Teachers’ Lived Experiences in Blended Learning during the Covid-19 Pandemic in Selected Schools in Tagaytay City, Philippines

Teachers worldwide had to immediately switch from face-to-face to online teaching due to the Covid-19 pandemic. They had to quickly upskill and adopt blended learning (BL) in teaching. That necessitated the most significant shift in teaching practice implemented at the fastest time (Reyes 2021). This research explores teachers’ lived experiences on the BL approach at three Tagaytay City public schools in the Philippines. Findings showed the teachers had a ‘culture shock and were initially reluctant to implement BL as they found themselves neither prepared nor adequately skilled with technology use. The biggest challenge for teachers and students is a lack of access to appropriate devices and reliable internet connection. Teachers eventually adopted BL and a positive mindset to BL to engage students and change pedagogical practices. Teachers improved their technical skills and fostered new collaborative relationships among themselves, their students, and the families of their students. The Study highlighted that continuous teacher training, and the availability of suitable devices are paramount to BL implementation. Training in technology and pedagogy is crucial for better and more effective education delivery through blended learning.