VDM Verlag Blended Learning versus Traditional Face-to-face Learning: A Four-year Study Exploring Students? Learning Growth

With the trend in online or virtual education escalating at universities worldwide, research on the effectiveness of online learning is an area of increasing significance. Virtuality in higher education can range from virtual universities that are all encompassing to smaller subsets, such as blended learning where components of face-to-face delivery are maintained. This book explores the effect of blended learning compared to face-to-face learning in terms of students learning growth. An analysis is conducted on four different cohorts of students over a four year period. Two cohorts experienced face-to-face delivery whereas another two cohorts experienced blended learning with online lectures and face-to-face tutorials. The findings reveal that blended learning had no differential impact on students learning growth, that is, students did equally well with face-to-face learning as they did with blended learning. Higher education institutes and educators considering online education may find this book useful to gain awareness into the implications. This may lead to a learning environment for students which offer positive learning outcomes