Strategies for Effective Utilization of Blended instructional approaches for Improved Instruction in Office Technology and Management (OTM) in Public Tertiary Institutions in South East, Nigeria

This study was carried out to investigate strategies for effective utilization of blended learning instructional approaches in Office Technology and Management (OTM) in public tertiary institutions in South East, Nigeria. The study answered two (2) research questions which were raised based on two (2) variables. Two null hypotheses were tested at 0.05level of significance. The study adopted descriptive survey research design and the study area was South East geo-political zone of Nigeria. The population of the study consisted of two hundred and sixty eight (268) business educators employed under Business Education Department of public tertiary institutions in South-East Geopolitical zone, Nigeria. The instrument for data collection was a structured questionnaire titled “Strategies for effective utilization of blended learning instructional approaches in office technology and management questionnaire (SEUHIAOTMQ)” with 18 items. The instrument was validated by three experts, two in business education and one in science education. Reliability of the instrument was determined through pilot test using Cronbach Alpha Reliability Statistical Tool. The analysis yielded a reliability coefficient of 0.85. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions while independent t-test was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The result of the analysis revealed that utilization of flex model and enriched virtual model teaching strategies can enhance effective teaching of Office Technology and Management (OTM) in public tertiary institutions. The study also revealed that gender and years of experiences did not affect the opinion of business educators’ opinion on strategies for effective utilization of blended learning or blended instructional approaches in Office Technology and Management (OTM) in public tertiary institutions in South East, Nigeria. The implication of the findings was that that every business educator should attend regular in-service education so as to keep abreast of current and future innovations in teaching. Based on the findings, it was recommended, among others, that Federal government could provide public tertiary institutions in South East, Nigeria enriched virtual classrooms to enable teachers make use of them for effective teaching Office Technology and Management.


INTRODUCTION
There is a growing revolution throughout the educational sector for use of computer technology in the teaching and learning process.New and continuing advances in technology have contributed to the possibility of creating teaching materials in more interesting with interactive stimulations.Online and real-time interaction is a powerful combination that makes teaching interesting and participatory for both students and instructors (Piontek, 2021).Piontek further stressed that transmission of knowledge and information which used to be done through the lecture teaching method at the tertiary education level is globally being done electronically.The conventional mode of teaching Office Technology Education courses is the lecture method.Office Technology and Management is a branch of Business Education that offers knowledge, skills, indepth administrative office preparation to meet the demands and challenges in the business environment (Okagbare & Fredrick, 2019).Office Technology and Management, according to Yakubu (2019), is a programme from which students can obtain office administrative skills applicable to various careers, industries as well as cognitive skills transferable to other employment situations and life experiences.Some of the objectives of teaching OTM, according to the National Commission for Colleges of Education (2017), include equipping graduates with the right skills that will enable them engage in a life of work in the office as well as for self-employment and to produce business teachers who will be involved in the much desired revolution of vocational development right from primary to tertiary institutions.The knowledge and skills offered by the business education programme has advanced OTM profession.Office Technology and Management has reached an advanced stage that the responsibilities of a secretary now extend to wider boundaries far beyond that of a mere typist.Thus a secretary can be regarded as a worker or office technologist who can be delegated with greater and more complex responsibilities which include decision making on simple and complicated issues; representing the boss in board meetings, and overseeing complex office duties in compliance to standard (Ugwu, 2019).Generally, Office Technology and Management is being taught with a conventional classroom approach where the teacher physically stands before the students and gives out the learning materials, using a variety of teaching strategies, and assesses the students performance through home works and class activities.This approach (which is also known as the face-to-face approach) entails that the teacher coordinates the learning process by giving out the learning materials in class as students listen and possibly take notes.At appropriate times, assignments and class activities are given by the teacher to evaluate students' comprehension of what is taught.The students in 21st century and ICT age are bored with long lectures and dictations, note memorization and interaction in the classroom because technology is making teaching better, more fun and interactive (Piontek, 2021).Students today have become digital compliant and are very comfortable with technology long before they enroll in higher education.Technology has transformed how they live, communicate, interact and learn within and outside classes.They are much familiar with electronic learning brought by the advent of technology unlike the lecture teaching method which requires the physical presence of both students and the teacher within the four walls of a classroom setting.The lecture teaching method the teacher adopted according to Hadzimehmedagic and Akbarov (2021) plays the primary role of informing the learners through explicit instructions supplemented by textbooks and demonstrations.The teacher disseminates instructions to a set of students convening in a classroom.Lecture teaching method emphasizes learning through the teacher's guidance at all times while students are expected to listen and learn from the lecture.In order to ascertain students' achievement or educational outcomes from the series of instructions on topics taught in a subject of study, the teacher at intervals administer tests in the class to measure the individual student's knowledge and the individual student's academic achievement in the subjects of study.Most of the tests are conducted in form of an essay, multiple choice, yes or no, complete the space or open ended questions, etc. Lecture teaching method has its merits and demerits to both the teacher and the students.Akpoghol, Samba and Asemave (2021) posited that lecture method is one of the conventional methods of teaching that involves oral presentation of ideas.Instruction in the classroom is often carried out on a one-to-many basis, with the teacher, before an audience of dozens of students, playing a traditional role which over the years had yielded positive impact.The benefits of this approach are far reaching.According to Cooper (2018), the conventional classroom approach encourages physical interaction between teacher and learner, supports socialization among learners and enhances motivation through the learning process.However, this approach may not consider students individual learning styles, and also may not be flexible enough for self-paced learning.As a result, the conventional classroom approach may not be student-centered as students' participation may be restricted to only what the teacher permits in class.Integrating technology into the