Abstract:

This paper presents an assessment of the blended business programme for mature students, one year after its introduction. In September 2010, the University College of Brussels officially launched the first year of its renewed Bachelor of Business Administration, aimed at people who combine academic study with work, hobbies and/or family responsibilities. The general teaching and learning model was centred around three concepts: 1) guided self study, 2) online co-operative learning and 3) face-to-face classroom teaching. A broad series of applications was employed in different ways in order to support learners, and provide them with greater flexibility in comparison with the regular study programme. By means of a mixed-methods approach three specific issues were investigated: the “public”, their “success” and the “aptitude” of the programme. The aim of the study was to understand the reasons why adult students decide to start, their characteristics in terms of study background, technology ownership and use, attitudes towards blended learning, why some of them drop out of courses while others complete them and pass, and how all this is related to the management, organisation and design of the courses. We discuss both unexpected and expected findings, as well as implications for the future management of a blended learning programme.

Keywords:

Blended learning, adult education, business education, assessment, evaluation.