Configuring blended education

Abstract

This study investigated the role of information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure, software, competencies and values in blended education. A 28-item survey was administered to a sample of 102 respondents from several institutes of higher education. Results show that infrastructure is considered to play a vital role in promoting blended education, that software services facilitate IT applications over the internet and that respondents feel they have sufficient knowledge about ICT. Respondents more strongly adhere to sustainability-oriented values than to self-oriented ones. The sustainability orientation was correlated with software and the self-orientation with knowledge. Based on the outcomes of this study, higher education institutions should focus more on the optimisation of ICT infrastructure and software, and promote ICT knowledge and sustainable values among users. For future research, a similar study could be done at (inter)national hotel schools among students and teaching staff with an instrument that includes indicators on drivers, appreciation, performance and impact of blended education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]