Introduction

In order to maintain continued education after traditional academic systems were suspended because of the Covid-19 pandemic, educational institutions were compelled to use online teaching methods [1]. Higher education (HE) had to rethink and revise its educational roadmap. A rapid transition from a traditional face-to-face (f2f) learning environment to an online learning scenario was required for the higher education system, mandating that educators and learners acquire digital literacy and competencies and; importantly, consistent utilization of educational innovations [2]. The pandemic forced us to adopt the advancement of online learning and emphasized the significance of establishing resourceful and versatile learning settings. Consequently, there is now an awareness that future learning should integrate conventional classroom instructions with digital tools and distance learning opportunities [3], with the appropriate institutional support to secure a sustainable learning outcome.

Recent research at higher education institutions (HEIs) worldwide and in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) [4,5,6] highlighted student discontent with emergency online learning. To address this challenge, HEIs should implement an agile educational approach to enrich the teaching and learning process. Agile learning creates favorable learning conditions [7] while improving learning experiences and improving both teachers’ and students’ levels of motivation. It involves the notion that students collaborate with teachers to produce content and skills in a technologically advanced, proficient, and cooperative setting. Teachers collaborate with students, recognize and address their unique needs, make necessary adjustments when those needs change [8], and facilitate the continual improvement of student skills. Consequently, students become more collaborative, autonomous as well as resilient learners [9]. Agile education offers a supportive environment for continuous growth to develop sustainable and responsible citizens [7].

Blended learning (BL) is a proper model to promote a sustainable educational response to future disruptions as it helps to improve in-campus teaching quality through online content curation and emphasis on in-person, active learning [10]. It gives a chance to introduce and implement innovative strategies, resources, and learning spaces into the realm of education, facilitating improvements in HE [2]. Agile learning and BL may complement one another to create innovative pedagogical methods that serve students with a variety of learning requirements. Both methodologies have the common goal of improving learning effectiveness and increasing the learning experience. Agile BL constructively incorporates technology into the curriculum-building process to maximize both of their strengths and provide learning that is extremely effective, adaptable, self-directed, and collaborative. The right application of learning management systems that incorporate advanced technology, also makes the personalization of learning easier. The pandemic has accelerated new learning and teaching opportunities in the UAE, with a focus on varying the delivery approaches to assure high-quality education. The objective of this study is to suggest a valuable and productive agile BL educational framework to help HEIs in making plans for future academic years. In the absence of much research on agile BL, this study can contribute to the knowledge base and have practical applications in academic programs. It can be a sustainable approach to streamline the current educational practices to enhance teaching, learning, and assessment procedures.

Why Agile Blended?

Agile pedagogy refers to curriculum flexibility and customization, individualized support for students and personalized learning routes, acknowledgment of achievements in non-formal learning, facilitating virtual mobility for students, and globalizing the curriculum [11]. Agile teaching is necessary to accommodate changing and varied learning requirements, also essential to deal with evolving research, educational resources, and technological contexts [12]. BL is a pedagogical approach that blends the efficiency and chances for interaction found in traditional f2f classrooms with the technologically enabled active learning environments seen in online modes of delivery [13,14,15]. This method is distinguished by: (a) prioritizing student-centered teaching, which calls for active participation from every student in the subject matter; (b) increasing opportunities for interaction between faculty and students, among students, with the subject matter, and with additional learning materials; and (c) providing opportunities for formative and summative evaluation to improve the course outcomes [16]. BL incorporates different technological modes of delivery to generate more flexible learning opportunities [17] and also blends several kinds of instructional techniques and technologies used in one delivery method to improve learning outcomes [18]. The term "agile" in the context of BL refers to an educational system’s capacity to quickly respond to changing conditions and student needs. In order to do this, the BL content, delivery, and assessment strategies must be flexible, adaptable, and learner-centric. Agility boosts resilience and creativity to modify the pedagogies and practices to oversee the remote success of current programs [19]. An iterative approach can benefit greatly from incorporating agility as a crucial element. This approach can boost transparency and resiliency, and the benefits include the ability to experiment and highlight ongoing improvement as educators work to optimize the BL environment to better meet the needs of their students [20]. Agile e-learning development is important to efficiently manage high-quality BL scenarios [21]. Agile BL builds up students’ “sense of community” [22], and helps to manage the large size of the class [23] with a variety of applications and enormous development potential in education [24].

