Post-pandemic blended learning: How learners utilise technology for academic success

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic's disruption forced secondary schools to adopt blended learning strategies. After the outbreak, learners used various online tools to learn both synchronously and asynchronously outside the classroom. This research aimed to analyze how secondary school learners utilize technology for learning in a blended environment following the COVID-19 epidemic. A random sample of 334 learners, who received instruction through a blended approach, was drawn from five secondary schools in the Tshwane West District of Gauteng province to provide data for this quantitative study. The study was guided by the Complex Adaptive Blended Learning System framework, and the mean and standard deviation were used for data analysis. The findings showed that learners used blended learning to communicate with classmates and teachers, learn independently using internet resources, and schedule their time to complete assignments. However, the findings also revealed the digital divide issue. Learners lacked the necessary technological skills and devices to complete online tests. These challenges made it difficult for learners to participate in online assessments outside the classroom. The study recommends providing learners with training on how to use various Learning Management Systems for online tests. Schools should create an ICT policy to guide the use of blended learning.