Blended Learning Implementation Experience in an Undergraduate Course at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Nigeria

The persistence of the Coronavirus pandemic, necessitating the need for people to maintain social distance is the climax of series of events that has made the adoption of fully online or blended learning a must in all higher institutions around the world, and Nigeria in particular. When about to introduce blended learning, the instructor is at a crossroad as to what tools to use, as well as when, and how to use them. Following the maxim that says that “experience is the best teacher”, the focus of this expository paper is to share some of the experiences gathered in the course of using a learning management system as well as a social networking site in the delivery of a large-class undergraduate course in a South-Western Nigerian University. Handwritten records, focus group interviews, and screenshots of activities that took place in the two platforms were used to highlight the experiences on the two learning platforms as well as the challenges encountered. The outcome of the study showed that the Edmodo LMS has many features that make it appropriate for starting blended or fully online programmes in the Nigerian setting. The WhatsApp SNS effectively played a complementary role to the Edmodo LMS. The study recommended that Institutional support for blended learning should include the provision of infrastructure for stable electricity supply and strong internet connectivity; free/subsidized internet access to staff and students, and sponsoring research and development on blended learning.