learning endeavors
contributes to changes in students’ opinions about their education. A 2016 study found that
blended learning positively impacted students’ attitudes towards their science class, particularly
due to perceived growth in their self-directed learning skills (Akgunduz & Akinoglu, 2016).
Additionally, research by Emelyanova and Voronina (2017) supports the impact of blended
learning on decreasing student resistance toward online learning (Emelyanova & Voronina,
2017). After supplementing a Russian university course with online coursework via a learning
LITERATURE REVIEW: STUDENT PERCEPTIONS OF BLENDED LEARNING
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management system (LMS), 70% of students reported being satisfied with the course. The study
also identified that the 9% of students who preferred a face-to-face course over the
LMS-supported course were lower achievers who experienced anxiety when working
independently, thus requiring frequent teacher supervision and support (Emelyanova &
Voronina, 2017). Measuring student satisfaction provides valuable information that can be used
to evaluate a course’s effectiveness and ability to meet the needs of all learners.
Collaboration
learning environment, regardless of course structure. A 2017 study of Massive Open Online
Courses (MOOCs) determined a general, global trend in the increase of collaboration and
interaction between MOOC participants (Soylev, 2017). Instead of simply accessing and
participating in these courses individually and in isolation, MOOC students are now more likely
to participate in peer reviews and even face-to-face interactions (Soylev, 2017). Kurt and
Yıldırım (2018) reported that having students interact with each other throughout the course is
essential for a successful and effective blended program. Courses should provide students with
the opportunity to take what they’ve learned in their online environment and work more deeply
with the material with their peers and instructor in a face-to-face capacity. There is a correlation
between increased interaction between stakeholders and positive results, such as increased
feelings of satisfaction with how they are being taught, motivation, and achievement.
Additionally, they reported that grading and assessing students’ online activities increased
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Student collaboration positively impacts course outcomes. A 2017 study examined the
Chemistry course (Suleiman, Salaudeen, & Falode, 2017). Researchers determined that the
course’s collaborative setting helped decrease academic gaps between male and female students.
collaborative blended learning program positively impacted students’ writing performance and
decreased their writing anxiety (Challob, Bakar, & Latif, 2016). The collaboration aspect of the
course contributed to students feeling more connected and safe in their learning environment.
researchers examined a distance learning course and determined that student satisfaction is tied
to students’ perceptions of the amount of collaborative learning they participated in, the amount
of social presence they experienced in the course, and their feelings of connection with other
students (So & Brush, 2008). A 2013 study determined that students benefited from and valued
the implementation of blended learning in an English writing course at a Beijing university (Liu,
2013). Students reported that the blended elements contributed to a rise in student-to-student and
English. Collaboration is a powerful aspect of the blended learning model that not only
differentiates blended learning from simply online learning, but it is a contributing factor to the
model’s effectiveness.
Face-to-Face Interactions
Blended learning is a new frontier for students, teachers, and parents alike. Thus, change
and innovation can result in potential barriers and challenges. By leveraging the face-to-face
LITERATURE REVIEW: STUDENT PERCEPTIONS OF BLENDED LEARNING
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component of blended learning, the transition can be eased. A 2013 report determined that
students need to be prepared to handle the unique learning environment that blended learning
presents (Zaka, 2013). A challenge that needs to be addressed in order to ensure the success of a
blended learning endeavor is student readiness to handle being independent learners and
communicating with others on online platforms. In the study, teachers reported that students
often times have low confidence when working and learning independently, needing frequent
reassurance from the teacher. The report concluded that in blended learning environments,
students need sufficient support from their teachers. The report recommends that in order to
successfully transition students towards a more independent learning environment, teachers and
instructors should begin by giving students more direct, teacher-guided support and then
decreasing teacher support and increasing student independence gradually over time (Zaka,
2013).
Blended learning involves more than simply incorporating technology into a course.
