Expectation Vs reality: a case of blended learning at UTAS

After fighting with the COVID-19, the teaching and learning trend is shifting towards the different methods of content delivery and learning for the engagement of the students and put the university and student life back to normal (Bashir et al., 2021). This study aims to explore the expectation and preferences of the undergraduate students in blended learning context at the University of Tasmania (UTAS), Australia. The survey was collaboratively designed with students from Tasmanian Union Student Association (TUSA) and academics from College of Business and Economics (COBE), following the students as partners model, after which ethics was sought and approved. The survey was distributed using TUSA’s email network, and recorded responses from all campuses associated with UTAS (56% from southern campuses). Respondents varied significantly in discipline, age, and study pattern.

It highlighted the gap between the expectations of the student and gross root realities in blended learning context by using an online survey design. The results of this study indicated that UTAS has stated the intention of improving the quality of education after pandemic through blended learning framework, but the gap is prevailing between the expectations set in the documents or the grass root realities/practical implementations. Lack of support from unit coordinators, complex and broader content and learning materials, insufficient online mode of communication, engagement and alignment of the unit outline, content with assessments are the most highlighted concerns raised by the students in the online survey.

There should be a constructive monitoring system in which a panel may help teachers in person via classroom observations, meeting with students and teachers, observe the results of the surveys conducted within university to check the progress against the plans and used the data for evaluation of the teachers in normal (face-to-face) classes or online classes, so that the university can estimate the blended learning encouragement. This study added a new knowledge in the research field of blended learning and will be helpful for the university officials to reflect the students’ expectations in the policies or frameworks. The findings of the study are deemed helpful for the future unit design and delivery.