Agile BL is a comprehensive and effective educational model [25] that develops learners’ autonomy to self-manage their learning process, serving individual needs, preferences, and learning approaches. It facilitates timely feedback, clarifications, and collaborative exchange of ideas, thereby enhancing the overall learning experience, increasing engagement, and fostering a sense of community and motivation. Guidance is critical in an agile BL setting; where educators play a pivotal role in providing personalized support in one-on-one sessions, virtual spaces, or in online discussion forums to address individual concerns. It is a dynamic teaching approach, that supports adaptation in teaching strategies based on real-time feedback and evolving learner needs, and continuous improvement in instructional methods, aligning with the educational objectives. Faculty training is very important in an agile BL environment, emphasizing pedagogical adaptability, and technological proficiency for refinement of best practices. The rapid and iterative feedback loop in agile BL helps to identify learning gaps promptly, supporting educators to immediately focus on areas where learners are facing difficulties or require additional guidance, allowing for targeted interventions. Its dynamic planning phase allows teachers to adjust content and instructional methods based on real-time feedback, and the inclusion of multimedia and interactive components enables students to demonstrate their understanding in varied ways, nurturing deeper engagement and comprehension. Pedagogical adaptations can enhance students’ interactions and transferable skills, including communication skills, problem-solving, critical thinking and group discussion [26]. Agile BL, characterized by flexibility and responsiveness, harnesses a range of technological tools to optimize learning outcomes. A robust Learning Management System (LMS) serving as a central hub, and offering a cohesive platform for curriculum delivery, resource sharing, and assessment management can deter technology distractions [27]. The incorporation of projectors, smart screens, and whiteboards further augments the agility of BL by providing dynamic visual aids, interactive presentations, and collaborative spaces. A smart campus concept takes this a step further, integrating technology into the physical infrastructure to create an environment that supports and enhances the learning experience. Through location-based services, students can access relevant content, engage in collaborative projects, and receive real-time updates, creating a dynamic and connected educational ecosystem. Agile BL promotes a balanced mix of online and offline assessments, integration of project and research-based activities, vibrant discussion forums, immersive simulations, constructive feedback mechanisms, and reflective practices. Incorporating project and research elements empower learners to apply theoretical knowledge to real-world scenarios, fostering critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and providing a holistic evaluation of students’ understanding.

As the pandemic has facilitated the shifting from traditional pedagogical and andragogic models towards student-centric, self-directed learning (heutagogy), BL, as a holistic, agile education ecosystem can provide opportunities and flexibility necessary to encourage authentic learning and metacognitive thinking [28, 29].

Agile BL Framework: A Sustainable Educational Response

In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, a chance for future education systems to be re-imagined and re-designed to build back more sustainable solutions emerged [30]. The future of higher education has been dramatically altered by online and distance learning. Online education will undergo and develop to be agile, flexible, pertinent, and sustainable. HE should embrace change and implement new approaches to the advantages of creating flexible and versatile BL environments to advocate for an educational future with greater equity. The implementation of BL requires an agile approach as it fosters and empowers sustainable learning in a rapidly changing environment [29].

This study aimed to outline a conceptual mapping of agile BL and propose a comprehensive framework for implementation in HE based on a review of existing literature [31,32,33]. Agile BL being a novel approach [25, 34], a configurative literature review was found relevant in the development of the proposed framework [35]. The literature review involved a systematic search and selection process to identify relevant studies on BL and agile methodology [27, 36,37,38,39,40,41] to build the capacity of HEIs to drive, sustain and scale up their BL practices. As configurative reviews do not aim at an exhaustive search [35], it was not the aim of this study to include all possible BL models. The focus was on synthesizing the findings related to the effectiveness of agile and blended learning methods based on an examination of relevant existing BL frameworks [31]. The synthesis of the literature aimed to identify key dimensions, barriers to overcome while implementing the agile BL framework, and potential improvement initiatives [42].

