| A recent U.S. Department of Education (2009) meta-analysis concluded that blended learning may be better than either online or traditional lecture-based instruction. However, other research has shown that, for technology-enhanced instruction, learning outcomes are, at best, equal to traditional lecture-based instruction. Blended learning, when evaluating learning outcomes, may be no different than previous technology-supplemented instruction. The purpose of this study was to compare blended and traditional lecture instruction in an undergraduate business course.;Ninety four business undergraduate students were randomly assigned to three treatment groups; a traditional lecture-based group, a blended group with one-time access to online curricular materials, and a blended group with unlimited access to online curricular materials. The three groups were given the same curricular materials and teaching method for a supply chain simulation in a required business course. The curricular materials and instruction followed the construct of multimedia learning, including the principles of worked-out examples and guided instruction. The students completed two online supply chain simulations over a period of four and one-half weeks.;Eight dependent variables, measuring both lower- and higher-order achievement, demonstrated only minor differences between the three treatments, and the one statistically significant difference was explained by changes in study behavior, not better learning outcomes.;In very few cases does technology-enhanced instruction outperform either traditional lecture-based or 100% online instruction when curricular materials, teaching method, and time available for learning are controllhttp://www.bmj.com/content/342/bmj.c5347.fulled. This study demonstrated that blended learning, like many other educational technologies that preceded it, does not produce positive learning outcomes when compared to traditional lecture-based instruction or 100% online instruction. |
