Teachers in African universities are experiencing mounting pressures due to rapidly rising student populations, combined with academic staff shortages. These factors can adversely affect teaching quality and the student experience.
Blended learning – traditional classroom teaching, flexibly combined with online learning activities – offers a promising approach to address this challenge. However, developing blended learning is a complex process that presents challenges for institutions already facing staff shortages.
In this context, the ACU has been leading efforts to build sustainable capacity for blended learning across 12 universities in Ghana and Nigeria through the Partnership for Enhanced and Blended Learning (PEBL) West Africa project.
These efforts have been recognised by an external evaluation, conducted by INASP, ahead of the project coming to an end in August 2024.
PEBL WA evaluation findings
The INASP survey used existing PEBL programme data, complemented by surveys, interviews and workshops to produce conclusions and recommendations for the programme.
The survey found that nearly all (98%) PEBL partner university staff surveyed said that the project had made a positive difference to their university’s ability to develop and deliver blended learning.
A number of key findings from the report highlight the case for investment in blended learning:
Blended learning is better for students, teachers, and universities:
Students can access materials in a flexible way, leading to better work-life balance and increased motivation. Teachers benefit from streamlined lesson delivery and interactive content, reducing their workload and stress. Universities benefit from a dynamic and inclusive educational environment, enabling diversity of courses and increased student numbers without compromising quality.
The PEBL-WA approach worked but it needs dedication and commitment:
The programme significantly enhanced flexibility and quality for students, but required substantial dedication and commitment by participants. Success involved managing regular duties alongside project requirements, often during institutional financial challenges. Training and strong leadership helped to sustain morale and commitment to the project.
PEBL has led to changes in capacity, practice, and policy:
Through fostering a culture of digital education, PEBL-WA has transformed educational practices and capabilities. The approach has led to the development of blended learning policies at some of the participating universities, making interactive and multimedia teaching standard practice. Changes in policy have encouraged universities to develop modules in blended formats, promoting adaptability and innovation.
PEBL-WA supported the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) to conduct a policy audit of tertiary education institutes in Ghana, looking at the modalities used for teaching and learning in distance and blended education. This audit led GTEC to develop a draft policy framework comprising five thematic areas: enabling environment; access, equity and inclusivity; external regulations, internal regulations and partnerships. PEBL West Africa then sponsored a policy dialogue in April 2024 enabling GTEC to validate the content of its draft policy framework with key stakeholders. This work will form the basis of a national digital education policy framework.
PEBL-WA is sustainable and replicable:
The impact is likely to be sustainable and replicable, demonstrated by increased productivity and the adoption of blended learning policies, such as at AE-FUNAI in Nigeria. High motivation and institutional support helped to overcome infrastructure challenges. This approach has created a replicable model for regions like Ghana and Nigeria, aiming to make blended learning a core aspect of their educational systems.
National regulators need to be involved for replication and sustainability:
Education policies should aim to set adoption thresholds for blended learning, and also create accreditation models distinct from traditional teaching programmes. Universities and regulators should work together to help define support mechanisms and establish metrics for evaluating blended learning programmes. This will ensure that the programmes align with national educational standards and goals.
We are pleased to see that the PEBL WA programme has made substantial progress towards achieving its aims. Universities make a critical contribution to sustainable development across the Commonwealth, and through fostering innovative approaches to learning, the PEBL programme can help to expand education opportunties and lifts the lives of people throughout the Commonwealth.
PEBL participant partner universities
Ghana:
- Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST)
- Ashesi University
- All Nations University
- Kumasi Technical University
- University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR)
- University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS)
Nigeria:
- Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu Alike(AE-FUNAI)
- First Technical University, Ibadan (Tech-U Ibadan)
- University of Lagos
- University of Ibadan
- Ebonyi State University
- Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH)