Blended Learning through the “Digital Classes-Morocco” Platform: Effects on Achievement and Retention in Mathematics

This study explored the impact of blended learning through the platform Digital Classes-Morocco (DCM) on students’ math achievement and knowledge retention. A quasi-experimental research design was employed to investigate the influence of blended learning on students’ academic achievement and knowledge retention of third-grade middle school students about the module on the Thales theorem. The study involved 80 participants, divided into an experimental group and a control group containing 40 participants. The data collection tools included three tests to assess mathematical achievement: a pretest, a posttest, and a retention test. The pretest and posttest contained 20 multiple-choice questions, with the posttest questions reused in the retention test. Three experts validated these tools. The control group underwent conventional face-to-face instruction, while the experimental group engaged in blended instruction through the DCM platform. Thus, the pretests, posttests, and retention tests assessing mathematics achievement scores were conducted for both groups. Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) revealed a statistically significant difference, with the experimental group outperforming the control group in both achievement and retention scores. Thus, students who engaged in blended learning through the DCM platform scored higher in academic achievement and knowledge retention than those who underwent conventional face-to-face instruction. According to the findings, it is recommended that strategies for blended learning be incorporated into mathematics instruction and that the curriculum be reviewed to include strategies that help students improve their educational outcomes, enhance their understanding and knowledge retention, and apply them in solving new problems.