A blended learning Approach to teaching foreign policy: Student experiences of learning through face-to-face and online discussion and their relationship to academic performance

TY - JOUR

T1 - A blended learning Approach to teaching foreign policy

T2 - Student experiences of learning through face-to-face and online discussion and their relationship to academic performance

AU - Bliuc, A.-M.

AU - Ellis, R.A.

AU - Goodyear, P.

AU - Piggott, Leanne

PY - 2011/4

Y1 - 2011/4

N2 - This article presents research on students’ experiences of learning through a blend of face-to-face and online discussion. The participants in our study were students enrolled in a foreign policy course at a major Australian university. Students’ conceptions of learning through discussion, and their approaches to both face-to-face and online discussion, were elicited through open-ended questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. Students’ responses to both open-ended questionnaires and interviews were analysed using a phenomenographic framework. Qualitative variations in students’ conceptions and approaches were categorised and were found to form a hierarchy. Subsequent quantitative analysis found associations between students’ conceptions of learning through discussion, their approaches to both face-to-face and online discussion and their academic performance (as indicated by the final mark for the course). Implications for teaching and further research are discussed.

AB - This article presents research on students’ experiences of learning through a blend of face-to-face and online discussion. The participants in our study were students enrolled in a foreign policy course at a major Australian university. Students’ conceptions of learning through discussion, and their approaches to both face-to-face and online discussion, were elicited through open-ended questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. Students’ responses to both open-ended questionnaires and interviews were analysed using a phenomenographic framework. Qualitative variations in students’ conceptions and approaches were categorised and were found to form a hierarchy. Subsequent quantitative analysis found associations between students’ conceptions of learning through discussion, their approaches to both face-to-face and online discussion and their academic performance (as indicated by the final mark for the course). Implications for teaching and further research are discussed.

KW - Learning through discussion

KW - Blended learning

KW - Phenomenography

KW - Computer mediated communication

KW - Teaching/learning strategies

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/78650176851

U2 - 10.1016/j.compedu.2010.10.027

DO - 10.1016/j.compedu.2010.10.027

M3 - Article

SN - 0360-1315

VL - 56

SP - 856

EP - 864

JO - Computers and Education

JF - Computers and Education

IS - 3

ER -