Ground-Up Innovation in Blended Learning: Faculty Experiences Toward Digital Transformation at Makerere University

Toward Sustainable Digital Transformation in a Resource-Constrained Higher Education Context

Authors

  • Joseph Watuleke Makerere University https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7343-5158
  • David Onen Makerere University
  • Paul Birevu Muyinda Institute of Open Distance and E-Learning (IODEL), Makerere University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.56059/jl4d.v13i1.2019

Keywords:

blended learning, collaborative course design, faculty engagement, digital pedagogy, Uganda

Abstract

This article examines the experiences of Makerere University faculty members in Uganda, specifically their involvement in the co-design of blended courses and how these experiences influenced their adoption of technology-enhanced learning. Through a phenomenological approach and in-depth interviews with 12 faculty members across diverse disciplines, this article explains how faculty members brokered collaborative course design processes, navigated institutional pressures, and facilitated pedagogical transformation in a resource-constrained setting. The study reveals that peer mentorship, interdisciplinarity, and observable student interaction were among the key drivers of faculty commitment, whereas limited time, a lack of recognition, and entrenched hierarchies can deter long-term commitment. Faculty resilience and adaptive strategies were found to be key drivers of innovation, despite these challenges. The study recommends an institutional policy that is sensitive to academic agency, recognises blended learning as a component of formal workload allocation, and encourages the relational aspects of digital pedagogy. These are concerned with the creation of sustainable, locally enacted blended learning environments within the architecture of higher education within the Global South.

Author Biographies

Joseph Watuleke, Makerere University

Dr Joseph Watuleke is a Lecturer and Acting Head of the Department of Adult and Community Education in the College of Education and External Studies at Makerere University, Uganda. He holds a PhD in Educational Management and Administration, with graduate training in Instructional Design and Performance Improvement from Arizona State University (USA), and in E-Teaching from the University of Agder (Norway). He also holds professional certification in Blended Learning from the Staff and Educational Development Association (SEDA), UK. Dr Watuleke’s research and practice focus on blended and digital learning, instructional design, and the pedagogical integration of educational technologies in higher and adult education. His work pays particular attention to collaborative, learner-centred, and inclusive pedagogical models that enhance teaching and learning in low-resource and developing-country contexts. Email: joseph.watuleke@yahoo.com (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7343-5158)

David Onen, Makerere University

Dr David Onen is a distinguished educationist, Visiting Professor at a university in Somalia, and retired Senior Lecturer from the College of Education and External Studies at Makerere University, Kampala. He holds a PhD and an MA in Educational Management, a BSc in Economics and Geography, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Education, as well as professional certifications in Research Methods, Project Planning, and Higher Education Leadership. Dr Onen remains actively engaged in teaching, supervising postgraduate research, and publishing in educational management, higher education policy, and research methodology, with sustained contributions to curriculum development, quality assurance, and academic mentorship. Email: donenotoo@yahoo.com (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6106-6260)

Paul Birevu Muyinda , Institute of Open Distance and E-Learning (IODEL), Makerere University

Paul Birevu Muyinda is a full Professor of Open, Distance and eLearning (ODeL) and serves as the Director of the Institute of Open, Distance and eLearning (IODeL) at Makerere University. He is a certified blended learning developer and an online instructional designer. He has worked with education and training institutions, the National Council for Higher Education, and the Ministry of Education and Sports to champion ODeL. He led a team of online capacity developers that scaffolded Makerere University and other universities in Uganda to remain operational during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns. Prof. Muyinda is the author of more than 100 research articles in ODeL, with a Google Scholar h-index of 16 and an i10-index of 21. He has recently consulted for COL and other agencies on policy and strategy for open distance learning. He is a Principal Investigator and member of several locally and internationally funded research grants at Makerere University, including but not limited to the Mastercard Foundation e-Learning Initiative, KOICA Distance Education Enhancement Project, NORHED II (TELLS and CABUTE), Critical Virtual Exchange in Artificial Intelligence (CVEinAI), and MakRIF (EBoML). In 2018, Prof. Muyinda was ranked by Bob Little among the top 100 movers and shakers of online corporate education in Africa. He is a member of the Ministry of Education and Sports Digital Agenda Strategy Implementation Committee. Prof. Muyinda has research interests in digital pedagogy and andragogy, distance education, e-Learning, online instructional design and Artificial Intelligence in education. Email: mpbirevu2013@gmail.com (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1231-9196)

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Published

2026-03-11

How to Cite

Watuleke, J., Onen, D., & Muyinda , P. B. (2026). Ground-Up Innovation in Blended Learning: Faculty Experiences Toward Digital Transformation at Makerere University: Toward Sustainable Digital Transformation in a Resource-Constrained Higher Education Context. Journal of Learning for Development, 13(1), 175–185. https://doi.org/10.56059/jl4d.v13i1.2019

Issue

Vol. 13 No. 1 (2026): ISSUE 1

Section

Case Studies

License

Copyright (c) 2026 Joseph Watuleke, David Onen, Paul Birevu Muyinda

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Received 2025-04-06
Accepted 2026-01-19
Published 2026-03-11