Artificial Intelligence and Blended Learning: Challenges, Opportunities, and Future Directions

A special issue of Education Sciences (ISSN 2227-7102). This special issue belongs to the section "Technology Enhanced Education".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 September 2025 | Viewed by 30242

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Director, Centre for Innovative Teaching & Learning (CITL) Professor, School of Arts & Humanities, Tung Wah College, Hong Kong, China
Interests: artificial intelligence; blended learning; information systems; higher education

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to announce a call for papers on the theme of "Artificial Intelligence and Blended Learning: Challenges, Opportunities, and Future Directions". This Special Issue aims to explore the intersection between artificial intelligence (AI) and blended learning, with a focus on innovative research and practical applications that enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of blended learning environments.

Blended learning, combining traditional face-to-face instruction with online or digital components, has become increasingly prevalent in educational settings. AI, with its capabilities in data analysis, machine learning and natural language processing, holds great promise for transforming the landscape of blended learning. It offers opportunities to personalize instruction, provide intelligent tutoring systems, automate assessment processes and create immersive learning experiences.

We invite researchers and practitioners from diverse disciplines to contribute original research papers, case studies and theoretical perspectives that shed light on the potential of AI in enhancing blended learning. The topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

  1. Adaptive learning platforms and personalized instruction in blended learning;
  2. Intelligent tutoring systems and their application in blended learning environments;
  3. Natural language processing for language learning in blended settings;
  4. Data analytics and learning analytics in blended learning research;
  5. Automated grading and feedback mechanisms in blended learning assessments;
  6. Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) in blended learning;
  7. Intelligent content recommendation systems for blended learning;
  8. Predictive modeling and personalized learning paths in blended learning.

We encourage contributors to explore theoretical frameworks, present empirical studies, and share practical insights on the integration of AI in blended learning. Submissions should demonstrate a clear research methodology, present novel findings, and offer implications for both research and practice.

Accepted papers will be published in a Special Issue of Education Sciences, providing a platform for scholars to disseminate their work to a global audience. This Special Issue will contribute to the advancement of knowledge in the field of blended learning and AI, fostering collaboration and innovation.

Please refer to our journal's website for detailed submission guidelines. We look forward to receiving your contributions and collectively advancing the frontiers of AI in blended learning research and applications

Prof. Dr. Will W. K. Ma
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Education Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • artificial intelligence (AI)
  • blended learning
  • information systems
  • data analytics
  • adaptive learning
  • personalized learning
  • assessments and feedback
  • natural language processing

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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22 pages, 5384 KiB  
Article
Evaluating an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Model Designed for Education to Identify Its Accuracy: Establishing the Need for Continuous AI Model Updates
by Navdeep Verma, Seyum Getenet, Christopher Dann and Thanveer Shaik
Educ. Sci. 2025, 15(4), 403; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15040403 - 23 Mar 2025
Viewed by 373
Abstract
The growing popularity of online learning brings with it inherent challenges that must be addressed, particularly in enhancing teaching effectiveness. Artificial intelligence (AI) offers potential solutions by identifying learning gaps and providing targeted improvements. However, to ensure their reliability and effectiveness in educational [...] Read more.
The growing popularity of online learning brings with it inherent challenges that must be addressed, particularly in enhancing teaching effectiveness. Artificial intelligence (AI) offers potential solutions by identifying learning gaps and providing targeted improvements. However, to ensure their reliability and effectiveness in educational contexts, AI models must be rigorously evaluated. This study aimed to evaluate the performance and reliability of an AI model designed to identify the characteristics and indicators of engaging teaching videos. The research employed a design-based approach, incorporating statistical analysis to evaluate the AI model’s accuracy by comparing its assessments with expert evaluations of teaching videos. Multiple metrics were employed, including Cohen’s Kappa, Bland–Altman analysis, the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC), and Pearson/Spearman correlation coefficients, to compare the AI model’s results with those of the experts. The findings indicated low agreement between the AI model’s assessments and those of the experts. Cohen’s Kappa values were low, suggesting minimal categorical agreement. Bland–Altman analysis showed moderate variability with substantial differences in results, and both Pearson and Spearman correlations revealed weak relationships, with values close to zero. The ICC indicated moderate reliability in quantitative measurements. Overall, these results suggest that the AI model requires continuous updates to improve its accuracy and effectiveness. Future work should focus on expanding the dataset and utilise continual learning methods to enhance the model’s ability to learn from new data and improve its performance over time. Full article
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17 pages, 281 KiB  
Article
Subject-Specialized Chatbot in Higher Education as a Tutor for Autonomous Exam Preparation: Analysis of the Impact on Academic Performance and Students’ Perception of Its Usefulness
by Fulgencio Sánchez-Vera
Educ. Sci. 2025, 15(1), 26; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15010026 - 30 Dec 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1498
Abstract
This study evaluates the impact of an AI chatbot as a support tool for second-year students in the Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education program during final exam preparation. Over 1-month, 42 students used the chatbot, generating 704 interactions across 186 conversations. The [...] Read more.
This study evaluates the impact of an AI chatbot as a support tool for second-year students in the Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education program during final exam preparation. Over 1-month, 42 students used the chatbot, generating 704 interactions across 186 conversations. The study aimed to assess the chatbot’s effectiveness in resolving specific questions, enhancing concept comprehension, and preparing for exams. Methods included surveys, in-depth interviews, and analysis of chatbot interactions. Results showed that the chatbot was highly effective in clarifying doubts (91.4%) and aiding concept understanding (95.7%), although its perceived usefulness was lower in content review (42.9%) and exam simulations (45.4%). Students with moderate chatbot use achieved better academic outcomes, while excessive use did not lead to further improvements. The study also identified challenges in students’ ability to formulate effective questions, limiting the chatbot’s potential in some areas. Overall, the chatbot was valued for fostering study autonomy, though improvements are needed in features supporting motivation and study organization. These findings highlight the potential of chatbots as complementary learning tools but underscore the need for better user training in “prompt engineering” to maximize their effectiveness. Full article

Other

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18 pages, 7518 KiB  
Systematic Review
ChatGPT in Teaching and Learning: A Systematic Review
by Duha Ali, Yasin Fatemi, Elahe Boskabadi, Mohsen Nikfar, Jude Ugwuoke and Haneen Ali
Educ. Sci. 2024, 14(6), 643; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14060643 - 14 Jun 2024
Cited by 22 | Viewed by 27279
Abstract
The increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) in education has raised questions about the implications of ChatGPT for teaching and learning. A systematic literature review was conducted to answer these questions, analyzing 112 scholarly articles to identify the potential benefits and challenges related [...] Read more.
The increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) in education has raised questions about the implications of ChatGPT for teaching and learning. A systematic literature review was conducted to answer these questions, analyzing 112 scholarly articles to identify the potential benefits and challenges related to ChatGPT use in educational settings. The selection process was thorough to ensure a comprehensive analysis of the current academic discourse on AI tools in education. Our research sheds light on the significant impact of ChatGPT on improving student engagement and accessibility and the critical issues that need to be considered, including concerns about the quality and bias of generated responses, the risk of plagiarism, and the authenticity of educational content. The study aims to summarize the utilizations of ChatGPT in teaching and learning by addressing the identified benefits and challenges through targeted strategies. The authors outlined some recommendations that will ensure that the integration of ChatGPT into educational frameworks enhances learning outcomes while safeguarding academic standards. Full article
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