Evaluating the Effectiveness of Online, In-Person, and Hybrid Learning: A Case Study of Engineering Disciplines at a Chinese Technical University

The effectiveness of technical education may vary depending on the delivery method. This study compared the effects of online, face-to-face (F2F), and hybrid learning on engineering students’ academic performance. The study involved 450 second-year students pursuing an engineering degree at a technical university in China. The pre-test and post-test scores for the five core academic subjects (i.e., computer programming, further mathematics, physics, electrical engineering, and analytical mechanics) revealed a statistically significant improvement in academic performance across all subjects after use of hybrid learning (p < 0.000). The average gains were 3.46 points in computer programming, 4.07 points in further mathematics, 3.24 points in physics, 2.5 points in electrical engineering, and 3.06 points in analytical mechanics. The online and F2F delivery groups exhibited a statistically significant improvement with respect to scores for electrical engineering (p < 0.000) and physics (p < 0.002) only. The one-way ANOVA and Scheffe’s test results revealed that the hybrid model had the strongest learning effects compared to online and F2F. A SWOT analysis helped to further explore students’ perceptions of the three delivery formats. The present findings, which highlighted the effectiveness of hybrid learning, can be helpful in creating adaptive learning programs for engineering students.