Integrating TPACK and CBAM Frameworks in Understanding Substitute Blended Learning (SBL) Implementation in Malaysian Higher Education

Abstract

Substitute Blended Learning (SBL) was introduced by the Ministry of Higher Education as a post-pandemic alternative approach that flexibly integrates face-to-face and online instruction. Although this approach has gained increasing acceptance in higher education institutions, its implementation remains inconsistent, particularly among full-time and part-time lecturers who possess differing needs, competencies, and levels of institutional support. This paper aims to examine the implementation of SBL among full-time and part-time lecturers by synthesising existing theoretical and empirical insights to understand key challenges, adaptation needs, and support mechanisms. The Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework is employed to examine lecturers’ competence in integrating technology, pedagogy, and subject content, while the Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM) is used to trace lecturers’ concerns and levels of acceptance toward changes in teaching practices. Guided by the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework and the Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM), this paper adopts a conceptual approach to analyse pedagogical, technological, and change-related dimensions of SBL implementation. This paper contributes to a deeper understanding of the dynamics of SBL implementation among full-time and part-time lecturers and to propose more inclusive support strategies, particularly in professional training and digital capacity building. In addition to enriching the educational technology literature, this study contributes theoretically through the integration of pedagogical and behavioural dimensions in lecturers’ readiness, and practically by informing more inclusive digital policy implementation toward sustainable and impactful higher education.