Comparing student performance in blended and traditional courses: Does prior academic achievement matter?

The performance of students in blended and traditional versions of a collegiate course is compared within the context of students' prior academic achievement. The blended version of the course used flipped and flexible instructional modes, in which only online lectures were available, class periods were used for complementary learning activities, and there was no punitive attendance policy. Significant differences in student performance between the blended and traditional versions were found within two of three zones of grade point averages. At low grade point averages, performance was higher in the traditional version of the course. At high grade point averages, performance was higher in the blended version. No significant difference was detected in the middle zone of grade point averages. Predictive models of student performance were also prepared for the two versions of the course. Partial effects from measures of prior academic achievement upon performance in the blended version were significantly different from partial effects provided by the same measures in the traditional version of the course.

shortDOI: 10/f9gk4k