Year: 2024 | Month: June | Volume 15 | Issue 1
Technological Strategies for Blended Learning Courses of Distance Education in India
Lakshmi Sharma
DOI:10.30954/2231-458X.01.2024.3
Abstract:
The convergence of distance education and blended learning in India represents a transformative shift in the delivery of higher education, particularly within the framework of the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020). Despite significant infrastructure investments, the effective integration of technological strategies into blended learning courses at distance education institutions (DEIs) remains under-studied. This study investigates the technological strategies employed by Indian DEIs for blended learning course delivery, examining their effectiveness, adoption challenges, and outcomes on learner engagement and academic performance. A mixed-methods sequential explanatory design was adopted. Quantitative data were collected from 412 learners and 87 faculty members across eight DEIs using structured survey instruments (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.87), and analysed through descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA, and structural equation modelling (SEM). Qualitative data from 18 semi-structured faculty interviews enriched the quantitative findings. The study found that Learning Management System (LMS) integration (β = 0.54, p < 0.001), synchronous video conferencing (β = 0.42, p < 0.001), and mobile learning platforms (β = 0.38, p < 0.01) significantly predicted learner engagement. Institutional readiness and digital literacy moderated these relationships. Findings underscore the need for context-sensitive blended learning models, faculty digital capacity building, and policy mandates for technology-enabled open and distance learning (ODL) in India. The study develops and validates an Indigenous Blended Learning Technology Integration (IBLTI) Framework tailored to the socio-technical realities of Indian DEIs, addressing a critical gap in the literature.
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