Developing a personalised, evidence-based and inclusive learning (PEBIL) model of blended learning: A cross-sectional survey

Abstract

Whilst the use of various blended learning models preceded the COVID-19 pandemic, the abrupt shift to remote delivery served as catalyst within the sector in enhancing digital solutions to meet immediate student needs. As we emerge from the pandemic, a return to purely didactic and impersonal in-person teaching seems anticlimactic, with the return to the lecture theatre seeing many lecturers trialling various digital tools in creating more interactive in-person, synchronous, and asynchronous sessions. In evaluating students' experiences of the various tools and approaches applied by academic staff, a survey was developed by a multidisciplinary team of educators at Cardiff University's School of Medicine exploring student perceptions of e-learning resources (ELRs), as well as student experiences of various blended learning approaches. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate student experience, satisfaction, and engagement with ELRs and blended learning. A total of 179 students (undergraduate and postgraduate) completed the survey. 97% confirmed that e-learning resources were blended within the teaching they received, with 77% rating the quality of e-learning as good-to-excellent and 66% reporting a preference for asynchronous resources that enable them to learn at their own pace. A variety of platforms, tools, and approaches were identified by students as meeting their diverse learning needs. We therefore propose a personalised, evidence-based and inclusive learning (PEBIL) model enabling the application of digital technologies both on and offline.

Keywords: Blended learning; Digital education; Medical education; Online educational technologies.

Fig. 1

Type of e-learning resources available and type of engagement, as reported by survey respondents. (A) Type of e-learning resources regarding mandatory or optional nature, as well as if developed “in house” or externally. (B) Type of engagement in the e-learning resources used by participants (passive, active or other). (C) Rating effectiveness of e-learning resources used by survey respondents. The average rating was 3.99. (D) Synchronous nature of the e-learning resources used by survey respondents. Note: ‘Mandatory’ denotes an ELR that required satisfactory proof of completion and was a ‘timetabled activity’ for students; ‘Optional’ denotes an ELR that was constructively aligned with curricular Learning Outcomes, but students could choose to engage or not (and as such, was not formally timetabled). Such optional ELRs were considered as ‘adjunctive learning aids’

Fig. 2

Proportion of preferred ELRs reported by students (responses expressed as percentages)

Fig. 3

Type of technology used by students to access e-learning resources. (A) Type of device and (B) browser used to access e-learning resources. Note: some ELRs directed students to use digital devices with ‘large screens’ due to the visual nature of the content. In addition, where there were known browser issues in displaying / running some ELR content, students were directed to use specific browsers that the ELR creators knew would display the content correctly

Fig. 4

Flowchart depicted the application of the PEBIL (Personalised, Evidence-Based, and Inclusive Learning) model of blended learning to lesson planning

Fig. 4

Flowchart depicted the application of the PEBIL (Personalised, Evidence-Based, and Inclusive Learning) model of blended learning to lesson planning

Fig. 5

Matrix of platforms and/or digital technologies that can be used to host pre and post session activities, as well as technologies that can be incorporated within in-person or remotely delivered teaching sessions