Based on the literature review, an integrated holistic agile BL framework, focusing on institutional strategic planning to foster, sustain, and expand BL practices in HEIs to effectively support teaching, learning, and evaluation across disciplines and levels of study (derived from BL Framework designed by Cher Ping and Tianchong, in 2016 [43]) was proposed. The framework (see Fig. 1) consists of five broad dimensions to provide flexibility to HEIs. To leverage the educational advantages of introducing agile BL into their programs and courses, HEIs should develop their frameworks for change [43]. The proposed framework is based on the strategic dimensions of the BL framework designed by Cher Ping and Tianchong, 2016[37] through the five dimensions of learners’ support, teachers’ role, pedagogical adaptation, technological support, and evaluation. As a novel approach, it also manifests the necessity to anticipate, create, learn from, and respond to changes through a process of continual guidance and adaptation to empower learners and enhance performance, creativity, and collaboration in the teaching and learning process to ensure continuity during future disruptions [44, 45]. Agile methodologies complement the BL framework to achieve more effective learning as it directly aligns with the immediate challenges faced by learners. Agile BL is a chance to increase competence, focus on learners’ strengths, and innovate pedagogies to address problems collaboratively, when there is a need, where there is a need, and just in time. By implementing the agile BL framework, HEIs can create opportunities to increase competence, innovate pedagogies, focus on students’ strengths to enhance their skills and ensure knowledge application in real-world scenarios. The outcome is a responsive learning environment that optimizes teaching time, boosts engagement and empower students to take control of their learning [46].

Fig. 1
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Agile blended learning framework

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Learners Support

For successful implementation and consistent adoption of BL, it’s crucial to prioritize student engagement and interaction within the online environment [47, 48]. However, digital literacy plays a vital role in determining the success of BL, as learners who lack proficiency in the necessary digital skills may struggle to engage effectively. According to Bradley [49], the BL course depends on its development, configuration, methodology, and presentation; integrating empirical, cognitive, constructivist, and behaviorist principles with online learning can boost the likelihood of students transitioning into the academic field. Increasing students’ digital literacy will make them more self-assured and accountable for their learning [50]. To guide and scaffold students to study in a BL environment, just-in-time and continuing student assistance must be readily accessible in HEIs to make such initiatives sustainable [43]. Sometimes new learning is considered a burden and as such expectations need to be handled skillfully [51]. Introducing BL gradually, enhancing the content with pertinent visuals, music, and video that can add variety and impact, and providing the students adequate time to adjust to the format, technology, and activities will ensure successful adoption [52, 53]. Adopting a distinct phased approach can be advantageous in encouraging students, and supporting them in making steady progress as they acclimate to BL. This involves fostering resilience and openness, while also actively engaging learners in the knowledge construction, rather than relying on passive information reception [20]. Advantageously, agile BL helps to design flexible class conduction [54]; allows educators to respond quickly to changing learners’ needs with fast feedback and encourages the students to experiment, make mistakes, or even fail without fear, knowing that they are supported by a resilient educational process that sustains their development. Learners enjoy significant autonomy in scheduling, creating, and executing their education, including self-paced learning, location, subject specification, and learning styles [25]; Conversely, learning style enhances blended learning and intensifies active learning [55]. It promotes the personalization of each student’s learning journey, as this alone can motivate students to take ownership of their development and become self-sufficient [56, 57].

Teachers’ Role

Teachers’ roles in the successful implementation of BL are very crucial [17]. Teachers help learners to work towards cognitive and social presence in person and facilitate their knowledge construction through online mode using different technological methods and tools. In BL, a teacher actively and cooperatively facilitates, designs, and guides learning. The following seven principles of practice (see Table 1) serve as a framework for design, organization, facilitation, and instruction in BL contexts and are used to guide teaching presence in those settings [58].

Table 1 Principles of practice
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As agile BL helps teachers to gather feedback through continuous assessment at every stage of learners’ development, the teaching effectiveness and learning experiences grow and improve continually along the way. Agile learning encourages students to work independently and enables teachers to provide individualized teaching and f2f support more frequently, which significantly improves differentiation. As an agile learning environment yields increased meaningful communication with individual students, teachers can strengthen and reinforce the association between them and their students by developing good relationships with them, enabling them to provide comfort and guidance during difficult times that may hinder their learning progress [59]. Teachers need to comprehend how BL might create new possibilities to improve their teaching-learning strategies [60]. The professional development of teachers aids in an improved understanding of the paradigm change in teaching and learning brought on by the adoption of BL in HEIs, in addition to gaining technical abilities to engage students. HEIs should provide appropriate continuous professional development to sustain agile BL [43].

Pedagogical Adaptation

The pedagogical adaptation prioritizes addressing learners’ needs, instructional goals, methodologies, and most importantly, flexibility towards individualized requirements and learning context [61]. Going beyond the idea of instructional adaptation that takes into account diverse learning demands, agile BL deepens understanding of pedagogical adaptation [62], shows different ways to enhance teaching and learning [63] through developing connections between the existing pedagogy and the future BL-adapted pedagogy Understanding the intricate interaction relationship in innovative learning pedagogy is crucial for creating an effective, immersive blended learning experience [64]. The learning network is designed to guide learners through activities, tasks, resources, and personal learning objectives to achieve competence [65]. BL emphasizes the learning environment as a combination of teaching-learning tools, services, and a network of people, relevantly with an interface to integrate these to fit with daily life and real-world components [61]. The iterative nature of the agile approach allows for quick feedback and instant updates through continuous evaluation and, thus, comprehensive improvement of the BL offering. The significant factors to move toward sustainable BL environments include course redesign to be offered in blended mode, the types of formative assessments used to measure student understanding, the types of online resources that would need to be available to students, and how scaffolding will be placed to support students to help them achieve success in a blended classroom [66].

