Adaptation of Junior Undergraduate Students in Blended and Distance Learning Formats

Abstract

Abstract: Aim. The article focuses on the way first-year students adjust to learning conditions shaped by blended and distance formats. Attention is given to how this adjustment develops during the initial stage of university study and to whether similar or divergent patterns can be observed among student cohorts admitted in different years. The issue has become particularly visible in the context of expanding hybrid learning practices, which complicate students’ entry into the academic environment. Methods. The empirical material for the study was drawn from a questionnaire completed by first-year students representing three entry cohorts (2023–2025). In total, 476 responses were examined. The questionnaire was created for the purposes of this research and addressed organisational arrangements, learning requirements, and forms of academic interaction associated with blended and distance learning. The analysis involved summarising the responses and comparing cohort-specific tendencies. Results. Students from the three entry years describe very similar adjustment problems in their first semester. The issue that comes up most often is attendance in the online part of the course: a number of students do not treat it as “real attendance” in the same way as classroom sessions. This reading of the format then spills over into everyday study habits when they log in, how they schedule tasks, and how actively they participate. Only a limited group of respondents shows a high level of adjustment, while many students continue to experience moderate or persistent challenges during their first year of study. Conclusions. Adaptation in blended and distance learning cannot be understood solely in terms of individual learning strategies. Much depends on how participation rules are communicated and how consistently they are applied. Early organisational guidance and clearly framed expectations reduce uncertainty during the initial phase of university study.