Learning and instruction in the hybrid virtual classroom: An investigation of students’ engagement and the effect of quizzes

• Published in: Computers and education Vol. 143; p. 103682
• Main Authors: Raes, Annelies, Vanneste, Pieter, Pieters, Marieke, Windey, Ine, Van Den Noortgate, Wim, Depaepe, Fien
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.01.2020
• Subjects: Distance education; Engagement; Hybrid virtual classroom; Mixed-methods; Self-determination theory; Self-determination theory; Engagement; Distance education; Mixed-methods; Hybrid virtual classroom
• ISSN: 0360-1315; 1873-782X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.compedu.2019.103682

To deal with the current need for flexible learning trajectories giving access to a more diverse group of learners, synchronous hybrid virtual classrooms have been designed to connect both on-site students and remote students during synchronous teaching. Given synchronous blended learning is relatively new, there are only few studies that have investigated its use and effectiveness. Furthermore, the existing literature is mostly exploratory and qualitative in nature. This present study meets the need for empirical, theory-driven research. More specific, this study has set up an experiment to investigate how different learning settings can affect students' relatedness, intrinsic motivation and learning achievement in the context of a synchronous learning space. The Self-Determination Theory (SDT) namely stresses that relatedness is a contributing factor for intrinsic motivation and indirectly also predicts learning achievement. Although there are numerous studies using SDT in various contexts, only limited studies used this theory to examine learning in the hybrid virtual classroom comparing different learning settings and its effects on relatedness, intrinsic motivation and learning achievement. The educational setting depends on whether students are physically present and thus attend the lecture face-to-face (F2F) or remotely (virtual), and on whether the setting is the same for all students (pure) or mixed (hybrid). This study presents the results of an experimental within-subjects design study comparing the students' learning experiences as F2F versus virtual student in the pure or hybrid setting. A mixed-methods approach is used including real-time measurements of intrinsic motivation next to retrospective self-report surveys and interviews. Also the effect of quizzes has been consistently investigated. The results show that although the hybrid virtual classroom is promising regarding flexibility in education as it gives students the choice where to attend the course, it is also the most challenging one to teach in and to learn in as a remote participant. It has been found that both the relatedness to peers and the intrinsic motivation is the lowest in the hybrid-virtual setting. Yet, our results show that launching quizzes is positively related to all students’ motivation. Further research that implements different kinds of quizzes and at different time intervals is necessary to validate this finding in the context of the hybrid virtual classroom. Future research should also investigate how relatedness between the remote students and their on-campus counterparts can be improved by means of instructional interventions. •Hybrid virtual classrooms are promising for flexible learning, but challenging.•Relatedness is a contributing factor for intrinsic motivation.•Intrinsic motivation is the lowest when students follow the lecture remotely.•Launching quizzes is positively related to all students' motivation.