Abstract:

Today's educational environment is influenced by various factors such as competition, funding shortfalls, technological innovations, changes in student demographics, and societal expectations. Students increasingly demand a high-quality learning experience, service, and convenience. Sitting in a lecture hall is not intellectually stimulating, and getting to the lecture hall is time-consuming. One possible alternative is blended learning, which combines digital and face-to-face learning and enables the use of different learning methods and the creation of learner-centered activities. Blended learning has gained significant traction in higher education, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic, which has familiarized learners with educational technology. Educational technology, such as learning analytics, is instrumental in understanding how students learn and personalizing learning experiences, enabling learners to progress at their own pace.

This paper investigates the effectiveness of a blended learning environment, analyzing the pros and cons of creating and using the blended course from both - students' and lecturers' points of view. The analysis is conducted based on the master's level strategic management course. Various active learning methods were used in the course, such as interactive assignments, interviews, learning contracts, developing poster presentations, using Kahoot, and an e-book with quizzes. The feedback on the course and learning process was collected from both sides: the teacher of the course and the students who passed the course. The feedback received for the course reflects students' satisfaction with both the learning materials and assignments used in the course and the course organization. The teacher highlighted the opportunity to be creative and make the work more engaging while noting the negative aspects of time consumption and resource scarcity.

Keywords:

Blended learning, educational technology.