Hybrid Learning Leads to Better Achievement and Higher Satisfaction than Pure eLearning. Is it that Easy?

When designing a hybrid or a blended learning concept many choices are to be made. Different eLearning arrangements can be combined with different ftf learning arrangements. The blend of learning comprises more than just combining web-based with ftf arrangements. Among other decisions designers of eLearning and blended learning arrangements have to decide how the collaboration of learners is supported in a course. Possibilities for collaboration can be offered by web-based facilities or by ftf meetings. In the present paper different online facilities for collaboration and ftf communication were compared to each other. It was investigated how efficient learners collaborate in these settings and how satisfied they are. The results show that designers of online courses have to keep in mind how suitable certain communication settings are for a specific didactic approach. Whether a learning arrangement was suitable, was dependent on the type of task which groups of learners had to solve together.