Determinants of nursing students' satisfaction with blended learning.

Abstract

Background: Blended learning, a pedagogical approach combining traditional classroom instruction with online components, has gained prominence in nursing education. While offering numerous benefits, student satisfaction with blended learning remains a critical concern. This study contributes to the existing literature by providing a comprehensive evaluation of the determinants influencing nursing students' satisfaction with this innovative educational modality. By examining a wide range of factors, including sociodemographic characteristics, academic factors, and environmental influences, this research offers valuable insights for educators to optimize blended learning experiences in nursing education.

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional research design was conducted. This study investigates the factors influencing nursing students' satisfaction with blended learning at Alexandria University, Egypt, where blended learning programs have been integrated into the curriculum primarily through the Microsoft Teams platform. A convenient sample of 1266 nursing students from both bachelor and technical educational institutions participated in the study from September 2023 to the end of December 2023. Data were collected using an online survey containing two measurement tools: the Blended Learning Satisfaction Scale and the Environmental Facilitators and Barriers to Student Persistence in Online Courses scale. Statistical analyses, including descriptive statistics and backward multiple linear regression, were conducted to identify factors that are associated with the satisfaction of nursing students' with blended learning.

Results: Findings indicate that factors such as age, gender, income, employment status, access to suitable internet sources, academic year, computer literacy, preferred learning method, and perceptions of environmental facilitators significantly influence satisfaction scores (all p < 0.001). The overall regression model, with an adjusted R² of 0.31, signifies that 31% of the variance in satisfaction scores is explained collectively by the previously mentioned variables (F = 21.21, p < 0.001).

Conclusion: Students' sociodemographic variables, preference for blended learning, and perception of environmental facilitators such as encouragement to enroll in the course significantly influence nursing students' satisfaction levels with blended learning. However, limitations in the current study such as self-report bias, convenient sampling, and cross-sectional design limit the generalizability and causal inferences of these findings.