Higher vocational education has been on a trajectory of rapid development. However, the challenge of fostering effective learning in students persists. In response to this, a study was undertaken to explore the impact of an optimized model of SPOC-based blended learning (SPOC-BL) on student presence, learning satisfaction, learning motivation, and academic performance in C language programming course. This quasi-experimental study spanned a period of three months and involved 92 students from two classes in a higher vocational school. Quantitative research methods were employed to analyze students’ academic performance and their interrelationship among student presence, learning satisfaction, learning motivation in SPOC-BL approach. Analysis of Covariance, paired samples t-tests, and multiple regression analysis were conducted to analyze students’ performance on achievement tests and student surveys. The results showed substantial improvements in student presence, learning motivation, learning satisfaction, and academic achievement as direct outcomes of the innovative instructional approach. The findings illuminated significant effects for all factors, with student presence exerting the most significant influence, followed closely by learning motivation, and with learning satisfaction playing a smaller yet still meaningful role. The study will inform the design and implementation of blended learning in higher vocational education.