Increasing motivation of students in a blended learning zoology course

Abstract

Students need teacher support to learn and assimilate complex information about zoology. Exposure to information, terminology, and anatomy on a daily basis in a classroom is one way for students to become comfortable with the information and allows them to integrate new information into their knowledge base. Blended students are not exposed to new information or the correct use of terminology and anatomy on a daily basis if they do not engage in their daily assignments. This makes integrating the information into their knowledge base more difficult. This study attempts to uncover ways this difficulty can be lessened or eliminated. The treatment used in this study exchanged the in class daily use of retrieval practice with an increase in online quizzes to hold the blended students responsible for their own learning. This study also delved into student motivation to complete assignments and the type of assignments blended students would be more likely to complete. Results indicate motivation to complete assignments increased followed by an increase in quiz scores and summative test scores.