Blended learning and traditional learning: A comparative study of college mechanics courses

Research has suggested that learning approaches such as blended learning can enhance both the quality of instruction and student learning outcomes in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics) education. However, little is known about how such instructional approaches affect learning outcomes in the context of Collège d’enseignement général et professionnel (CEGEP) pre-university science students. The present study focused on a college Mechanics course at a CEGEP that used blended learning, and compared the affects of the two learning modes (blended versus traditional) on student academic performance. Overall, the study revealed that students in the blended classroom (treatment) experienced more conceptual change and higher performance compared to the students in the traditional lecture-based class (control group). The findings offer support for the push to implement alternative approaches to instruction such as blended learning. Moreover, the study also improves understanding of the affects of approaches such as blended learning on understudied samples such as CEGEPs.