Online Learning Efficacy Research Database

Hybrid or blended learning (BL) has been shown to be equivalent to or better than face-to-face (FTF) instruction in a broad variety of contexts. We randomly assigned students to either 50/50 BL or 100% FTF versions of a research methods and statistics in psychology course. Students who took the BL version of the course scored significantly lower on measures of quantitative mastery of statistical concepts than those who took the FTF version; however, the size of this effect was quite small. We detected no significant difference between BL and FTF in the expression of critical thinking through writing or writing mechanics. The greatest difference in performance was among instructors regardless of instruction type. We discuss these results in the context of increasing online and BL instruction, particularly with regard to teaching psychological statistics, research methods, and critical thinking. 
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Blended learning seems to be an emerging trend in education and has caught the interest of many educators and researchers as a new approach to encourage students in their learning process. Though blended learning has proven its success and efficiency in teaching and learning of English writing skills in many ESL and EFL contexts, no attempts had been made to investigate its effectiveness in teaching English writing skills in K.S.A. To fill in this gab, the current study attempts to examine the impact of blended learning approach on improving Saudi EFL students’ English essay writing. Moreover, it examines Saudi students’ perceptiveness toward implementing blended learning approach to develop English essay writing. Sixty participants were selected out of sixty eight English majors based on their scores on a piloted proficiency test. They were then randomly divided into two equal groups undergoing control and experimental conditions. The experimental group was taught through the use of blended learning approach whereas the control group was taught through traditional lecture method. To achieve the study aims, the researcher adopted a mixed method research design so as to collect qualitative and quantitative data. Data collection instruments were pre and post writing essays tests, questionnaire, and interviews. Teaching experiment was conducted for ten weeks in March-April 2017. The researcher used the following statistical methods to reach the results: (Mean, Standard Deviation, and T-Test). The results of the independent-samples t-tests showed that participants of the blended learning group significantly outperformed the control group in their writing performance. The study findings also revealed that there were statistically significant differences between the scores of the paired experimental group in the pre and post achievement test in favour of the post-test. This improvement was ascribed to the use of blended learning approach in teaching essay writing. Moreover, the analysis of the data obtained from the questionnaires and interviews indicated that students in the experimental group had positive perspectives towards the use of blended learning approach in teaching English essay writing. Finally, the findings of the study hold a number of pedagogical implications for EFL learners, language teachers, material developers, and those interested in essay writing. 
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Here, we describe the implementation a hybrid general chemistry teaching laboratory curriculum that replaces a portion of a course’s traditional “wet lab” experiences with online virtual lab modules. These modules intentionally utilize representations on all three levels of the chemistry triplet - macroscopic, submicroscopic, and symbolic. The implementation of this curriculum allowed an opportunity to evaluate this new course structure. First, student performance was assessed based on pre- and post-assessments. Second, dialogue from students working through the traditional and module versions of one lab was analyzed for how each format encouraged students to engage with the chemistry triplet. Data suggest both formats led to positive learning gains, but the differences between formats were not statistically significant. However, there was a significant difference in student engagement with the chemistry triplet, with module students showing a higher overall amount of triplet-related dialogue and more continuous dialogue segments connecting multiple levels of the triplet. 
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Utilization of technology in the teaching and learning process has brought a significant impact to the education sector. Technology offers educators and learners a new learning experience to encourage and enrich the teaching and learning process. The study used descriptive-correlation to know the effectiveness of the different learning environment through pretest and post-test and to determine the satisfaction rating of the respondents towards the different kinds of learning environment. It was found out in the result that blended learning shows an effective tool to enriched student performance in programming. It is recommended to use different learning mode of delivery to shows a significant increase and improvement in the academic performance. 
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Background
Despite the increasing uptake of information and communication technologies (ICT) within healthcare services across developing countries, community healthcare workers (CHWs) have limited knowledge to fully utilise computerised clinical systems and mobile apps. The ‘Introduction to Information and Communication Technology and eHealth’ course was developed with the aim to provide CHWs in Malawi, Africa, with basic knowledge and computer skills to use digital solutions in healthcare delivery. The course was delivered using a traditional and a blended learning approach.

Methods
Two questionnaires were developed and tested for face validity and reliability in a pilot course with 20 CHWs. Those were designed to measure CHWs’ knowledge of and attitudes towards the use of ICT, before and after each course, as well as their satisfaction with each learning approach. Following validation, a randomised controlled trial was conducted to assess the effectiveness of the two learning approaches. A total of 40 CHWs were recruited, stratified by position, gender and computer experience, and allocated to the traditional or blended learning group using block randomisation. Participants completed the baseline and follow-up questionnaires before and after each course to assess the impact of each learning approach on their knowledge, attitudes, and satisfaction. Per-item, pre-post and between-group, mean differences for each approach were calculated using paired and unpaired t-tests, respectively. Per-item, between-group, satisfaction scores were compared using unpaired t-tests.

Results
Scores across all scales improved after attending the traditional and blended learning courses. Self-rated ICT knowledge was significantly improved in both groups with significant differences between groups in seven domains. However, actual ICT knowledge scores were similar across groups. There were no significant differences between groups in attitudinal gains. Satisfaction with the course was generally high in both groups. However, participants in the blended learning group found it more difficult to follow the content of the course.

