Objective To explore the effect of online and in-person joint education mode on patients on basal insulin therapy. Methods Totally, 100 patients starting basal insulin therapy were evenly randomized into 2 groups. The control group received conventional in-hospital and discharge education, while the intervention group received online and in-person joint education. Plasma glucose levels, self-management ability, insulin injection willingness and the incidence rate of injection-related adverse events were compared between the two groups after 3 months. Results Ninety-seven patients finally completed the research. After the intervention, the levels of fasting plasma glucose (FPG), 2-hour postprandial blood glucose (2hPG) and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and the incidence rate of insulin injection-related adverse events in the intervention group were significantly lower in the intervention group than those in the control group; self-management ability and insulin injection willingness in the intervention group were significantly higher than in the controls （P＜0.05, P＜0.01). Conclusion The online and in-person joint education mode can improve blood glucose control, self-management ability and insulin injection willingness among patients on basal insulin therapy, while reducing the incidence rate of insulin injection adverse events.