Curriculum Adaptation for Blended Learning in Resource-Scarce Contexts

Abstract

Drawing on three action research case studies involving several African universities, this article critically explores how academics converted their previously pure classroom-based courses for delivery through blended learning. The case studies reflect resource-scarce contexts where limited access to digital technology and the internet poses unique challenges to universities seeking to scale-up management education to the geographically distant and culturally diverse student population. Results from analyzing the case studies, through the concept of curriculum adaptation, were drawn upon to develop a theoretical framework for use by academics planning to transition from face-to-face to blended learning environments. The article uncovers the difficulties of, and opportunities for, creating learning communities that enable classroom-based, face-to-face teaching to be blended with online learning in ways that foster locally relevant, purposive interactions among academics and students, while scaling-up access to management education. The article concludes with a discussion of opportunities for management educators to introduce online learning in their existing classroom-based management courses.

Online learning in management education amid the pandemic: A bibliometric and content analysis

“…Students reported themselves to have a lower level of motivation, and find it hard to adapt to new modes in online learning environments ( Mousa, 2021 ). , there is a lack of resources (e.g., digital technology, the internet infrastructure) to support the geographically distant and culturally diverse students ( Ngoasong, 2022 ). However, the pandemic brings out the issue of crisis management that educators and students have never met before.…”

“…To tackle these challenges, researchers propose practical recommendations to adapt their teaching strategies and strengthen their pedagogies and technologies for enhancing students’ business-related knowledge and skills ( Mousa, 2021 ; Ngoasong, 2022 ). The faculty needs to enhance centralized decision making, stakeholder engagement, and international cooperation for sharing good practices ( Mousa, 2021 ).…”

“… The faculty needs to enhance centralized decision making, stakeholder engagement, and international cooperation for sharing good practices ( Mousa, 2021 ). It needs a purposeful effort to bring existing materials into alignment with new perspectives through supplementing, adapting, and transforming those materials ( Ngoasong, 2022 ). Teachers need to create modern learning environments, new materials and adapt their existing curriculum to the new execution and delivery modes for enabling dynamic interactions among teachers, learners, subject matter, and settings ( Ngoasong, 2022 ).…”

“…It needs a purposeful effort to bring existing materials into alignment with new perspectives through supplementing, adapting, and transforming those materials ( Ngoasong, 2022 ). Teachers need to create modern learning environments, new materials and adapt their existing curriculum to the new execution and delivery modes for enabling dynamic interactions among teachers, learners, subject matter, and settings ( Ngoasong, 2022 ). University students need to prepare themselves for digital competencies and discover new opportunities, especially entering the job market and society ( Coraiola et al, 2022 ).…”

Students' Perception of ODL Using Telegram as a Japanese Language Learning Platform

“…Mathew and Chung (2020) stressed that some students requested the lecturer not to use the live applications because it consumed a lot of mobile data. Another problem identified is insufficient preparation and training time for instructors (Kassymova, 2018;Aksarina et al, 2019) and adapting to existing curricula or developing new course syllabuses (Ngoasong, 2021).…”