The effects of blended learning approach on student performance in the first computer programming course: a case study at UiTM / Zulaile Mabni … [et al.]

Learning programming for novice students is hard because students need to acquire a skill through an active construction process in programming. Previous researches done on teaching and learning programming have identified that programming requires problem solving and analytical thinking skills. Many approaches have been proposed in the literature to tackle the learning problems in computer programming. One of the approaches that have become more pervasive in higher education is blended learning. Thus, the purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of blended learning approach on students’ performance in the first computer programming course at Faculty of Computer and Mathematical Sciences, UniversitiTeknologi MARA (UiTM). The blended learning approach applied for this study is by combining face-to-face learning and online learning using the Learning Management System (LMS) of UiTM named i-Learn. In this study, a cross-sectional population study with stratified sampling was conducted where a sample of 56 selected undergraduate students enrolled for the first programming course were involved. Prior programming background of these students during their diploma or matriculation program are taken into consideration in this study. Two-way ANOVA analysis revealed that, the interaction between learning approach and programming background are significant. The mean score for students who have prior programming background and were taught using blended learning approach is much higher as compared to the mean score of students who were taught using the traditional face-to-face learning approach. On the other hand, the mean score for the students who do not have prior programming background and were taught using the traditional face-to-face learning approach, is much higher as compared to the mean score of students who were taught using blended learning approach. Thus, the finding of this study indicated that blended learning approach gave positive impact to students who have prior programming background towards their performance in their first computer programming course.