The effectiveness of blended learning in nursing and medical education: An umbrella review

Abstract

Aim

To summarize existing research reviews on blended learning's effectiveness in nursing and medical education, offering teaching practitioners valuable references for continuous improvement in blended learning.

Design

An umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses was undertaken using the PRISMA guidelines.

Methods

This study retrieved all systematic reviews and meta-analyses related to blended learning, which were included in CNKI, VIP database, PubMed, Web of Science and Cochrane Library as of December 2024. The methodological quality of the included literature was evaluated using the AMSTAR-2 tool, while indications of learning effectiveness at each level were examined through the modified Kirkpatrick Model.

Results

Seventeen studies were included: four with moderate, four with low and nine with critically low methodological quality. The modified Kirkpatrick Model suggests that blended learning in nursing and medical education may improve student feedback and attitudes and perceptions in the short term. Only nursing education has researched the long-term effects of blended learning, which improves critical thinking, collaborative knowledge and self-directed learning. However, organizational practices, student benefits and patient and community impact research are scarce.

Conclusion

Blended learning can offer multiple beneficial impacts on students, but majority of the current systematic reviews examining the effectiveness of blended learning exhibit low methodological quality and lack standardized outcome evaluation systems. Future research and practice will also need to improve the standardization of reporting, focus on the long-term effects of blended learning and understand its impact on patients/communities.