Moving on to a 'new normal': Teacher educators' concerns about blended learning in the post-COVID-19 Era

This research delves into the apprehensions of teacher educators (referred to as TEs) concerning Blended Learning (hereafter BL) in higher education during pedagogical evolution, particularly in the post-COVID-19 era. Qualitative analysis of open-ended questionnaires and focus group interviews revealed insights into TEs' concerns. The primary findings illuminate four contexts of concern: discipline, pedagogical methods, socio-emotional aspects, and curricular considerations. The TEs voiced concerns regarding disciplinary positioning, apprehensions about potential compromises to professional autonomy if flexibility and diversity principles are not upheld, comfort in engaging with the emotional facets of their students within the digital environment, and a desire to explore unfamiliar terrains, highlighting the significance of the curricular component to their professional identity.