Civil Engineering Student Perception Towards Blended Learning in A Malaysian Public University

Abstract

Blended learning (BL) has been evolving as an important approach to teaching and learning in tertiary education. Much research has been conducted on BL implementation in various courses but study on its suitability for engineering education is still lacking. This paper presents student perceptions on the current implementation of BL in engineering undergraduate and postgraduate courses in a Malaysian public university. Three hundred and sixty-five (365) usable responses were received through an online questionnaire survey conducted at the end of a 14-week semester. Results show that students are more likely to access the e-materials but are less engaged in forum activities. Some students ignore online assessments which do not carry weightage towards course assessments. Overall, students agree that BL is beneficial but less amongst them find it enjoyable. Undergraduate and postgraduate students have slightly varied acceptance towards BL. The four (4) academic divisions in the faculty fair differently but most courses have been recommended by respondents for an internal faculty award. This study provides empirical data pointing towards room of improvement for BL in engineering education. Future work should examine the effectiveness of BL approach based on true attainment of student learning outcomes and graduate attributes.