Article Review #3

Article Title:

Student Engagement in Blended Learning Environments with Lecture-Based and Problem-Based Instructional Approaches

APA Citation:

Omer Delialioglu. (2012). Student engagement in blended learning environments with               lecture-based and problem-based instructional approaches. Journal of           Educational Technology & Society, 15(3),    310-n/a.

Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1287025353?accountid=7083

Review:

This article outlines a study aimed at examining how the “blending of different instructional approaches with technology affects students’ engagement” in the learning process. As part of the study, students participated in a “computer networks course” that was designed as a “lecture-based blended learning environment” for the first eight weeks of a semester. For the eight weeks after that, the course was presented as a “problem-based blended learning environment”. The goal of the experiment was to attempt to determine if student engagement was affected by the differing instructional approaches. According to the article, in recent years, there has been a decline in student satisfaction from education which is resulting in negative experiences for students, low achievement rates, and even increased withdrawals from schools. While there are numerous factors that can affect student achievement or engagement and some are not always within the control of the instructor or teacher, educators do have control over their instructional approaches. The article states that “the combination of face-to-face and online learning environments gave rise to a new learning environment called blended learning environments”(Omer, 2012, p. 311). At the beginning of the article there is a discussion as to the previous findings from studies conducted to examine the effects of blended learning environments. There is mention of a study in which the goal was to understand “the role of technology as a tool to support interaction of learners with each other and with the content in a problem-based learning context”(Omer, 2012, p. 311).  The information from this research seemed to conclude that the use of technology to support problem-based learning contributed to a better learning experience for students. With that in mind, the researchers responsible for the study highlighted in this article wanted to determine how different instructional approaches influenced the level of student engagement in the selected learning environments.

In order to compare the level of student engagement “within a lecture-based blended learning environment to that within a problem-based blended learning environment”, researchers surveyed students at three different times, over a two year period. The study took place in 2008 to 2009 at the Middle East Technical University in Ankara, Turkey. “Participants of the study were 93 junior per-service computer teachers enrolled in a computer networking course. The course was designed as a blended learning environment where students and instructor meet weekly face-to-face and received the course materials online”(Omer, 2012, p. 313). The major differences in the blended learning environments presented in this class came about in the “teaching-learning tools that were utilized”. In regards to the lecture-based blended learning environment, students had to complete assigned readings before class and students had to take online quizzes each week. When it came to lab activities, students in this environment were required to do the activities in their lab sheets. In contrast, when it came to the problem-based blended learning environment, students were not told what they needed to read each week or required to take weekly quizzes. Students also had not lab sheets to complete. Instead, they compiled a report that included: “problems encountered, own problem statement, information needed, required readings, and lists of possible solutions”. 

These were not the only differences in the two types of blended learning environments. The classroom activities were also different during the “face-to-face” classroom meetings. In the lecture-based approach, the activities were as follows: “the instructor presented the content, discussion of the content took place among the instructor and other students, and hands-on laboratory activities were conducted” (Omer, 2012, p. 314). The activities in the problem-based approach were as follows: “an ill-structured case with problems related to the week’s content was provided and explained, students were required to work in groups of two to discuss the case and determine what they need to know, students were asked to write a problem statement and possible solutions, as well as deliver a report with possible solutions in two weeks”(Omer, 2012, p. 314). 

At the beginning of the course, students were given an entry survey. After completion of the lecture-based portion of the course, students were given a student engagement survey. Students were also asked to complete another student engagement survey at the end of the problem-based portion of the course. These surveys were “developed by the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE)” and employed five different benchmarks in an attempt to measure student engagement. When all of the data collected from these surveys was analyzed, it indicated that the “mean scores of engagement outcomes and total time on task were higher in the problem-based portion of the blended course” (Omer, 2012, p.317).  Based on these results it was concluded that “similar to previous research findings in traditional learning environments, in blended learning environments, problem-based learning methods engaged students with academic activities better than lecture-based methods do” (Omer, 2012, p. 318).

Essentially, it was determined that the problem-based learning instructional approach utilized in a blended learning environment helped to increase student engagement in the learning process. While I suppose the idea is not a new concept, this study helped to support the idea that the use of this instructional approach in blended learning environments can lead to increased student interest and engagement in the lesson being presented. I think that this study is relevant to my teaching practice because it helps me to understand how I can work to keep students engaged in the learning process by incorporating more problem-based instructional approaches into my teaching methods. It also illustrates the fact that just because technology is utilized in a learning environment, does not automatically mean that students will be engaged in the material being presented. Instead, it is the instructional strategies that make the most significant impact on the learning process. There seems to have been a shift in recent years, by teachers wanting to incorporate more constructivist theories or  instructional strategies into their teaching practices because they feel it is beneficial for their students to be able to construct their own meaning in relation to the information they are learning. I feel that this study helps to support the notion that students can work more productively and maintain a higher level of engagement using this type of instructional strategy even in a blended learning environment.