Evaluating undergraduate students' engagement in Blended Learning: An integrated Entropy Weight Method (EWM) and DEMATEL approach

Abstract

Blended learning has become a new digital paradigm that has shifted away from the conventional teaching approach, especially after the Covid-19 pandemic. In higher education, the integration of blended learning into a course requires high engagement from both stakeholders, particularly the students as the main audience. However, very few studies to date have applied a systematic and objective method to determine which factors would engage students during blended learning sessions, and how these factors influence one another. To address this gap, this study introduces a combined approach that integrates the Entropy Weight Method (EWM) with the Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) technique to highlight the most predominant engagement factor. EWM is applied to assign objective weights to each criterion based on the variability observed in the data, while DEMATEL is used to uncover cause-and-effect relationships among the criteria. Eight engagement criteria were selected based on previous studies, and undergraduate students at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Negeri Sembilan Branch, Seremban Campus were chosen as the respondents. The results show that Interaction Quality emerged as the most influential factor in shaping students' engagement, followed by Emotional Engagement and Learning Satisfaction. Meanwhile, Technology Support and Instructional Design were identified as the main driving forces that influence the other engagement factors within the system. These findings provide useful guidance for educators and policymakers in identifying which engagement factors should be prioritised when designing strategies to enhance student involvement in blended learning environments.