Author(s): Ying Zhang*, Jie Hu
Although the education community has recently given significant attention to blended learning as an instructional approach that combines traditional classroom instruction with online learning, there has been limited in-depth study on how learning occurs in a blended learning environment. Based on ecosystem theory and Biggs' 3P learning model, we explore the influence of teaching engagement, learning motivation, and student engagement on learning outcomes, while also considering the moderating role of academic self-efficacy. Oneway ANOVA and comparison analysis results demonstrated that the learning impact of blended learning was superior to that of both offline and online learning. The results of our study indicate that: (1) Student engagement partially mediates the relationship between teacher engagement and learning outcomes. Teaching engagement has a strong positive impact on both student engagement and learning outcomes. (2) Learning motivation has a significant positive effect on student engagement and learning outcomes. Student engagement partially mediates the relationship between learning motivation and learning outcomes, with internal learning motivation having a stronger direct effect on learning than external learning motivation. (3) Academic self-efficacy negatively moderates the paths from learning motivation to student engagement and from learning motivation to learning outcomes. The study's findings advance empirical research on the pathways influencing students' learning outcomes in blended learning contexts and provide theoretical support and practical insights for enhancing teaching quality and learning outcomes.