Blended learning the higher education classroom : a critical review of developments within engineering education

The rapid development of technology in the past two decades has had many points of contact and impact upon the global higher education sector. Technology and globalisation have unlocked entirely new directions for higher education and has provided a conducive circumference for the growth and utilization of novel pedagogical approaches and tools for teaching and learning (TL). Blended Learning (BL) based courses are gaining much popularity within the global higher education context. There is much research within the engineering education context that supports the integration of technology into Higher Education Institutions (HEI) classrooms. Interestingly though, the majority of the frequently cited research on BL and engineering education within the global context have tended to focus on specific interventions or pedagogical approaches for incorporating BL into HEI engineering classrooms. This review paper thus discusses the position and integration of BL within the higher education classroom, and current limitations within the context of engineering education.