The Effect of Designing a Blended Learning Environment on Achievement and Deep Learning of Graduate Students at the Arabian Gulf University

摘要

style="text-align:justify;"> The present study aimed to investigate the effect of designing a blended learning environment on achievement and deep learning of the Arabian Gulf university students in a design and presentation of instructional materials’ graduate course. A blended learning environment was designed to provide opportunity for integrating the learning management system “moodle” with face-to-face classroom interaction. To investigate research questions, a quasi experimental design was used. The study sample consisted of 19 male and female graduate students pursuing their studies at the “Distance Teaching and Training Program” in the College of Graduate Studies during the first semester of the academic year 2015/2016. To explore the extent to which students learnt the course content, an achievement test was used. A deep learning scale was also used to investigate the depth of learning acquired by students who studied the course content through the blended learning environment. Results of the study showed that students’ scores on the post application of the achievement test were improved. No statistically significant differences were found between students’ mean scores in the pre and post applications of the depth of learning scale. However, mean of students’ scores in the post application of the depth of learning scale (65.3750) was noticed to be slightly higher than that of the pre application (63.1250). Such higher mean might represent slight improvement in the depth of learning among students.