Literature suggests post-secondary students feel disengaged and socially isolated while learning virtually, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Here we explored whether a sense of belonging is differentially achieved in an inquiry-based course between two different delivery formats: virtual and blended (combination of virtual and in-person).…

The study presented here investigated challenges of learning environments experienced by distance-learning (DL) higher education (HE) students in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. The author interviewed students (n=24) in two DL centres, where they attended weekend face-to-face sessions. He asked them to share their personal experiences with…

Purpose: This paper aims to investigate how mixed-reality (MR) can be used to enhance inclusivity in synchronous working activities where groups of people may be present either face-to-face or online - focusing on blended learning in the higher education (HE) context. Design/methodology/approach: In a research methods module, 140 university…

The rise in technology-rich learning environments is reflective of a global trend in higher education (HE), recently accelerated because of necessary digital teaching and assessment practices embraced during the COVID-19 pandemic. This qualitative study facilitated through focus groups and an interview explores the teaching and learning…

COVID-19 had an unprecedented impact on daily living and resulted in many restrictions across all areas of life. Consequently, educational establishments in the UK adapted teaching delivery by moving to online or blended learning during the main 'stay at home' phase and many remained online as ongoing restrictions were announced. Many changes made…

Previous studies on blended learning (BL) have explored students' satisfaction, perception, and motivation. However, there remains a notable gap in the literature concerning the impact of group collaboration on students' learning experiences within blended learning environments. Using a qualitative approach, this study explores what 30 Thai…

This research examined the impact of supplementing a learning management system, Moodle, with communication tools, Discord and Teams, to support communication in blended and distance undergraduate courses in computer science, information technology, mathematics and statistics at a New Zealand university with well-established use of Moodle.…

Evidence suggests that the use of educational technologies may promote positive learning environments and contribute to students' success. The following mixed methods study examined the impact of Top Hat in a blended learning environment on undergraduate students' sense of belongingness, engagement, and self-confidence in a Canadian post-secondary…

Online interaction has been associated with positive outcomes, academically and psychologically. Regarding the latter, social connectedness has been recognised as an important outcome on the basis of its link to subjective well-being and course satisfaction. In adult educational settings, how online interaction can foster social connectedness has…

Increasing significance has been ascribed to student engagement, as a measure of success of both teachers and programs. However, since users of the term commonly tend not to explain, rationalise or problematise their understanding of engagement, its value to understand or transform learning may be limited. While clarification has occurred in…

Several of the key measures in this year's Student Academic Experience Survey have moved in a positive direction, but these movements have tended to be relatively small. Value-for-money perceptions have improved, but not statistically significantly, while there has been no change in the proportion who would choose the same course and institution…

Learning management systems (LMSs) provide possibilities to facilitate online teaching and learning; to create communities of inquiry, support dialogue and collaborative learning; and reduce students' sense of disconnectedness in distance learning. Nevertheless, studies show that LMSs are often under-utilized. This article reports on lecturers'…

This study examines the influence of adopting a student-centered active learning approach based on self-determination theory (SDT) to develop independent and motivated first-year Australian business undergraduates. Existing literature demonstrates how active learning approaches can help to improve student motivation. However, there are no…

After two demanding years for everybody in higher education, and particularly for students, it is encouraging to see that in most parts of the UK, undergraduates are beginning to see better value-for-money, and fewer students are reporting poor or very poor value from their academic experience. With much more frequent 'face-to-face' teaching,…

This study explored the impact of transactional distance dialogic interactions on student satisfaction in an international blended learning master's degree program. The program examined was collaboratively delivered by three European universities to a cohort of students residing on several different continents. Students reported experiencing…