Technological Support

Blended learning demands the technological readiness of HEIs [67]. Digital technology mustn’t solely enhance learning outcomes; instead, a flexible, immersive blended learning approach should be developed, incorporating various technological tools for greater learning experiences and accessibility [64]. A comprehensive plan for technological infrastructure, architecture, and continuing operations must be established to successfully implement BL into HE. Productive BL demands quality courses, a learner-friendly virtual environment, and the individual’s capacity to effectively organize themselves within a specific context and utilize all the tools provided by the learning management system (LMS) [68]. Pedagogical components and suitable technology can conjointly support transformative instructional blended learning [69, 70]. The strategy should include all the elements needed to adopt BL, including campus-wide wireless networks, technologically advanced learning commons, and reconfigured classrooms with flexible layouts. Furthermore, providing digital learning tools is important to ensure that faculties and learners can collaborate in groups and learn in their own spaces. These tools and facilities are fundamental for supporting BL practices in HE, which can enhance individualized and self-paced learning and group collaboration [71]. Earlier studies highlighted the integration of educators in virtual environments, student-teacher exchanges, and connections between virtual and real-world activities, as well as academic and practical activities on campus, thereby significantly influencing the learning outcomes [72, 73]. Smart classrooms and virtual simulation training can optimize learners’ academic performance, independent learning abilities, and satisfaction [74]. Broadly, a smart campus, which consists of the following four integrated learning system solutions may support agile BL in HEIs [75].

  1. 1.

    Learning management system solutions offered by an intelligent learning system.

  2. 2.

    A synchronous learning system that enables both offline and online learning.

  3. 3.

    Systems for email and e-offices used by academic institutions.

  4. 4.

    A system that allows users to remotely control classrooms.

Smart campus infrastructure offers long-term scalability that can be regularly modified and expanded to match HEIs needs as they continuously adapt to sustain themselves, as well as a reliable solution to short-term connection concerns ([76].

Evaluation

To improve the standard of learning and teaching in HEIs, BL practices must be determined by continuous evaluation and research. Revision and upgradation are always necessary [77]. Agile BL provides a continuous approach to learning—both the content and programs, by implementing quick, transparent, continuous feedback to regularly iterate on course creation and fostering highly collaborative learning environments, where students are able to overcome difficulties through diffuse thinking activities, group work, and experience in production and presentation [78]. Agile learning’s incremental approach allows to make adjustments throughout the learning process and timely realignment with learning objectives [79]. Agile BL environments often represent real-world problems during learning, encouraging learners to apply their knowledge and problem-solving skills. After incorporating BL design formative evaluation and summative evaluation should be an integral part of the assessment process [58]. Online assessments and in-person interactions allow for timely feedback, promoting reflection on one’s learning progress. Teachers, who are driven by BL may carry out action research to monitor their performance and the outcomes of such practices. Comparable to professional advancement, scholarly efforts relating to BL can be encouraged and rewarded through incentives. These will foster a culture for the scholarship of imparting knowledge that subsequently raises the standard of instruction in HEIs [71]. Assessments help instructors and students track progress toward learning objectives and improve teaching practices. Their effectiveness depends on learner, knowledge, and community-centered environments, which facilitate connections between learners and their knowledge community. Therefore, while considering BL quality, the best possible combination of teaching-learning modes, sequence, variety of media, and space needs to be considered [58].

Fig. 2
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Fishbone analysis

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Checklist to Implement Agile Blended Learning

To complement the agile BL framework, a checklist was developed that could be used as a generic tool by HEIs to review and develop their agile BL offerings. Based on the cause-and-effect diagram [80], a fishbone analysis was conducted to underline the difficulties to overcome while implementing the agile BL framework and identify improvement initiatives to address such difficulties. As shown in Fig. 2, the fishbone analysis diagram places the challenge (i.e. barriers to agile BL) at the head of the fish skeleton (as an effect) on the right of the diagram, and the possible causes leading to the barriers in implementation stretching to the left of the diagram as fishbones; the ribs branch off the central backbone for major causes (skills, time management, quality, technological challenges, assessing progress, institutional support) with sub-branches for root-causes [81, 82]. Root causes are the underlying reasons, that, if dissolved, would eliminate, or substantially mitigate the barriers to implement agile BL in HEIs [83]. To support the agile BL framework, the checklist (see Table 2) was developed to help review the progress of agile BL implementation, which focused on the causes leading to the barriers in implementation as mentioned above.

