Higher education in emergency situation: blended learning prospects and challenges for educators in the developing countries

Abstract

Purpose

Blended learning (BL) is becoming more popular as a method of welcoming a progressively diverse range of students while adding value to the learning environment through the integration of online teaching resources. However, BL's approach of combining online instruction with conventional classroom strategies has received attention and expressed reservations over the years. While several research works have been conducted and draw attention to the global challenges of the BL mode of delivering instruction in BL's entirety, there is still no full idea of the challenges and prospects that exist regarding teacher educators' usage of the approach in higher education institutions (HEIs) in the context of developing countries. As a result, this study investigates the prospects and challenges of BL implementation in HEIs from the perspective of educators.

Design/methodology/approach

Drawing from the technology acceptance model (TAM), qualitative research methods and semi-structured interviews were used to gather insights from 10 educators. The data were analyzed using a thematic data analysis technique to arrive at the outcome of the study.

Findings

The findings reveal that educators deeply comprehend the BL approach and perceive the approach's effectiveness in delivering instruction and student learning. Conversely, educators' challenges are inadequate technology resources, poor internet connections, inadequate professional development training and a dearth of incentives. The study has implications for theory, research, policy enactment and practice regarding the improvement of the BL agenda in HEIs.

Originality/value

The explanatory framework presented here is the qualitative approach to the study of themes regarding the perceptions, prospects and challenges educators experience in their use of the BL approach in teaching and learning in the HEIs.

Citation

Brenya, B. (2023), "Higher education in emergency situation: blended learning prospects and challenges for educators in the developing countries", Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/JARHE-01-2023-0044