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- Vol 7 PE: App D
- Vol 7 RE: Chapters 1, 8, App B, App D
online learningblended learningface-to-face comparisonmeta-analysisinstructional timelearning interactionsinstructional supportmodality effectsJournal article Evidence summaryAt a glance
This meta-analysis synthesises 50 effects from 45 experimental or controlled quasi-experimental studies comparing fully online or blended instruction with face-to-face teaching. Learners ranged from secondary-school students to adults in higher education and professional training.
Key ideas
On average, online conditions produced a modest advantage, but the pattern depended on format: blended learning showed a statistically significant benefit over face-to-face instruction, whereas purely online instruction did not. The authors caution against attributing the blended advantage to delivery medium alone. Blended conditions frequently included extra learning time, additional resources, or more opportunities for interaction, so these design differences were confounded with modality. Effects also varied across studies, and the evidence base was too limited for strong conclusions about many specific practices or younger learners.
Why it matters
The educational implication is not that adding an online component automatically improves achievement. Effective blends should be analysed as packages of time, tasks, feedback, interaction, and instructional support, with those components tested more directly.
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Edition abbreviations
- TE
- Teacher Edition
- PE
- Practice Edition
- RE
- Research Edition
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