Relationship between Creation and Academic Performance in an Interest- Creation-Driven HyFlex Course

Abstract

Hybrid-flexible (HyFlex) learning is an innovative pedagogical model that provides students with the flexibility to participate in learning via physical, online synchronous, or online asynchronous mode for each session. Most previous studies have found that interventions designed based on the creation loop of the Interest-driven Creator (IDC) theory had positive effects on academic performance among students. However, there is a lack of understanding regarding the relationship between creation and academic performance in the context of a HyFlex learning setting among Malaysian undergraduate students. This study designed and implemented an eight-week HyFlex instruction based on the creation loop of IDC theory. This study involved 65 undergraduate education majors who experienced the HyFlex course. Their perceived creation was measured via a creation questionnaire developed by the authors based on the creation loop of IDC theory. Their academic performance was measured by a rubric-referenced assessment. The results showed that the students reported a high perception of creation and obtained good academic performance. Nevertheless, Pearson correlation analysis revealed that creation was not significantly associated with academic performance. The findings indicate a potential gap between students’ perceptions of creation and actual creative output quality. The insignificant results may also be due to the creation-assessment misalignment and the inherent challenges of HyFlex learning. Future qualitative studies could be conducted to explore the factors behind the insignificant results found in this study.