Table 2 Checklist
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Blended Classrooms in the UAE

HE makes a significant contribution to the economy of the UAE, a centre of commerce and learning in the Middle East. Therefore, it is crucial to provide its residents with an education that meets high standards and that is appropriate for their changing needs [84]. The UAE has transitioned from conventional to online learning and has been recognized as the most technologically progressed nation in the Arab world [85]. The UAE government’s plan for 2021 included a commitment to develop education centered on science, technology, innovation, and research [86] and urged educators to integrate learning technologies, collaborative work, and autonomous learning, into the teaching methodologies to equip learners for a technology-driven workplace [52]. By advancing educational standards and incorporating technologies into the teaching and learning process, HE in the UAE will become more competitive. The governments of the seven emirates in the UAE have established institutions to guarantee that educational standards are of a superior quality [87].

Global Classrooms

In the post-Covid-19 educational landscape, HE is seen to be headed in the direction of BL. By using a mixed learning mode, teachers can support active, reflective, and collaborative learning to meet the diverse learning requirements of their students [88], and to enhance learning outcomes [89, 90]. In 2019, The Commission for Academic Accreditation (CAA) [91], the Federal Government Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education in the UAE instructed the development of courses combining online learning with in-person instruction to achieve subject-specific learning objectives for faculty and learners, where less than 50% of the course’s credit hours are delivered online. CAA guidelines mentioned the importance of students’ readiness as a primary factor for learning including student access, privacy setting in courses, and meaningful communication [91]. As per CAA guidelines, the institution ensures the oversight, development, evaluation, and support of its online or blended programs within its collegial governance systems. This includes maintaining primary roles in academic units, understanding best practices, and ensuring that the delivery and management remain within the academic units [92].

Professional development is one of the crucial perceptions to upgrading teacher attitudes and self-efficacy toward novel initiatives like agile BL [93, 94]. For this purpose, the University of Dubai arranged an Intensive Course Design Sprint for engaging hybrid course learning experience that maps to International Quality Standards sponsored by the Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation (AGFE) ’University Consortium for Quality Online Learning’ (UCQOL) Initiative [95, 96]. Consequently, access to professional development, self-directed learning, and participation in supportive communities can lead to positive learning experiences and successes, ultimately improving attitudes toward course design and set-up for implementing BL flourishingly [97]. Smart campuses require smart classrooms by using information and communication technologies to enhance functionality [98]. The University of Dubai uses interactive display for meetings, projection, collaboration, and communication for on-campus and online classes, and also create and upload video lectures for the benefit of learners (see Fig. 3).

Fig. 3
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Technological support to make the blended mode teaching-learning effective at University of Dubai

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University of Dubai and Mohamed Bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) started smart classroom (Fig. 4) and hyflex classroom (Fig. 5) for greater learning experiences.

Fig. 4
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Smart Classroom in University of Dubai

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Fig. 5
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Hyflex Classroom in MBZUAI

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These classrooms are an example of well-thought, flexible, and optimized spaces using a human-centric (students and faculty) and design-thinking process to actively engage remote and f2f students [99]. Research shows that 49% of students from the UAE have selected studying through BL system [100]. Universities appreciated the BL culture for media education in the UAE [101]. Universities in UAE deduced that individual student’s success was significantly elevated in BL in comparison to other modes of transactions [102]. Ajman University students had shown positive attitude towards flexible learning friendly blended mode. HE faculties considered course design, course materials, and effective communication, in BL settings to be important elements of an effective BL model and key factors of student success [97]. The University of Wollongong in Dubai encouraged the use of discussion forums as a BL initiative; that involves students in terms of improving learning, increasing their competence in analysis and research, and making the subjects more participatory [103]. The successful incorporation of BL mainly depends on student responsibility and dedication to active learning [104]. A variety of courses at the Gulf Medical University (GMU), in Ajman, are offered in BL mode with f2f and online classes through e-learning platforms [105].

