Practice and application of blended teaching based on RG-UClass in a preventive medicine course.

BACKGROUND: In the post-pandemic era, online teaching has become a cornerstone of higher education, especially for delivering structured medical knowledge. This study assessed the effectiveness of a blended teaching approach using the RG-UClass (Ruijie-UClass) smart platform in preventive medicine courses, aiming to provide empirical evidence of its impact and potential to improve learning outcomes. METHODS: This quasi-experimental study enrolled 107 Grade 2019 clinical medicine students. Two intact classes were selected from all eight classes: Class 1 (n = 56, the control group) received traditional classroom teaching, while Class 2 (n = 51, the intervention group) received RG-UClass-based blended teaching. Course examinations and questionnaires were analyzed using the SPSS statistical software (Student's t-test and F-test). RESULTS: Students in the intervention group consistently outperformed the control group on pre-class, in-class, and post-course tests (p < 0.01), with the performance gap widening significantly over time (F = 23.615, p < 0.01). Furthermore, the intervention group obtained significantly higher total learning scores on the Student Engagement Scale (SES) compared with the control group (58.69 ± 11.34 vs. 50.96 ± 10.09; t = 3.997, p = 0.003), particularly in learning emotions, learning engagement, and learning performance (p < 0.0083). Notably, Biggs analysis also revealed significantly higher total deep learning scores (27.97 ± 6.24 vs. 25.04 ± 6.01; t = 3.981, p = 0.004) and deep learning strategy scores (14.85 ± 3.54 vs. 12.83 ± 2.89; t = 3.511, p = 0.006) in the intervention group. CONCLUSION: The RG-UClass-based blended model demonstrates reproducibility and adaptable flexibility, fostering student interest, initiative, and improved academic performance.