A Case Study on the Effects of Blended Learning on College Students' Learning Motivation and Learning Outcomes

With the development of online education platforms, college students have widely engaged in blended teaching that combines online tools with face‑to‑face classes. Although research on online courses has surged, case studies focused on how college students actually use online platforms remain limited. Using Zhihuishu as a case, this study collected 289 questionnaires (270 valid users of the platform) and applied descriptive statistics, structural equation modeling (SEM), and chain mediation analysis to examine blended‑learning motivation for using the platform, patterns of use and perceived experience, and how these relate to learning outcomes, including the differential roles of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Findings indicate a clear differentiation in learning motivations: career development needs are the strongest driver, while the extrinsic motive of “studying under pressure” exhibits marked polarization. Regarding outcomes, knowledge transfer is rated highest, whereas perceived improvements in comprehensive competencies are lowest and strongly polarized. SEM shows that better user experience significantly boosts learning outcomes; by contrast, the direct effect of platform usage on outcomes is insignificant, suggesting that merely adding features does not translate into gains. The chain mediation test further shows that extrinsic motivation increases platform use but does not form an effective transmission chain; intrinsic motivation, however, improves outcomes directly. Based on the statistics, we recommend: strengthening career‑oriented drivers by adding case‑based resources; designing more engaging interactions to motivate passive learners; and prioritizing user‑experience optimization to convert motivation into achievement.