Blended Learning and Library Integration

Organizations integrate on-demand training programs to enhance employees’ skills and achieve strategic performance gains. The ideal BL model should empower learners with more control, focusing on learner-centric activities and making them easily accessible and searchable [106]. These also apply to the resource creation, storage, collaboration, and organization of digital content such as audios, videos, interactive modules, e-magazines, journals, e-books, content authoring platforms, and content repositories. Michel [107] highlighted the benefits of utilizing asynchronous online tutorials in library instruction, signifying their accessibility, flexibility, and potential time savings for students and faculty. Libraries also can play a crucial role in supporting student outcomes by utilizing technology-based tools for knowledge gathering, creation, and dissemination, equipping students with necessary 21st-century skills and information [108] through literacy workshops to enhance students’ skills in navigating and critically evaluating online resources, especially in BL environments [109]. CAA (2022, September) clearly stated that to ensure a secure, cohesive, and successful BL, an institution must establish and sustain a virtual learning environment (VLE) that encompasses a robust LMS, communication tools, and essential support resources, particularly library services [92].

Different UAE universities have their libraries and information centers, offering easy access to electronic books, journals, articles, databases, research tools, and other websites, printed materials as well as physical study spaces for individual or group learning to ensure that all students, including those with disabilities, can participate fully, especially online library learning facilitates for effective BL [110]. Collaboration among inter-universities provide wider access to learners, researchers, and educators. UAE-led Electronic Federal Authority for Data and Artificial Intelligence (eFADA) project aims to provide students and faculty with a single platform for electronic resources collection, archiving and purchasing, supporting Abu Dhabi’s 2030 Vision, and fostering a knowledge economy [111]. Al Ain University (AAU) represented by Khalifa Library signed a MoU with the University of Dubai in the field of providing information resources and services [112]. The Mohammed Bin Rashid Library and the Canadian University in Dubai have signed a MOU to enhance cooperation in scientific research and cultural dissemination in the UAE [113]. The Mohamed Bin Zayed University for Humanities and the National Library and Archives signed a MOU for research and cultural cooperation [114]. Sorbonne University, Abu Dhabi also conjointly offers resources to enhance collaboration in the design of professional and academic programs [115].

Conclusion

BL adoption accelerated in HE globally and in the UAE due to the sudden digitalization of educational activities due to the Covid-19 pandemic. It will be to their own detriment for institutions that have recently adopted online learning in 2020 if they revert to the f2f mode, meaning exclusively focusing on physical classroom-based instruction. One worry is the potential for a Covid-19 revival, but there may be other unexpected disruptions as well. Future HEIs strategies must include how to keep a coherent and excellent learning environment in the event of the next pandemic, economic downturn, or natural disaster [116]. BL effectively integrates the benefits of f2f and online education [117], raises students’ learning capabilities [118], and provides opportunities to be independent and active learners [2]. It is also required to focus on an agile approach for active learning as it increases the efficiency and productivity of the students, improves their adaptation to change, and keeps them motivated during the learning process. A major goal of this study was to suggest an agile BL educational framework for HEIs to make them better prepared for unforeseen situations such as the Covid-19 pandemic in the future. By addressing the key elements of the educational system, such as students, faculty, curriculum, technological support, assessment and evaluation strategies, the proposed framework will allow HEIs to take a comprehensive approach. This will allow HEIs to meet the changing learners’ needs in different modules. Further, this study has outlined the possible causes leading to barriers in agile BL framework implementation and has also formulated a checklist to help review the progress and administer further improvements in the process. It tried to provide a road map that could be adopted by the stakeholders to successfully implement agile BL. The study contributes to the review and contemplation of the institutional responsibilities involved in establishing an agile BL environment. It focuses on creating sustainable adjustment of the university education system in post-pandemic situations [2]. Though this study contributed to the foundation of knowledge and practice in agile BL, there are several limitations that future research could address for increasing the efficacy and sustainability of agile BL environments. As new technologies (e.g. artificial intelligence, adaptive learning, virtual and augmented reality etc.) continue to emerge, further research is required to evaluate different training programs on effective use of digital tools and instructional designs to enhance teachers’ ability to create, adapt and deliver innovative pedagogies, and improve students’ engagement, motivation and, learning outcomes. Continuous evaluation of the proposed agile BL framework is essential. Future studies could measure the attitude of students and teachers towards agile BL to inform the iterative improvement of the framework, ensuring it provides a sustainable solution [119, 120], supporting students to navigate and contribute to a rapidly evolving global landscape [42].

This paper is an extension of work originally presented in the International Conference on Open and Innovative Education (ICOIE 2023)[121].