From Chalks to Clicks: Examining the Interrelationships Among Traditional, Blended, and Microlearning Approaches

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.52562/jdle.2026.1880

Keywords:

Blended learning, microlearning, traditional face-to-face learning, higher learning, Tanzania

Abstract

Higher education is shifting from traditional classroom teaching towards technology-driven methods, yet traditional, blended, and microlearning approaches are rarely compared together. This study examined how perceptions of the three approaches vary by age, gender, and education level, how the approaches correlate, and which benefits of microlearning students value most. A self-designed online survey was completed by 233 higher-education students in Tanzania. Data were analyzed using independent-samples t-tests, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), correlation and regression analysis, and the Relative Importance Index (RII). Blended learning and microlearning were strongly correlated (r = 0.637, p < 0.001), whereas traditional learning correlated only weakly with each (r = 0.18). Preferences did not differ significantly by gender, education level, or age. Learners rated flexibility and convenience (RII = 1.00) and time efficiency (RII = 0.85) as the main benefits of microlearning, which suggests that it is best applied within blended learning.

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Author Biography

  • Fred Yaredi Mgata, Teacher Education Policy and Practice, Institute for Teacher Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, P.R. China
    Fred Mgata is an assistant lecturer at the Department of Education and Teaching, Mzumbe University, Tanzania, and a PhD student at Beijing Normal University, China.

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Published

2026-02-20

How to Cite

From Chalks to Clicks: Examining the Interrelationships Among Traditional, Blended, and Microlearning Approaches. (2026). Journal of Digital Learning and Education, 6(1), A1880. https://doi.org/10.52562/jdle.2026.1880