6 Reasons Blended Learning Works

overhead view of a person working on a laptop and writing on a notepad

Research suggests that blended learning is more effective than both face-to-face and online education, according to a new e-book released by the Online Learning Consortium and academic publisher Routledge. Online & Blended Learning: Selections from the Field brings together advice and best practices from a number of scholarly publications related to online and blended learning; topics covered include the basics of the blended model, differences between online and on-campus learning, strategies for teaching with technology, data analysis techniques, policy issues and more.

The book cites a 2009 U.S. Department of Education report that examined 51 research studies on student outcomes in online vs. face-to-face courses. On average, the report found, students in online environments — and particularly in blended environments — performed better. Why? "There are no complete answers," the book said, but the authors offered a number of ideas on the secrets behind blended learning's success.

Below, excerpted with permission, are six reasons why blended learning is so effective in higher education.

  1. Improved instructional design. Blended courses (like online courses) may be more intentionally designed than face-to-face counterparts, if only because institutional initiatives for blended courses often involve instructional designers or educational technologists who support the faculty in a scheduled redesign process.
  2. Increased guidance and triggers. Students working in a face-to-face class receive guidance from the teacher during class time and from a syllabus when working on their own. In a blended course, the course environment provides a clear path through resources, activities, and assessments with explicit guidance each step of the way.
  3. Easier access to learning activities. Putting materials and activities online allows more of the class to engage with these on their own schedule, which may lead to more complete learning.
  4. Individualized learning opportunities. Because digital materials may be accessed according to students' individual needs, and reviewed upon demand, the provision of digital materials allows students to self-direct certain learning activities to fill their knowledge gaps. Automated assessments often used in online learning environments may also provide immediate, corrective feedback that directs students to revisit materials.
  5. Increased engagement through social interaction. Students in a face-to-face course may have limited opportunities to engage with each and every one of their classmates, and the face-to-face environment itself may inhibit some students from participating. Online environments that facilitate class discussions, collaboration, etc. may increase the amount of student-to-student interaction. This may, in turn, enhance their engagement with the subject matter and provide motivational benefits from the increased social interaction.
  6. Time on task. Blended and online courses tend to intensify student focus on more relevant work through the course website. This may be true because of increased guidance and access, and improved instructional design as described above. It may also be that time on task is simply more visible in a blended course because student activity in an online environment can be tracked on every page and every click.

Online & Blended Learning: Selections from the Field is available for free download from the Online Learning Consortium site.

About the Author

Rhea Kelly is editor in chief for Campus Technology, THE Journal, and Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at rkelly@1105media.com.

Featured

  • From the Kuali Days 2025 Conference: A CEO's View of Planning for AI

    How can a company serving higher education navigate the changes AI brings to ed tech? What will customers expect? CT talks with Kuali CEO Joel Dehlin, who shared his company's AI strategies with attendees at Kuali Days 2025 in Anaheim.

  • abstract pattern of cybersecurity, ai and cloud imagery

    OpenAI Report Identifies Malicious Use of AI in Cloud-Based Cyber Threats

    A report from OpenAI identifies the misuse of artificial intelligence in cybercrime, social engineering, and influence operations, particularly those targeting or operating through cloud infrastructure. In "Disrupting Malicious Uses of AI: June 2025," the company outlines how threat actors are weaponizing large language models for malicious ends — and how OpenAI is pushing back.

  •  floating digital interface with glowing icons, surrounded by faint geometric shapes

    Digital Education Council Defines 5 Dimensions of AI Literacy

    A recent report from the Digital Education Council, a global community devoted to "revolutionizing the world of education and work through technology and collaboration," provides an AI literacy framework to help higher education institutions equip their constituents with foundational AI competencies.

  • cloud and circuit patterns with AI stamp

    Cloud Management Startup Launches Infrastructure Intelligence Tool

    A new AI-powered infrastructure intelligence tool from cloud management startup env0 aims to turn the fog of sprawling, enterprise-scale deployments into crisp, queryable insight, minus the spreadsheets, scripts, and late-night Slack threads.