There is limited research defining how efficient and successful blended learning processes can be systematically designed and evaluated. Bitzer et al. (2016) provide seven principles for blended learning design. Their approach is the most comprehensive that appears in the research literature. However, their principles were formulated for corporate training. The purpose of this study is to determine whether and to what extent the principles can translate to the higher education domain. Blended learning is a method that integrates the strengths of synchronous (face-to-face) interactions with asynchronous (online) learning controlled by teachers who restructure their classroom and teach in new time-efficient ways. For instructional design, blended learning is about how to design courses that maximally benefit the learning process. To create effectively-blended courses, a total redesign of teaching methods is required to produce a meaningful and engaging integration between in-class and online learning. To achieve the research objectives of this study, a qualitative method was adopted to determine the efficacy of the use of Bitzer et al.’s (2016) principles of blended learning for higher education courses at Saudi Electronic University (SEU). The data collected through focus groups, and interviews with lecturers and technology support staff. Three case studies were conducted, each one related to an existing SEU blended learning course. These case studies allowed me to have a better understanding of the usage of blended learning in SEU and to know which of the seven principles was applied in SEU. I employed the seven blended learning principles and the three main areas of the TPACK framework to redesign the syllabus of the three courses.
","abstract_html":"<p>There is limited research defining how efficient and successful blended learning processes can be systematically designed and evaluated. Bitzer et al. (2016) provide seven principles for blended learning design. Their approach is the most comprehensive that appears in the research literature. However, their principles were formulated for corporate training. The purpose of this study is to determine whether and to what extent the principles can translate to the higher education domain. Blended learning is a method that integrates the strengths of synchronous (face-to-face) interactions with asynchronous (online) learning controlled by teachers who restructure their classroom and teach in new time-efficient ways. For instructional design, blended learning is about how to design courses that maximally benefit the learning process. To create effectively-blended courses, a total redesign of teaching methods is required to produce a meaningful and engaging integration between in-class and online learning. To achieve the research objectives of this study, a qualitative method was adopted to determine the efficacy of the use of Bitzer et al.’s (2016) principles of blended learning for higher education courses at Saudi Electronic University (SEU). The data collected through focus groups, and interviews with lecturers and technology support staff. Three case studies were conducted, each one related to an existing SEU blended learning course. These case studies allowed me to have a better understanding of the usage of blended learning in SEU and to know which of the seven principles was applied in SEU. I employed the seven blended learning principles and the three main areas of the TPACK framework to redesign the syllabus of the three courses.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Almusfar, Latifa Abdullah"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Information Systems and Technology, PhD","degree_level":"Restricted to Claremont Colleges Dissertation","degree_discipline":"Center for Information Systems and Technology","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Deborah Faye Carter","Shamini Dias"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2020,"date_issued":"2020-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2020-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:40:28Z","subjects":["Blended learning","Saudi Electronic University","Online learning","Higher education domain","Educational Technology","Science and Technology Studies"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://scholarship.claremont.edu/cgu_etd/664","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Deborah Faye Carter","Shamini Dias"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Almusfar, Latifa Abdullah"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2023-01-01T08:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Center for Information Systems and Technology"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Restricted to Claremont Colleges Dissertation"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Information Systems and Technology, PhD"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Blended learning","Saudi Electronic University","Online learning","Higher education domain","Educational Technology","Science and Technology Studies"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://scholarship.claremont.edu/cgu_etd/664"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["There is limited research defining how efficient and successful blended learning processes can be systematically designed and evaluated. Bitzer et al. (2016) provide seven principles for blended learning design. Their approach is the most comprehensive that appears in the research literature. However, their principles were formulated for corporate training. The purpose of this study is to determine whether and to what extent the principles can translate to the higher education domain. Blended learning is a method that integrates the strengths of synchronous (face-to-face) interactions with asynchronous (online) learning controlled by teachers who restructure their classroom and teach in new time-efficient ways. For instructional design, blended learning is about how to design courses that maximally benefit the learning process. To create effectively-blended courses, a total redesign of teaching methods is required to produce a meaningful and engaging integration between in-class and online learning. To achieve the research objectives of this study, a qualitative method was adopted to determine the efficacy of the use of Bitzer et al.’s (2016) principles of blended learning for higher education courses at Saudi Electronic University (SEU). The data collected through focus groups, and interviews with lecturers and technology support staff. Three case studies were conducted, each one related to an existing SEU blended learning course. These case studies allowed me to have a better understanding of the usage of blended learning in SEU and to know which of the seven principles was applied in SEU. I employed the seven blended learning principles and the three main areas of the TPACK framework to redesign the syllabus of the three courses.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["An Assessment of Design Principles for Blended Learning Courses"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Deborah Faye Carter","Shamini Dias"],"dc:creator":["Almusfar, Latifa Abdullah"],"dc:date.available":["2023-01-01T08:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["There is limited research defining how efficient and successful blended learning processes can be systematically designed and evaluated. Bitzer et al. (2016) provide seven principles for blended learning design. Their approach is the most comprehensive that appears in the research literature. However, their principles were formulated for corporate training. The purpose of this study is to determine whether and to what extent the principles can translate to the higher education domain. Blended learning is a method that integrates the strengths of synchronous (face-to-face) interactions with asynchronous (online) learning controlled by teachers who restructure their classroom and teach in new time-efficient ways. For instructional design, blended learning is about how to design courses that maximally benefit the learning process. To create effectively-blended courses, a total redesign of teaching methods is required to produce a meaningful and engaging integration between in-class and online learning. To achieve the research objectives of this study, a qualitative method was adopted to determine the efficacy of the use of Bitzer et al.’s (2016) principles of blended learning for higher education courses at Saudi Electronic University (SEU). The data collected through focus groups, and interviews with lecturers and technology support staff. Three case studies were conducted, each one related to an existing SEU blended learning course. These case studies allowed me to have a better understanding of the usage of blended learning in SEU and to know which of the seven principles was applied in SEU. I employed the seven blended learning principles and the three main areas of the TPACK framework to redesign the syllabus of the three courses.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://scholarship.claremont.edu/cgu_etd/664"],"dc:subject":["Blended learning","Saudi Electronic University","Online learning","Higher education domain","Educational Technology","Science and Technology Studies"],"dc:title":["An Assessment of Design Principles for Blended Learning Courses"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Center for Information Systems and Technology"],"thesis:degree_level":["Restricted to Claremont Colleges Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_name":["Information Systems and Technology, PhD"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:40:28Z"}