The role of blended learning in enhancing the writing skills of students at a selected TVET College, Vhembe District, Limpopo Province, South Africa

Nkarhi Excellent MathebulaORCID iD & Habasisa Vincent Molise ORCID iD

Issue: Vol. 7 No.9 2026 Article 6 pp.2553 – 2567
DOI: https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.2026796 Published online 23rd October 2026

© 2026 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

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This study examined the role of blended learning in enhancing the writing skills of students at a selected Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) college in the Vhembe District of Limpopo Province, South Africa. The research was motivated by persistent challenges related to academic writing among TVET students, particularly in rural and historically disadvantaged educational contexts. A qualitative case study design, guided by an interpretivist paradigm, was employed. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with three lecturers and eight students, supplemented by document analysis of students’ written work and blended learning instructional materials. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. The findings revealed that blended learning positively contributed to students’ writing development by improving grammar, sentence construction, vocabulary usage, coherence, and overall writing fluency. However, the study also identified significant challenges, including inadequate technological infrastructure, unreliable internet connectivity, varying levels of digital literacy, limited lecturer training, and inconsistent student engagement. The findings suggest that the effectiveness of blended learning depends on the quality of instructional design, institutional support, and the integration of pedagogically meaningful online and face-to-face learning activities. The study concludes that blended learning has considerable potential to improve writing skills within TVET education when supported by appropriate resources and professional development. It recommends increased investment in technological infrastructure, lecturer capacity building, and student digital literacy programmes. The study contributes to scholarship by providing context-specific empirical evidence on blended learning and writing development within rural South African TVET institutions, an area that remains under-researched.

Keywords: Blended Learning, TVET Colleges, Writing Skills Development, Learner Engagement, Academic Writing

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Dr. Nkarhi Mathebula is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Limpopo. He is currently offering Adult Education at the Department of Education Studies at the University of Limpopo (South Africa). He holds a PhD from the University of Limpopo. Dr Mathebula has published 47 papers.  He has presented papers in both national and international conferences and chaired various conference sessions. Dr Mathebula’s key areas of research interest include Adult Education; Higher Education; Teaching Practice; and Public Administration.

Habasisa Vincent Molise is a Lecturer and researcher affiliated with the University of Limpopo, South Africa. His research interests include Economics education, Indigenous Knowledge Systems, culturally responsive pedagogy and the use of indigenous games to teach abstract economic concepts. He has published more than 50 research articles in accredited journals and presented papers in both national and international conferences. His work promotes learner-centred, participatory and contextually relevant teaching approaches, particularly in rural and resource-constrained schools.

Mathebula, Nkarhi Excellent, and Habasisa Vincent Molise. “The role of blended learning in enhancing the writing skills of students at a selected TVET College, Vhembe District, Limpopo Province, South Africa.” E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences 7, no.9 (2026): 2553 – 2567. https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.2026796

© 2026 The Author(s). Published and Maintained by Noyam Journals. This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

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