Iranian Journal of Learning and Memory

Abstract Objective: This study examined whether blended learning (BL) enhances creative thinking and academic self-regulation in pre-service mathematics teachers compared to traditional instruction. The aim was to provide evidence for updating teacher education with methods that develop these essential skills for future educators.

Method: A quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test design was implemented. Forty-five pre-service teachers were non-randomly assigned to an experimental group (n=22) receiving a 12-session BL course on Algebraic Structures, which integrated online modules with face-to-face collaboration, or a control group (n=23) receiving standard lecture-based instruction for identical content. Primary measures were the Welch & McDowall Creative Thinking Scale and the Bouffard Academic Self-Regulation Scale. Multivariate Analysis of Covariance (MANCOVA) was used for analysis via SPSS-26, controlling for pre-test scores.

Results: The experimental group achieved substantially higher post-test scores in both creative thinking (P < .05, η² = .246) and academic self-regulation (P < .05, η² = .117) compared to the control group. A significant group × time interaction was observed for creative thinking (F = 12.04, P < .01, η² = .215) and academic self-regulation (F = 6.78, P < .05, η² = .133).

Conclusions: The findings indicated that a structured blended learning model is a more effective strategy than traditional methods for developing critical creative and self-regulatory skills in pre-service mathematics teachers, enhancing innovative thinking and metacognitive control, thus equipping educators for contemporary classroom demands.

Abstract The general aim of the present research was to identify and prioritize the components of blended learning in elementary schools. This mixed-method research is of sequential exploratory type. In the qualitative stage, the content analysis method was used while in the quantitative stage, the descriptive survey was applied. Participants of the qualitative part were professors of educational sciences, fifteen of whom were selected for interview in a targeted manner. In vivo, coding was used for data analysis. Finally over 150 indicators and 6 main components (1- tools, 2- contents, 3- teaching method, 4-design, 5-evaluation, and 6- learning theories) were achieved. The research community of the quantitative part included all headmasters and head teachers, experts, and teachers of elementary schools in west Islamabad, in 2017-2018 academic year. Out of 650 individuals, 242 individual were selected through a stratified random sampling method with Morgan table. A questionnaire was designed and distributed based on the findings whose face validity was confirmed by the professors with the reliability of 0.87.  For descriptive analysis, the central and dispersion parameters were used, and for inferential analysis, the Smirnov test, Friedman test were applied using SPSS & LISREL. In addition to confirming and explaining the components, the findings showed that the internal correlation between the six components of the blended learning education is positive and meaningful, meaning that the application and promotion of each component in a combination allows the application, enhancement and strengthening of the other components.