Engaging diverse student audiences in contemporary blended learning environments in Australian higher business education: Implications for design and practice

Abstract

This research reports on a student audience engaging in an Australian university's undergraduate commerce program information systems core unit that is offered across three separate geographic campus locations and online. The research extends upon work undertaken on student engagement within the located domain of blended learning environments and juxtaposes the online perspective in an Australian higher education business context. Findings, inter alia, are presented across seven major student engagement dimensions as applied to the interplay between online and located/campus learning (i.e. Online Active Learning, Online Social Interaction, Online Collaboration, Online Teaching, Online Assessment, Online Academic Relevance and Online Contact with Staff). Implications for blended learning design, eLearning and practice in such complex online environments are examined.