The Art of Promoting Blended Learning through Blended Pedagogies in Higher Education Classrooms

The transformation of teaching and learning has increasingly become explicit and common in higher education institutions. The teaching and learning policies and principles for international and national educational systems dictate access to education for all. Instructors and students were subjected to the abrupt educational changes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which required advanced and specialised skills, knowledge, competency and attitude from instructors to facilitate learning. The new normal situation required the exploration of innovative and alternative ways of teaching. Technology became the mode of instruction for convenience and effectiveness in curricula delivery. This study explored the art of promoting blended learning through active blended pedagogies for exceptional classroom contexts. These pedagogies and learning methods are characterised to be flexible and innovative to teach in non-traditional ways. The grounded and constructivist theories provided the premise of reference. The Life Orientation Level 3 pre-service student teachers were included in this inquiry to understand their learning contexts. Focus group interviews were conducted to obtain their experiences of these alternative teaching and learning approaches and contexts. The findings revealed that students benefited from the unconventional teaching and learning teaching models. This study concludes that higher education institutions can play a vital role in reinforcing the use of technology and e-learning systems to promote teaching and learning. Based on the findings, the study recommends that the higher education institutions completely implement the blended e-learning systems and technology to enhance students’ learning experiences and for improved teacher efficiency. Keywords: Blended Pedagogies, Blended Learning, Higher Education Classroom, Instructor, Non-Traditional.