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J Comput High Educ (2014) 26:87122 DOI 10.1007/s12528-013-9077-3
Robert M. Bernard Eugene Borokhovski
Richard F. Schmid Rana M. Tamim
Philip C. Abrami
Published online: 9 February 2014 Springer Science+Business Media New York 2014
Abstract This paper serves several purposes. First and foremost, it is devoted to developing a better understanding of the effectiveness of blended learning (BL) in higher education. This is achieved through a meta-analysis of a sub-collection of comparative studies of BL and classroom instruction (CI) from a larger systematic review of technology integration (Schmid et al. in Comput Educ 72:271291, 2014). In addition, the methodology of meta-analysis is described and illustrated by examples from the current study. The paper begins with a summary of the experimental research on distance education (DE) and online learning (OL), encapsulated in meta-analyses that have been conducted since 1990. Then it introduces the Bernard et al. (Rev Educ Res 74(3):379439, 2009) meta-analysis, which attempted to alter the DE research culture of always comparing DE/OL with CI by examining three forms of interaction treatments (i.e., studentstudent, studentteacher, studentcontent) within DE, using the theoretical framework of Moore (Am J Distance Educ 3(2):16, 1989) and Anderson (Rev Res Open Distance Learn 4(2):914, 2003). The rest of the paper revolves around the general steps and procedures (Cooper in Research synthesis and meta-analysis: a step-by-step approach, 4th edn, SAGE, Los Angeles, CA, 2010) involved in conducting a meta-analysis. This section is included to provide researchers with an overview of precisely how meta-analyses can be used to respond to more nuanced questions that speak to underlying theory and inform practicein other words, not just answers to the big questions. In this instance, we know that technology has an overall positive impact on learning (g? = ?0.35, p \ .01, Tamim et al. in Rev Educ Res 81(3):428, 2011), but the sub-questions addressed here concern BL interacting with technology in higher
R. M. Bernard (&) E. Borokhovski R. F. Schmid P. C. Abrami
Centre for the Study of Learning and Performance (CSLP), Concordia University, Montreal, QC, Canadae-mail: [email protected]
R. M. Tamim
Zayed University, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
A meta-analysis of blended learning and technology use in higher education: from the general to the applied
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education. The results...