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Blended learning has emerged as a transformative approach in higher education, yet for many lecturers, the rapid integration of digital tools has created more challenges than opportunities. This study aimed to critically evaluate how lecturers at a University of Technology perceive and integrate digital tools and teaching strategies within blended learning environments, addressing a gap in the literature on lecturer-centred, contextually grounded perspectives in South African Universities of Technology. Adopting a qualitative research approach within an interpretivist paradigm, the study employed a case study design, involving twelve purposively sampled lecturers who actively engage with blended learning. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analysed using thematic analysis, ensuring rich, context-sensitive insights. The findings revealed a spectrum of practices: some lecturers primarily used digital tools for content delivery, while others employed innovative, student-centred strategies aligned with TPACK and Community of Inquiry frameworks, demonstrating enhanced cognitive, social, and teaching presence. Institutional factors, including professional development, infrastructure, and peer support, were found to significantly influence pedagogical decision-making. The study contributes to the understanding of blended learning in South African higher education by highlighting the interplay between lecturer agency, pedagogical reasoning, and institutional support, and it recommends targeted professional development, strategic infrastructural support, and the promotion of collaborative communities of practice to enhance effective blended teaching.

In the post COVId-19 era, online education has become an integral part of higher education, underscoring the need to understand students’ experiences, satisfaction and preferences to inform institutional strategies for optimising online education. The study follows a quantitative survey approach in which an online cross-sectional descriptive study was undertaken among 295 purposively selected students’ in South African higher education institution. A self-administered validated online questionnaire was used for data collection. Data was analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS. Descriptive statistics was used to determine the reliability of the various constructs, mean scores, and standard deviations. Students found online teaching enjoyable (54.9%), (55.1%) engaging, with the opportunity to ask questions. Findings can inform HEIs’ managers and leaders’ strategic decisions regarding online education, including investment in infrastructure, faculty training, and support services. Creating interactive and engaging online content such as videos, simulations, and gamification to enhance student engagement. Providing online orientation, technical support and troubleshooting services to address technical issues and ensure smooth online learning experiences.

This paper aims to explore technological knowledge as a prerequisite for effective e-tutorship in an Open Distance e-Learning (ODeL) institution. In this paper, it is also aimed to examine how e-tutors' technological proficiency influences their engagement with students through the Learning Management System (LMS). A quantitative research approach was employed to address the research question with data collected through an observation technique tool conceptualized by the researcher. This tool tracked e-tutor engagement in the Learning Management System (LMS), specifically focusing on the frequency and types of interactions with students. The observation examined how technological proficiency affects online educational engagement by counting e-tutor postings and student reactions. The quantity of postings on each e-tutor's dashboard and student reactions were the main contextual factors analyzed. The study found that tutor engagement levels depend on technological competence, which affects e-tutors' capacity to conduct discussions and encourage student learning. The LMS data demonstrated that tutors with advanced technological competencies exhibited higher interaction rates, fostering an active and collaborative learning environment. Conversely, limited technological proficiency among tutors correlated with reduced engagement, potentially affecting students’ learning experiences. These findings point to the importance of technological knowledge in enhancing e-tutorship effectiveness within ODeL institutions. The study recommends targeted professional development programs to strengthen e-tutors’ digital competencies, ultimately improving student support and learning outcomes in online education settings.