Blended Education in Practice: Understanding the Gap between Instructional Design Knowledge and Digital Learning Integration

Hanneke Theelen ( Zuyd University of Applied Sciences, Nieuw Eyckholt 300, 6400 AN, Heerlen, The Netherlands )

Kim Dirkx ( Zuyd University of Applied Sciences, Nieuw Eyckholt 300, 6400 AN, Heerlen, The Netherlands )

https://doi.org/10.37155/2972-4856-jei0302-3

Abstract

Blended education is increasingly implemented in higher education, yet its sustainable adoption remains a challenge, with persistent gaps between awareness, pedagogical integration, and institutional support. This study examines how lecturers engage with blended education design principles, apply them in instructional design, and utilize online learning environments. By exploring these aspects, this study contributes to our understanding of educational change and the factors influencing its implementation across different experience levels in higher education. Findings reveal that 10-25% of lecturers are unfamiliar with key blended education principles, but a more critical issue is the gap between knowledge and practical application. Approximately two-thirds of lecturers lack familiarity with advanced LMS and Microsoft Teams© functionalities, limiting their pedagogical impact. While Microsoft Teams© is more widely used, its advanced features remain underutilized due to limited awareness and training. Additionally, early-career lecturers show greater familiarity with collaborative and formative strategies compared to their more experienced counterparts, emphasizing the role of generational differences in pedagogical change. These findings highlight the complexity of educational change in an international higher education context, where faculty development, institutional policies, and intergenerational knowledge exchange play crucial roles. The study underscores the need for sustained professional development programs that move beyond technical training to foster pedagogical transformation. Without these efforts, blended education risks remaining an administrative rather than a pedagogical shift, limiting its potential to create student-centered, flexible, and innovative learning environments globally.

Keywords

Blended education; Instructional design principles; LMS; Moodle; Microsoft Teams MsTeams©; Higher education

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References

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