Impact of Blended Learning on Academic Achievement and Self-Assessed Confidence: Evidence from Postgraduate Family Medicine in Pakistan
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51985/Keywords:
Education, Family Practice, Self-assessment, Medical, GraduateAbstract
Objective: To evaluate the impact of a one-year blended learning program on academic achievement and self-assessed confidence among postgraduate Family Medicine students in Pakistan.
Study design and setting: A retrospective analysis conducted at a public sector Pakistani university.
Methodology: Data from 20 students who completed a six-module Family Medicine certificate program (2022–2024) were analyzed. Each module included a 15-item multiple-choice pre- and post-test and a self-assessment of confidence level using a three-point scale. The Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test compared pre- and post-test scores, while frequency distributions examined changes in self-assessed confidence.
Results: Mean test scores increased significantly from 8.1 ± 3.2 to 11.3 ± 3.8 (p<0.001). Self-assessed confidence levels rose markedly: the proportion of students reporting comfort increased from an average of 16% pre-module to 54% postmodule, while discomfort decreased from 12% to 2%. Improvements were consistent across most modules, though Module 2 showed a smaller, non-significant gain.
Conclusions: Blended learning significantly enhances academic performance and self-assessed confidence in postgraduate Family Medicine education. These parallel improvements suggest the approach effectively bridges theoretical knowledge and professional confidence, supporting its adoption in specialized medical training programs. The findings underscore blended learning’s potential to address both cognitive and affective learning domains simultaneously.
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