Student Preferences for Online Interaction Platforms in Blended Learning: A Mixed-Methods Study

2026-03-07

AI Summary

This study investigates university students’ preferences and actual usage patterns regarding online interaction platforms in blended learning contexts, revealing a significant mismatch between student choices and institutional learning management systems. Situated within Ghanaian higher education, the research systematically identifies five key factors influencing platform selection: convenience, familiarity, ease of use, peer adoption, and support for real-time interaction. Employing a mixed-methods approach—integrating structured questionnaires, quantitative statistical analysis, and qualitative content analysis—the findings demonstrate a strong student preference for mainstream instant messaging tools such as WhatsApp and Telegram over official platforms. The study offers empirical evidence and practical insights for aligning blended learning design with students’ digital practices, thereby enhancing pedagogical effectiveness and user engagement in technology-mediated education.

Technology Category

• Application Domains: Humanities & Computational Social Science
• Machine Learning: Learning Preferences or Rankings
• Humans and AI: Interaction Techniques and Devices

Application Category

• Economics, Online Markets and Human Computation: Economics and fairness of platforms and recommendation systems
• User Modeling, Personalization and Recommendation: Practical large-scale studies of user experience
• Systems and Infrastructure for Web, Mobile and WoT: Web applications in cross-disciplinary domains and verticals such as mixed reality, smart cities, and digital health

Abstract

As higher education increasingly adopts blended learning, understanding students preferences for online interaction platforms becomes critical for effective course delivery and engagement. This study investigates the platforms undergraduate students prefer for academic communication and explores the underlying reasons for these choices. Data were collected from 37 students enrolled in two summer courses at a Ghanaian university using a structured questionnaire consisting of both closed and open-ended items. Quantitative results revealed a strong preference for instant messaging platforms such as WhatsApp and Telegram over institutional learning management systems. Qualitative content analysis of the open-ended responses identified five key factors influencing platform preference: convenience and familiarity, ease of use, accessibility, popularity among peers, and support for real-time interactions. These findings highlight a significant mismatch between students communication habits and institutional platform offerings. The study highlights the importance of aligning digital learning strategies with students lived digital experiences to enhance interaction, collaboration, and learner satisfaction in blended learning environments.

Problem

• blended learning
• student preferences
• online interaction platforms
• learning management systems
• digital communication

Innovation

• blended learning
• student preferences
• online interaction platforms
• instant messaging
• mixed-methods study