Hybrid Versus Distance Learning Choice for Engineering Students: a Statistical Analysis Case Study of Undergraduate-Level Mechanical Engineering Course

In this paper a comparative study between hybrid and distance learning techniques is developed. The research presented herein has been conducted to identify the impacts of both hybrid learning and distance learning techniques on engineering students by considering one of the core undergraduate level courses in Mechanical Engineering, namely automatic control at a large public university in Jordan. The experiment has featured classroom data collection from students by using a questionnaire throughout two semesters. The first semester has adopted the distance learning technique, while the second semester has adopted the hybrid learning technique for the same course, with 34, and 31 students participated in the questioner, respectively. A statistical analysis for the data collected from students referring to the level of satisfaction for the way the material has been delivered to them, has been conducted to perform a comparison between the two approaches. A strength of this study is that the questioner data have been collected at key points throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and when lockdown has been forced by the government and the distance learning has been the only choice, and when the hybrid learning has been permitted in the second semester, allowing understanding and being able to distinguish between the hybrid and distance learning techniques from the students’ perspective. Results shows that the majority of the students have recommended the hybrid learning over the distance learning for this course. They have emphasized on the many advantages of such learning technique. The majority has also agreed on the many disadvantages of the distance learning technique for such engineering course. By combining these insights, recommendations for universities, including further improvement of the hybrid learning for engineering education, and most importantly, the fact that distance learning for engineering education has many disadvantages, have been made. Based on the study developed, this learning technique is not recommended for engineering education.