Application of ARCS Model for a Blended Teaching Methodologies: A Study of Students’ Motivation amid the COVID-19

INTRODUCTION: A well-developed course in accordance with sound instructional design principles and successfully delivered multiple times in a traditional face-to-face classroom mode failed to stimulate students’ motivation to learn in an online delivery mode amidst the COVID-19 outbreak. This paper contributes by presenting a case study on the application of ARCS models to enhance efficacy of an online course and students engagement.

OBJECTIVES: A motivational framework based on the processes outlined in the ARCS model, implemented, and tested using a single-case study.

METHODS: A cohort of seventy-five undergraduate students aged between 24 to 29 years from different program majors enrolled in a six-week mandatory IT in Business course participated in this research. A blend of a traditional flipped classroom and gamified teaching methodologies were applied in alignment with the ARCS model’s four motivational factors: attention, relevance, confidence, and satisfaction, associated process, and strategies. Before, during, and after treatment surveys based on the original Instructional Material Motivation Survey (IMMS) with 36 questions were conducted to determine the effectiveness of blended teaching methodologies (BTM) on students’ motivation.

RESULTS: The BTM based on the ARCS model, process, and strategies have enhanced and/or sustained students’ motivation and kept the subject interesting in an online environment, and ultimately improved their learning.

CONCLUSION: An adaptive implementation of BTM aligned with ARCS models, process, and associated strategies can enable the enhancement and/or sustainability of students’ motivation. The lecturers or designer should identify the right combination of BTM and activities through iterative motivational feedback of the students during course delivery.