π EP #05: Blended Learning
π¬ What if ...
What if shifting 2 hours of didactic lecture to interactive, cloud-based pre-learning could close the achievement gap for diverse nursing students?
π Key Insight
Educators implemented a blended learning approach to a bioscience course. They replaced traditional paper-based labs and long lectures with a cloud-based LMS platform where students complete 2 hours of interactive pre-learning (videos, diagrams, and immediate-feedback quizzes) followed by a 1-hour interactive face-to-face lecture focused on clinical application.
Students were evaluated at the mid-semester and end of the semester. The study looked at over 900 students over three years.
The researchers found a sustained and notably significant improvement in mean marks observed when employing the blended classroom technique in comparison to the traditional didactic lecture-style delivery.
π Why it matters
The course where they implemented the innovative delivery was a high-stakes predictor of clinical safety, yet it remained a leading cause of student failure. This model provides a validated roadmap to improve grades and retention across diverse age and ethnic groups.
For example, it also moved MΔori and Pacific student performance into a normal distribution and significantly boosted overall course marks.
π Link and Reference
Want to learn more about how it was set up?
- Link to the article
- Wesselink, R., McClunie-Trust, P., & Stewart, K. (2025). Transforming learning in nursing bioscience through blended learning and a flipped classroom approach: A prospective cohort study. Teaching and Learning in Nursing, 20, e414βe418.