The Implementation of Online Blended Learning Best Practices within Hospitality Higher Education - Impacts on Student Engagement

In hospitality higher education, there remains a critical gap in understanding how to effectively measure student engagement within online blended learning environments within hospitality higher education. Existing methods overlook the complex behaviours, motivations and contextual influences that shape genuine, authentic participation. This study addresses this gap by applying Redmond's Online Engagement Framework (2018) to evaluate how best practice engagement strategies – incorporating cognitive, emotional, behavioural, social and collaborative dimensions in an online hospitality blended learning module impacts student motivation and engagement. The research aims to enhance and inform digital pedagogical approaches and offer transferable insights for broader implementation in hospitality higher education institutions.A mixed–methods research design was employed, involving analysis of learner logs, focus group interviews, discussion forums, Canvas LMS Data Analytics and student surveys from a small hospitality student cohort. Thematic content analysis revealed successful engagement outcomes such as enhanced active participation, strong peer support and increased student satisfaction in the delivery and module design. However, challenges were also evident, including student cognitive overload, emotional disengagement and technological barriers. The findings indicate a need for additional collaborative group tasks and assessments to deepen engagement and alleviate pressures on individual learners. This study contributes to the evolving landscape of online hospitality education by offering practical strategies that foster meaningful student engagement that informs future improvements in online hospitality higher education learning design, pedagogical practice and delivery.