“It’s the Combination That Works”: Evaluating Student Experiences with a Multi-element Blended Design in First-year Law

Year 2018, , 405 - 422, 16.10.2018

Ekaterina Pechenkina Amanda Scardamaglia Janet Gregory

https://doi.org/10.30935/cet.471019

Abstract

This mixed method study involved twenty students enrolled in three consecutive
intakes of an Australian Bachelor of Laws program’s introductory unit. Pioneering
a multi-element blended design, the unit featured three key elements: summary
videos, self-test online quizzes and interactive discussion boards. These
elements were chosen based on evidence-based research into digital tools found
effective in enhancing students’ face-to-face learning experience in blended
and fully online designs. The study’s main goal was to evaluate how students
utilized these elements and in what ways their previous experiences with
blended designs influenced their learning process in this unit. A focus-group
and online surveys were used to collect data. Based on literature review, four
areas of student experience with this blended designs formed a particular focus
of this study: student expectations, support, resources, and collaboration. It
was found that students extensively used videos and quizzes for catch-up,
revision, and clarification, while discussion boards were not perceived as
useful, with students preferring to have discussions face-to-face, in and out
of classroom. Findings also indicated that students’ expectations of and
previous experiences with blended learning can be leveraged to strengthen
blended designs.   

Keywords

Blended learning, Videos, Quizzes, Discussion boards, Law program, Student experiences

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