The investigation of English language courses delivered through face-to-face and blended learning in terms of students' academic achievement and satisfaction

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of blended learning and face-to-face learning models in English language instruction through a multidimensional and comparative analytical framework. The pervasive influence of digitalization in higher education has accelerated the integration of online components into instructional design, positioning blended learning as a transformative pedagogical paradigm rather than a mere technological adjunct. Despite this shift, the extant literature presents a limited number of empirical studies that rigorously compare the pedagogical outcomes of blended and face-to-face modalities within a unified methodological structure, particularly with regard to achievement, sub-skill development, and learner satisfaction in preparatory EFL contexts. To address this gap, a mixed-methods design was adopted, in which qualitative findings were employed to elaborate and contextualize quantitative results. The study was conducted with 47 preparatory EFL students enrolled at Muş Alparslan University during the 2023–2024 academic year. The instructional intervention for the blended learning group incorporated Web 2.0 tools, online instructional resources, interactive activities, and a digital learning management system, while the face-to-face group continued with conventional classroom-based instruction. Data were gathered through an English achievement test, a learner satisfaction scale, and semi-structured interviews. Quantitative data were analyzed using parametric statistical procedures, whereas qualitative data underwent descriptive and thematic content analysis. Quantitative findings revealed no statistically significant difference between the two instructional models in overall academic achievement. However, skill-specific analyses indicated that blended learning yielded superior outcomes in reading and listening skills, while no significant differences emerged in grammar performance. Learner satisfaction scores demonstrated a clear advantage for the blended learning group across multiple dimensions, including general satisfaction, instructional content and methodology, accessibility, orientation, and assessment. Qualitative results further indicated that blended learning supports learner autonomy, enhances flexibility, promotes resource richness, and fosters motivational engagement. Nevertheless, participants also reported challenges related to technological access, connectivity issues, and time management. Conversely, face-to-face instruction was perceived as advantageous in terms of immediacy of feedback, teacher-student interaction, and classroom orchestration. Overall, the study concludes that although blended learning does not surpass face-to-face instruction in general achievement, it offers notable pedagogical benefits in sub-skill development and learner satisfaction. These findings underscore the potential of blended learning as a robust pedagogical model for EFL instruction in higher education, particularly with respect to autonomy, flexibility, technology integration, and differentiated learning pathways. Keywords: Blended Learning, Face-To-Face Learning, Academic Achievement, Learner Satisfaction, EFL Instruction, Educational Technologies.