Nudging in Blended Learning: Evaluation of Email-based progress feedback in a Flipped-Classroom Information Systems Course

For blended learning (i.e., teaching modes that combine online and traditional classroom-based teaching) to be effective, it is of utmost importance that learners regularly follow asynchronously provided online content so that they appear adequately prepared to the face-to-face classes. This research tests whether certain “nudges”, implemented as individualized email-based feedback on the learner’s online lecture viewing progress, have a measurable effect on the extent and intensity of online learning behavior. We used a flipped-classroom graduate Information Systems (IS) course as an experimental setting to test whether learners were more likely to view videos (extent) and viewed more video minutes (intensity) subsequent to receiving such a nudging email on week and day levels. We also tested for potential interaction with variables such as gender and time. Our findings not only provide that the email-based nudges are effective, but also that male learners react stronger to these nudges than female learners, while these nudging effects also get weaker over the duration of a course. Our findings hold important implications for the design of learning management systems for online and blended learning.