Factors Affecting Learning in Block Mode Teaching: Challenges and Recommendations

The study aimed to investigate factors influencing students’ learning in a Block Mode Learning (BML) environment in higher education. Therefore, the study examined the development of and performed a user study on the 4Cs—critical thinking, creativity, communication, and collaboration—which were integrated with BML as an effective and engaging learning aid. Another aim was to explore the challenges encountered by teachers in Block Mode Teaching (BMT) and to propose some recommendations for addressing those challenges. Therefore, a mixed-method approach was employed. First, we administered a survey and performed quantitative analysis with 58 student participants. Regression analysis was conducted to determine whether EI type influenced 4C skills in a BML environment. We identified the effects of different types of emotional intelligence (EI)—self-awareness, self-regulation, and social skill—on each of the 4Cs in a BML environment. Learner self-awareness and social skill were discovered to significantly influence 4C skills in the BML environment; self-awareness had the strongest effect. Conversely, self-regulation did not significantly influence the 4Cs. Pearson correlation analysis revealed that learner performance and each of the 4Cs were positively related to learning performance. Secondly, six teachers participated in a semi-structured interview to clarify their challenges in BMT. The collected data were analyzed in ATLAS.ti using an emergent thematic approach. The results uncovered three primary themes: education evaluation and feedback, lecture preparation intensity and fatigue management, and faculty development for personalized learning. Finally, recommendations and implications are provided.