COMPARING STUDENT SATISFACTION BETWEEN ONLINE AND BLENDED (HYBRID) COURSES

As part of a Student-Instructor course re-design project sponsored by Northeastern State University’s Center for Teaching and learning, the aim of this research is to compare student satisfaction of the new blended (hybrid) course with the previous course which was presented completely online including do-at-home laboratory experience. Anecdotal feedback from former classes suggested the hypothesis that students would be more satisfied with a blended (hybrid) presentation method which allows face-to-face laboratory experiences.

To test this hypothesis, students from separate online and blended GEOL 1114 Physical Geology classes were given identical voluntary surveys to gauge their satisfaction with the course they took. Surveys were administered one week before final exams in both cases. The survey instrument included ten statements in which students could choose one of five levels of agreement. The responses were compiled for each statement and as an overall satisfaction quotient.

The results of the survey analysis suggested that students were better satisfied with the blended presentation mode in 9 of 10 categories. The aggregate satisfaction quotient calculated to +12.25 % in favor of the blended presentation mode.