The Importance of Online Community in Student Academic Performance

This study sought to investigate four separate issues regarding student performance in a blended learning environment in the delivery of a Psychology course to 140 University undergraduates. Firstly, to investigate the relationship between student performance on three different coursework assignments and their performance on interim online assessments. Secondly, to investigate the relationship between student performance on coursework assignments and their perceptions of online community. Thirdly, to investigate the relationship between students' online community scores and their engagement with an online assessment. Finally, to look at the relationship between students' cognitive information processing style and coursework performance. The findings revealed that student coursework performance was positively related to their engagement with the online assessments. Furthermore, student online community scores were related to their coursework performance as was cognitive style. The results are discussed in terms of a consideration of these three factors in course design within a blended learning framework.