Optimising student engagement with blended learning

Abstract

Background: The evolving UCL Educational Strategy indicates that blended delivery of module content and assessment is the future of the academic landscape. Blended strategies implemented within UCL’s department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology in the academic year 2021-22, yielded mixed results. We instigated a student-led review of student opinions on blended learning in Systems Neuroscience.

Method: Two module participants were selected from volunteers, to serve as student researchers (SRs) and led two semi-structured hybrid interviews with module participants, using Mentimeter to enable anonymous participation. Data were collected and analysed by the SRs.

Results: Half of the students who attended the interviews reported that the balance between in-person and pre-recorded content was appropriate, the other half said they would prefer more or entirely in-person learning. In-person Q&A tutorials created to support online lectures were generally negatively rated and poorly attended (reasons provided for poor attendance varied), performance in assessment linked to this aspect of the module also decreased (relative to years with in-person lectures and no Q&A tutorials). By contrast, lab visits (which were supported with online video tours), were well attended and positively rated by students.

Conclusions: Some students favour in-person teaching over a blended learning approach, but when the latter is pursued, we need to ensure that both in-person and online elements offer something that students value if we hope to maximise engagement and learning.