Perceived Efficacy of Blended Learning in Social Work Education: A Student-Centered Evaluation from a Philippine Private Higher Education Institution

Abstract

This study examined the perceived efficacy of blended learning among Social Work students at Colegio de San Francisco Javier of Rizal, Incorporated within the context of post-pandemic higher education. Anchored on the Community of Inquiry (CoI) Framework, Constructivist Learning Theory, and Self-Regulated Learning (SRL) Theory, the study investigated students’ perceptions regarding technology integration, instructional design, student engagement, academic preparedness, and self-regulation in a blended learning environment. Using a descriptive-quantitative research design, data were gathered from 243 Social Work students through a validated Likert-scale questionnaire with a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.91. Results revealed that students generally perceived blended learning as effective and supportive of their learning experiences, particularly in the use of multimedia resources, flexible access to instructional materials, collaborative activities, and diverse teaching strategies. Students also reported improved motivation, time management, and learner autonomy within blended learning environments. However, areas requiring improvement included online discussions, assessment fairness, organization of digital materials, workload management, and scheduling convenience. The findings suggest that the effectiveness of blended learning depends not only on technology availability but also on instructional quality, learner support systems, faculty preparedness, and institutional responsiveness to students’ contextual realities. The study concludes that blended learning has strong potential to support inclusive, flexible, and student-centered Social Work education in provincial higher education institutions when supported by accessible digital infrastructure, effective instructional practices, and responsive academic support mechanisms. The findings contribute to ongoing discussions on flexible learning implementation in Philippine higher education and support Sustainable Development Goal 4 on quality education.