Citation
Alonso Amo, Fernando and Manrique Gamo, Daniel and Martínez Normand, Loïc and Viñes, José Maria
(2011).
How Blended Learning Reduce Underachievement in Higher Education: An Experience in Teaching Computer Sciences..
"IEEE Transactions on Education", v. 54
(n. 3);
pp. 471-479.
ISSN 0018-9359.
https://doi.org/10.1109/TE.2010.2083665.
Abstract
This paper presents a blended learning approach and a study evaluating instruction in a software engineering-related course unit as part of an undergraduate engineering degree program in computing. In the past, the course unit had a lecture-based format. In view of student underachievement and the high course unit dropout rate, a distance-learning system was deployed, where students were allowed to choose between a distance-learning approach driven by a moderate constructivist instructional model or a blended-learning approach. The results of this experience are presented, with the aim of showing the effectiveness of the teaching/learning system deployed compared to the lecture-based system previously in place. The grades earned by students under the new system, following the distance-learning and blended-learning courses, are compared statistically to the grades attained in earlier years in the traditional face-to-face classroom (lecture-based) learning.