Implementing Blended Pedagogies in Automotive Repair and Maintenance Instruction: Evidence from TVET Colleges in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Abstract

The increasing digitalisation of the automotive industry has intensified the need for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges to integrate digital technologies with practical instruction to prepare graduates for contemporary workplaces. Despite the recognised educational value of blended pedagogical approaches, their implementation within Automotive Repair and Maintenance (ARM) programmes in TVET colleges remains inconsistent and insufficiently understood. This study explored how lecturers implement blended pedagogical approaches in ARM instruction and examined factors influencing their implementation. Guided by the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework, the study adopted a qualitative multiple-case design within an interpretivist paradigm. The study was conducted in 2026 at four TVET colleges in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The four participating colleges were selected through convenience sampling, while eight ARM lecturers were purposively selected from the participating colleges. Data were generated through semi-structured interviews, non-participant classroom and workshop observations, and document analysis, and analysed using Braun and Clarke's thematic analysis. Findings indicate that lecturers implemented blended pedagogical approaches through combinations of face-to-face instruction, digital technologies, and practical workshop activities. However, implementation was constrained by limited technological competence, inadequate digital infrastructure, outdated curriculum content, and insufficient institutional support. The study contributes to blended pedagogy scholarship by showing that effective technology integration depends on lecturers' technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge as well as on supportive institutional conditions that enable pedagogical innovation. The study recommends strengthening lecturers' professional development, improving digital infrastructure, and aligning ARM curricula with emerging automotive technologies to enhance the quality and relevance of vocational education.