Student Experiences with Blended Learning at a South African University During the Pandemic

Online learning was introduced as a mode of delivery at most universities in South Africa during 2020 due to the pandemic. In 2021 blended learning was implemented at some Universities to cater for students who needed to attend practical tutorials and lab work as part of their degree. This trend appears to continue in 2022 with more Universities considering blended learning as a transition to the new normal. In this paper, the blended learning experiences of eleven students at a South African University was evaluated by means of online interviews. The Blended Learning Assessment framework was used as a lens to present the students readiness for blended learning and was structured around the blended learning options and their related factors. This research highlighted a number of student readiness factors and blended learning options that impacted on the quality of learning. Future research needs to expand on these factors and also examine lecturer and institutional readiness in the transitioning from online to blended learning.