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Purpose: Blended learning (BL) is becoming more popular as a method of welcoming a progressively diverse range of students while adding value to the learning environment through the integration of online teaching resources. However, BL's approach of combining online instruction with conventional classroom strategies has received attention and expressed reservations over the years. While several research works have been conducted and draw attention to the global challenges of the BL mode of delivering instruction in BL's entirety, there is still no full idea of the challenges and prospects that exist regarding teacher educators' usage of the approach in higher education institutions (HEIs) in the context of developing countries. As a result, this study investigates the prospects and challenges of BL implementation in HEIs from the perspective of educators. Design/methodology/approach: Drawing from the technology acceptance model (TAM), qualitative research methods and semi-structured interviews were used to gather insights from 10 educators. The data were analyzed using a thematic data analysis technique to arrive at the outcome of the study. Findings: The findings reveal that educators deeply comprehend the BL approach and perceive the approach's effectiveness in delivering instruction and student learning. Conversely, educators' challenges are inadequate technology resources, poor internet connections, inadequate professional development training and a dearth of incentives. The study has implications for theory, research, policy enactment and practice regarding the improvement of the BL agenda in HEIs. Originality/value: The explanatory framework presented here is the qualitative approach to the study of themes regarding the perceptions, prospects and challenges educators experience in their use of the BL approach in teaching and learning in the HEIs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a field, comparative and international education has received a wash of attention in recent times. It is a field that is not easily defined, but beneath its fragmentations lies a vigorous, relevant, and determined foundation. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and in particular the re-dedication of the international community to equitable education by 2030 present comparative and international education with a unique opportunity: to further define its nature and its purpose - against the backdrop of the current, highly volatile economic and socio-political environment; and to fulfill an important, concretely transformative role, with regard to the post-2015 global education agenda. The article provides a brief review of the journal Prospects over the past few years in terms of criteria it has set for itself; identifies directions that have emerged from the themes of its articles and the work of the International Bureau of Education (IBE), which can enrich comparative and international education; and concludes with suggestions about the future development of the field of comparative and international education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]