The impact of using a blended learning Choice Model method on student performance in higher education during COVID-19

The purpose of this study was to empirically investigate the effectiveness of the Blended Learning Choice Model on student academic performance. In response to the requirements necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic, an adaptive blended learning method was developed. This model combined pedagogical needs with digital technology using online learning activities to implement student learning in a digital marketing course at a private undergraduate liberal arts college located in the northeastern United States. The Choice Model of instruction was used for two sections of the digital marketing course during the fall 2020 and spring 2021 semesters. During the fall 2021 semester, the two sections returned to 100% in-person instruction. This research compared the academic performance of students by their choice of delivery instruction method, synchronous remote or classroom, in two sections during the fall 2020 and spring 2021 semesters. For each semester and section, the overall grade point average (GPA) of each student was compared to the GPA earned in the digital marketing course. Students were assigned to one of two groups depending on their selected choice of a remote synchronous delivery method or in-person classroom instruction. A two-sample t-test was performed to compare the grades of students in the remote section to the in-person section. The combined results of the fall 2020 and spring 2021 semesters indicated that students enrolled in the course via remote delivery demonstrated significantly lower GPA compared to students with in-person instruction.