Parallel Session
Ensuring Access and Inclusion Through a Blended Education Approach in the Face of Pandemic
Dr JO Adeyanju
Lecturer in Administration and Leadership Department
The Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary
Janet O. Adeyanju is a lecturer in Administration and Leadership Department, Faculty of Education of the Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary, Ogbomoso – Nigeria. She holds a PhD in Educational Management from Ekiti State University, Nigeria and another PhD in Pastoral Care and Counselling from the prestigious Nigeria Baptist Theological Seminary, Ogbomoso.
She has several publications to her credit which includes “Psychosocial Implications of COVID-19 Pandemic on Family life in Nigeria” which was published in a special book on Pandemic in the year 2020. She is also a recipient of several academics and professional awards. She has attended several conferences in different countries of the world. In 2015, she was among the participants of the International Women Leadership Conference which held in Indaba, Johannesburg in the Republic of South Africa. She also participated in the African Women Leadership Conference which held in Lusaka, Zambia in 2017.
Prior to joining the Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary as a faculty member, she was the Managing Director of Overcomers Children Affairs in Osogbo, Osun State Capital, for two years and also the Managing Director of Alademeta International Nigeria Limited, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State Capital for Ten (10) years.
Janet Adeyanju loves travelling and listening to Gospel music. She is married to a wonderful and amiable husband- Olusegun Adeyanju. She specializes in planning and executing effective and efficient education for both young and old and she is also interested in counselling young couples in a bid to have stable and healthy marriages.
Abstract
The barriers to inclusive education, which share almost the same concern with access to education in the past, include school and classroom level implementation such as school reviews and plans, training and supporting all teachers in inclusive practices, and curriculum adjustment. Recently, the COVID-19 pandemic has increased the barriers to include school closure. The school closure in almost every part of the world tends to create or widen the gap between students from diverse backgrounds.
This study investigates a blended education approach as a strategy for combating the challenge of access and inclusion of all higher education students during the pandemic. A blended education approach is a pedagogical approach that combines the effectiveness and socialisation opportunities of the classroom with
the technologically enhanced active teaching-learning possibilities of the online environment. The study suggests effective and efficient ways of practising the blended education approach in Africa’s tertiary institutions.
The study employs the ex-post-facto type of descriptive survey design. The purposive sampling technique was employed to draw 200 respondents, comprising lecturers and students of 10 tertiary institutions. The study elicits data from the respondents through two sets of questionnaires and two sets of interview guides. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data retrieved from the respondents.
The findings of the study revealed that a blended education approach could be employed to ensure access and inclusion in African higher education during the new normal. The study recommends the provision of technologically advanced education aids for tertiary institutions and adequate training for teachers and learners to practice a blended education approach successfully.
Keywords: Access, Inclusion, Blended Education Approach, School Closure, Teaching-Learning.
ADEYANJU.pdf