EXPLORING THE EXPERIENCES OF SOCIAL WORK STUDENTS ON THE USE OF BLENDED LEARNING AND EMERGENCY REMOTE ONLINE LEARNING PRIOR TO AND DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC

The study employed a qualitative research approach and emancipatory framework to explore students’ experiences with blended learning and emergency remote online learning (EROL). Two data sets were collected from two projects using focus group discussions and semi-structured individual interviews. The findings highlighted that although technological advancement in universities increased access to information, the needs of the disadvantaged students remain overlooked. EROL and/or blended learning adopted by the universities did not address the fundamentals of access to teaching and learning for the disadvantaged, but focused on institutional needs and saving the academic year. The utilisation of blended learning prior to COVID-19 was excluding some students, and it was unclear how EROL was transformed to ensure that all students accessed education during COVID-19 induced lockdowns. There is thus a need for research to focus on opportunities for student technological advancement not only for ensuring access to education but also for meaningful service delivery during practice. Keywords: blended learning, COVID-19, online learning, social work and students