Change management in higher education during the implementation of blended learning and evaluation of the impact on learning outcomes and student satisfaction

Abstract

The article examines the implementation of blended learning in universities as a managerially complex transformation affecting institutional norms, participant roles, and educational quality criteria. It is shown that key barriers are associated not so much with technical equipment and platform selection as with cognitive restructuring of teachers and students, reduction of bureaucratic and cognitive overload, and overcoming organizational resistance amid institutional inertia. Based on a comparison of streams where the transition to a blended format was accompanied by structured administrative-methodological support (seminars, technical assistance, regulated feedback) and streams with spontaneous digitalization, stable differences in academic and subjective indicators were identified. In supported groups, higher final scores were recorded (79.84 versus 74.32 on a 100-point scale) with statistically significant differences, reduced variability of results (SD 9.18 versus 12.45), and a decrease in the share of unsatisfactory grades (2,08% versus 5,45%), which is interpreted as an effect of earlier identification of «at-risk» groups and targeted assistance. Satisfaction indices demonstrate that without managerial support, the blended format can worsen the perception of learning quality in terms of feedback and clarity of requirements, increasing stress (7.12 versus 5.03 on a reverse scale), whereas with support, satisfaction increases across all components (including clarity of criteria and technical convenience). Analysis of time expenditures reveals overruns of study time in unsupported groups due to unproductive technical actions and disorientation in resources, while with support, substantive communication is enhanced and work is more evenly distributed throughout the semester. Additionally, greater gains in digital literacy, self-organization, online team interaction, and information security in a managed environment are shown, which allows change management to be considered a determining factor in the educational effect of blended learning and a guideline for designing university regulations and service culture.