Collaboration and teamwork amongst students can occur online (via discussion boards and other
element of creating a successful blended program. Ravdenscroft and Luhanga (2018) studied
large university level classes that underwent a blended overhaul. They determined that in order
for these redesigned and restructured blended courses to have an impact on increasing active
learning, students must be engaged in small group activities. What did not work was simply
video recording class lectures and posting them online. Blended learning must involve a human
element where students are interacting with each other and their instructors. It isn’t simply
posting resources online. Emine Bala studied the use of blended learning in a private, secondary
LITERATURE REVIEW: STUDENT PERCEPTIONS OF BLENDED LEARNING
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school in Iraq (Bala, 2016). This research determined that interactions between instructors and
students are a major factor to the effectiveness of the blended course. Student motivation and
satisfaction correlated positively with students’ perceptions of receiving sufficient support and
Not only do face-to-face interactions impact a program’s success, but they are a priority
for students. A 2017 study found that university-level students in Saudi Arabia desire blended
courses, preferring a mixture of face-to-face and online learning as opposed to a traditional, fully
face-to-face approach or a fully online course (Alzahrani & O’Toole, 2017). A 2013 study
analyzed Thai university students’ perceptions of their blended learning environment (Srijongjai,
2013). The students participated in collaborative feedback exercises for writing activities,
through both face-to-face and online modalities. While overall, students reported positive
perceptions of collaborative feedback, only 12.5% of students preferred solely the online mode.
The large majority of students preferred at least some face-to-face element when participating in
blended course expressed a desire for an increase in the number of course hours spent in the
face-to-face environment as well as an increase in the amount of communication via online chats
and forums (Gulbahar & Madran, 2009). Overall, students prefer a face-to-face component to
Summary
This body of literature speaks to the importance of measuring student satisfaction and
preferences. Additionally, the literature speaks to the growing trend of collaborative learning in
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in the blended learning classroom. The strengths of this body of literature is that it is very clear
that collaboration and face-to-face interactions positively impact blended learning outcomes and
students’ perceptions of their blended learning environment. The weaknesses of this body of
literature are that there aren’t many specifics given. Concepts such as “blended learning,”
“interactions,” and “collaboration” are all spoken of in very general terms without a lot of detail
and elaboration given. It is not exactly clear what nuances and differences in details there may be
from case to case. Also, most of the literature speaks to blended learning in the international,
classrooms, specifically Geometry, in the United States. Geometry is unique from other math
research concerning blended learning in the Geometry classroom since it is such a unique math
(written and oral) and collaboration in the blended classroom and what impact those efforts have
had on course outcomes, on students’ perceptions of the blended model, and on student
satisfaction. Thus, moving forward, the focus of the researcher’s work will center on the effects
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References
Akgunduz, D., & Akinoglu, O. (2016). The Effect of Blended Learning and Social
Alzahrani, M. G., & O’Toole, J. M. (2017). The Impact of Internet Experience and Attitude on
Student Preference for Blended Learning. Journal of Curriculum and Teaching, 6(1),
65-78. doi:10.5430/jct.v6n1p65
Bala, E. (2016). A study of attitudes of students towards blended learning, Iraqi case.
International Journal of Social Sciences & Educational Studies, 2(4), 54-58. Retrieved
http://ijsses.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/A-Study-of-Attitudes-of-Students-towards-
Blended-Learning-Iraqi-Case.pdf
Challob, A. I., Bakar, N. A., & Latif, H. (2016). Collaborative Blended Learning Writing
Dhaqane, M. K., & Afrah, N. A. (2016). Satisfaction of Students and Academic Performance in
Benadir University. Journal of Education and Practice, 7(24), 59-63. Retrieved June 26,
Emelyanova, N., & Voronina, E. (2017). Introducing blended learning in the English language
classroom: Students’ attitudes and perceptions before and after the course. Knowledge
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Gray, J. A., & DiLoreto, M. (2016). The Effects of Student Engagement, Student Satisfaction,
https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1103654.pdf.
Gulbahar, Y., & Madran, R. O. (2009). Communication and Collaboration, Satisfaction, Equity,
Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 10(2). Retrieved June 28, 2019,
from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ844026.pdf
Kurt, S. Ç, & Yıldırım, I. (2018). The students’ perceptions on blended learning: A Q method
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Liu, M. (2013). Blended Learning in a University EFL Writing Course: Description and
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Owston, R., Malhotra, T., & York, D. N. (2018). Blended learning in large enrolment courses:
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blended learning initiative: A case study. Teaching & Learning Inquiry: The ISSOTL
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So, H., & Brush, T. A. (2008). Student perceptions of collaborative learning, social presence and
Soylev, A. (2017). MOOCs 2.0: The social era of education. Turkish Online Journal of Distance
an EFL writing class. The Asian Conference on Society, Education, and Technology
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Science and Education Policy, 11(2). Retrieved June 25, 2019, from
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https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1079863.pdf