Conclusions
This study shows that there is no difference between blended and traditional learning in the acquisition of actual ICT knowledge among community healthcare workers in developing countries. Given the human resource constraints in remote resource-poor areas, the blended learning approach may present an advantageous alternative to traditional learning. 
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This action research study follows a between-subject design strategy and attempts to identify whether a departure from a direct instructional teaching strategy towards a flipped learning pedagogy results in increases in student performance over time. In particular, the study considers the effects of integrating flipped learning pedagogic instruction into a Year 1, second-semester undergraduate Computer Architecture module. The first year of the study represented a baseline year in which a traditional direct instructional teaching method was used. The three subsequent years of study involved the inclusion of increased proportions of flipped learning instruction. When removing the baseline year from the study and focusing on the years that included a flipped proportion of instruction only, the analysis showed statistically significant increases in learner performance for mature students as the module migrated towards a fully flipped delivery model. Positive increases associated with continuous assessment components of the modules were also observed across the population as the module migrated towards a flipped learning model. However, this apparent increase in learner performance showed no impact on the terminal examination scores across years, indicating that improved performance in continuous assessments was probably due to shallow learning. 
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This research aims at investigating the effect of blended learning on the achievement and motivation to learn English of German Jordanian University students. A pilot case study research strategy was used. Pilot case studies are effective research strategies for investigating educational issues in real life situations. They are used to refine research problems, variables, and also to refine the case study design before doing it in a larger-scale investigation. The study sample comprised 34 students who were selected purposefully and distributed into experimental and control groups. The experimental group studied English through a computerized program melded with the traditional method, whereas the control group was taught solely by the latter. The analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) revealed statistically significant differences in achievement between the two groups, indicating that the experimental group performed better than the control group. Significant differences were also found in the respective groups’ motivation to learn English. 
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With the rapid growth of technology, many language acquisition approaches have been added to computer-assisted language learning applications. Thus, this study investigated the impact of online autonomous learning on English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students’ reading ability. Sixty-five students from two reading classes at One University in Southern Taiwan were divided into an experimental group (integration of online reading and teacher-guided intervention) and a control group (teacher-guided intervention). The results demonstrated that there was a significant difference in the reading scores between the experimental and control groups. A significant difference was also found between the pre- and posttest scores in the experimental group; however, this pre- and post-test difference was not observed in the control group. Students in the experimental group also noted an obvious enhancement to their reading due to the requisite planning, monitoring, and evaluating activities practiced during online learning. Based on the research results, suggestions for future study are discussed. 
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Background: Fundamentals of nursing course are prerequisite to providing comprehensive nursing care. Despite development of technology on nursing education, effectiveness of using e learning methods in fundamentals of nursing course is unclear in clinical skills laboratory for nursing students. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of blended learning (combining e learning with traditional learning methods) with traditional learning alone on nursing students’ scores. Materials and Methods: A two group post test experimental study was administered from February 2014 to February 2015. Two groups of nursing students who were taking the fundamentals of nursing course in Iran were compared. Sixty nursing students were selected as control group (just traditional learning methods) and experimental group (combining e learning with traditional learning methods) for two consecutive semesters. Both groups participated in Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) and were evaluated in the same way using a prepared checklist and questionnaire of satisfaction. Statistical analysis was conducted through SPSS software version 16. Results: Findings of this study reflected that mean of midterm (t = 2.00, p = 0.04) and final score (t = 2.50, p = 0.01) of the intervention group (combining e learning with traditional learning methods) were significantly higher than the control group (traditional learning methods). The satisfaction of male students in intervention group was higher than in females (t = 2.60, p = 0.01). Conclusions: Based on the findings, this study suggests that the use of combining traditional learning methods with e learning methods such as applying educational website and interactive online resources for fundamentals of nursing course instruction can be an effective supplement for improving nursing students’ clinical skills. 
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Background
Although the flipped classroom model has been widely adopted in medical education, reports on its use in graduate-level public health programs are limited. This study describes the design, implementation, and evaluation of a flipped classroom redesign of an introductory epidemiology course and compares it to a traditional model.

Methods
One hundred fifty Masters-level students enrolled in an introductory epidemiology course with a traditional format (in-person lecture and discussion section, at-home assignment; 2015, N = 72) and a flipped classroom format (at-home lecture, in-person discussion section and assignment; 2016, N = 78). Using mixed methods, we compared student characteristics, examination scores, and end-of-course evaluations of the 2016 flipped classroom format and the 2015 traditional format. Data on the flipped classroom format, including pre- and post-course surveys, open-ended questions, self-reports of section leader teaching practices, and classroom observations, were evaluated.

Results
There were no statistically significant differences in examination scores or students’ assessment of the course between 2015 (traditional) and 2016 (flipped). In 2016, 57.1% (36) of respondents to the end-of-course evaluation found watching video lectures at home to have a positive impact on their time management. Open-ended survey responses indicated a number of strengths of the flipped classroom approach, including the freedom to watch pre-recorded lectures at any time and the ability of section leaders to clarify targeted concepts. Suggestions for improvement focused on ways to increase regular interaction with lecturers.

Conclusions
There was no significant difference in students’ performance on quantitative assessments comparing the traditional format to the flipped classroom format. The flipped format did allow for greater flexibility and applied learning opportunities at home and during discussion sections. 
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