The Effect of Adopting Blended Learning Approach on Students’ Achievement and Satisfaction with Learning in a Post Graduate Course in Educational Statistics

Abstract

Many postgraduate students face difficulties in learning the educational statistics topics because of their mathematical nature. Adopting innovative learning technologies has opened up a wide range of options to extend the learning strategies in higher education and support students` learning outcomes. The current study aimed to assess the effectiveness of a blended learning BL approach with 18 Master’s Degree students enrolled in two postgraduate courses in statistics i.e. (introduction to educational statistics and quantitative research data analysis courses) taught at the Arabian Gulf University Distance Teaching & Training Master Program in Bahrain. The courses were enrolled as Blended Learning with the College of Graduate Studies-CGS Moodle Learning Management System during the second semester of the academic year 20182019/. The students were assessed using online quizzes, 2 written tests, two assignments: one in descriptive and the other in inferential statistics, one open book exam and a final examination. Data analysis revealed that the blended learning approach helped the students to learn the course content i.e. (students` grades ranged from B+ to A). The learning satisfaction survey administered at the end of the course revealed a high degree of satisfaction with the course material and the teaching approach used. In conclusion, blended learning is viewed as feasible for teaching statistics courses and is beneficial to both students and instructors.