ABSTRACT
Pressing challenges of earning ‘enhanced institutional reputation’ in this increasingly competitive market by a range of cost-effective course offerings which reach out and provide optimal learning experience to 21st century netizen students, potential benefits of ICT and the need for human touch in language learning have led more and more institutions, including Australian universities, to adopt blended learning (BL) (Garrison & Vaughan 2007, Loch & Borland 2014). Although successful BL implementation is significantly determined by an overarching institutional BL strategy, structure and support, this paper argues that attitudes of faculty staff towards this transformative pedagogical approach and challenges that they face during BL adoption should be paid equal attention to because, as pointed out by Linden (2014: 79), better learning is, in fact, an outcome of ‘the implementation, active learning strategies embedded in pedagogy and course redesign’ which academics takes charge. This study aims to provide a clear picture of BL transformation from an academic perspective which in turn is hoped to be able to inform institutions for the successful BL implementation and growth while fulfilling the very promises BL assumes to give to the higher education sector.
