Learners' Adaptation to Blended Learning in the Post-Covid 19 Era in South Africa: A Systematic Literature Review

This study explores learners' adaptation to blended learning using a transformed curriculum in the post-COVID era, using the case of a previously disadvantaged university. The restrictions on teaching and learning during the COVID-19 lockdowns interrupted the contact learning process to control the spread of COVID-19 between people. To adapt to changes induced by COVID-19, institutions of higher learning (IHL) adopted blended learning that has culminated in the hybrid mix of teaching modalities in institutions of higher learning. Hence, online teaching and learning were integrated into learning modalities as an alternative to contact sessions while learners and instructors worked off-campus. In post-COVID-19, universities could re-group and adopt suitable strategies which allow students to adapt and cope with the new normal that recognises students' cultural themes and experiences in diverse disciplines. This study interrogates the blended learning approach concerning the experiences of learners and instructors while adapting to the new normal. This paper uses the adaptive complex systems approach to understand blended learning through different lenses and to understand the influence of environmental changes on the higher education (HE) landscape. A systematic literature review was analysed qualitatively from books, online accredited journals, policy reports and commissioned studies. Findings from this study contribute to improving teaching strategies in higher education