Design for engagement in blended learning: insights, practices, and challenges

Abstract

In the context of the digital transformation of higher education, blended learning is becoming a widely accepted approach. Blended learning can be defined as a combination of online and face-to-face instruction, allowing students more flexibility in when, where, and how they learn (Garrison & Kanuka, 2004; Graham, 2006). However, the benefits of blended learning cannot be achieved without student engagement. Promoting student engagement in blended learning is related to students’ use of learner control. However, students may not be able to use the learner control they have effectively. In addition, pre-class learning demands a high level of self-regulation skills from students and, therefore, often poses difficulties for students who lack these skills (Akçayır & Akçayır, 2018; Rasheed et al., 2020). In this dissertation I include studies that explore strategies for supporting teachers in enhancing student engagement. I start with a narrative synthesis of factors influencing engagement (Chapter 2); next, I examine how perceived learner control affects engagement at the activity level (Chapter 3). Chapters 4 and 5 focus on the relationship between students’ pre-class preparation and their engagement in class. The findings are intended to inform educators on how to optimize engagement in blended learning settings.