UNDERSTANDING BARRIERS OF INSTRUCTOR ADOPTION OF BLENDED LEARNING IN AN INTERNATIONAL SETTING

Worldwide, the education system has witnessed an enormous transformation, especially in this last decade. Innovations in information and communication technology are rapidly evolving and improving in this field. As a result of these developments and the COVID-19 protocols of the past, today’s education system is no longer limited to a traditional classroom. The use of internet and communication technologies (ICTs) to assist pedagogy has a vast impact, particularly on the higher education sector. ICTs have changed the way higher education is delivered, assessed, and managed. This global study involved a U.S.-based university providing instructors at African universities course materials to teach in a blended learning (BL) format. Participants were significantly more positive about the quality of the content and their comfort level in carrying out the course discussions due to the BL platform. Most participants observed improved student interaction and communication. This study has implications for the encouragement of faculty adoption of BL platforms.