Quality in blended learning environments - Significant differences in how students approach learning collaborations

Evaluating the quality of student experiences of learning in a blended environment requires the careful consideration of many aspects that can contribute to learning outcomes. In this study, university students in first year engineering were required to collaborate and inquire in a blended course design over a semester-long course. This study investigates their approaches to inquiry and online learning technologies as they collaborated both in class and online. The results identify sub-groups within the population sample (n > 200) which reported qualitatively different experiences of how they approached inquiry and used the online learning technologies. The results also measure aspects of their collaborations which help to explain why some students were more successful than others. The outcomes of the study have important implications for teaching and course design and the effective evaluation of blended experiences of university student learning.