teaching process (usually known as e-learning) could help to close the gap created by conventional classroom approach.E-learning is the use of electronic devices in the teaching and learning process (Ndinechi & Bupo, 2019).It encompasses the usage of audio and video devices, synchronous and asynchronous processes, individual and group arrangements, social media, discussion boards, and any other electronically enabled communication tools in the education process.E-learning could be either fully online or a blended learning of online and face-to-face contact.The letter is known as blended learning.Blended learning teaching is a term used to represent both teaching and learning processes that combine online learning with in-classroom learning.Blended learning approach is the teaching/learning approach that brings together the face-to-face approach and the online learning approach.It is the blended learning of the two approaches to form a blend.Blended teaching is defined by Ukamaka (2018), in her study, as a computer-mediated instructional strategy that leverages technology and focuses on the student-teacher relationship to enhance independence, engagement and achievement.Blended learning Approach (HLA) is that approach that bridges the gap between the fully online learning approach and the conventional classroom approach.It integrates online learning with in-person instruction from the teacher.HLA involves combining classroom instruction and e-learning (Kiviniemi, 2018) which is increasing in tertiary institutions around the world (Graham, Woodfield, & Harrison, 2017).Blended learning teaching, in the context of this study, involves combining blog and Google classroom (online) with face-to-face physical co-presence of teacher and students (lecture teaching method).(a) The blog is an online or web publication of materials or documents.A blogged material becomes automatically an online hosted material or document.(b)The use of the blog had been diversified beyond just being used for marketing purposes, such as advertising and sales, to an instrument for teaching and learning.(c)The universal nature and the special features of the blog as a platform for publishing the document online have made blog potential resources to foster an effective environment to support teaching and learning (Quan-Haase, 2018).The blog has over the years constituted one category of online sites that are growing in prominence in the world (Smith, 2021).The blog is an online or web publication of materials or documents.A blogged material becomes automatically an online hosted material or document.The use of the blog had been diversified beyond just being used for marketing purposes, such as advertising and sales, to an instrument for teaching and learning.(d) The platform provides room for interactions and can be accessed at any time possible by the users.It enhances privacy and information security that limits outsider access to the blog site.Most importantly, the blog has features that could support interactive style or communication and collaboration required for effective teaching and learning process (Smith, 2021).In agreement with the above fact, Reinder (2020) had posited that learner autonomy has a significant role in successful learning since learning becomes more interesting, meaningful and continuous if learners take responsibility for their own learning as they learn what they are ready to learn.It can also serve as one of the alternative means for shy students to be able to voice their thoughts in and outside the classroom and to also collect their thoughts and articulate them in writing.Therefore, the use of a blog and Google classroom to support lecture method may be a good solution to improving interactive learning, social presence among students, academic achievement and interest.The Blended learning method of teaching is made of flippedclassroom model, lab-rotation model, station-rotation model and individual rotation model.The model adopted for this study is the flipped classroom model.Flex model strategies according to Eastman (2022) is an instructional strategies designed to allow students work at their own pace with the occasion of having small face-to-face interactions with the teacher and their peers to bolster the learning process.Powell, (2022) noted that in the flex model, students take lesson materials via an online learning platform (which forms the backbone of the entire learning process) mixed with interactions with the teacher who is usually on site.Nikolas, (2022) who reported that that flex model strategies in the teaching appears as an alternative teaching practice that should be embraced by teachers, to assist students to improve their performance.Wagner, Hassan, and Head, (2008) who posited that the strategies in flex teaching and learning is that the teacher first record teaching and provide face-to-face support on a flexible and adaptive as-needed basis through activities such as small-group instruction, group projects, and individual tutoring.The teacher of record is on-site, and students learn mostly on the brick-and-mortar campus, except for any homework assignments.Wagner, Hassan, and Head, (2008) noted that some of implementations strategies is to have substantial face-to-face support, whereas others have minimal support.For example, some Flex models may have face-to-face certified teachers who supplement the online learning on a daily basis, whereas others may provide little face-to-face enrichment.Still others may have different staffing combinations.Eastman (2022) reported that the flex model is designed to allow students work at their own pace with the occasion of having small face-to-face interactions with the teacher and their peers to bolster the learning process.Flex model of blended learning features an online platform that delivers most of the curricula.It's the model where most of the learning is done online and the face-to-face model exists to provide on-site support for a flexible and adaptive, as required basis through in-person tutoring sessions and small group sessions Enriched virtual model strategy of blended teaching and learning is a method where by the students are to divide their entire course time between online content delivery (which can be done remotely) and a faceto-face instruction model which is not on a regular basis.The students seldom attend the face-to-face instruction and it is a whole-school experience (Staker & Horn, 2022).Chiang, Chapman & Elder, (2010) which reported that transformation to less conventional methods of teaching results is in fear and reluctance from teachers, who find the change hard, and risky.This finding tally with the study of Wei-Li, (2016) who opined that conventional teaching is also limiting the room for more creative thinking and also seldom considering individual differences.Agboola (2006) who suggested that male business educators experience less anxiety about e-Learning and make more frequent use of it.Wagner, Hassan, and Head, (2008) posited that female business educators are assumed to show lower confidence or knowledge ability than male about using blended learning approaches for e-Learning In the conventional classroom approach, the class teacher provides the lesson materials to students in class and gives them take home assignments while in Hybrid teaching approach, flipped classroom model, the resources are provided online for the students via a virtual learning environment, and the class time is used for class works and exercises.Students are expected to go through the lesson materials at home on their own and at their pace, then the exercises and activities are done during the class time.This could encourage students' participation as they are able to go through the lesson materials on their own.Gender can be a factor that could influence the application of technology in the teaching and learning process.Male and female business education students may differ in their response to the usage of hybrid learning and this may influence their achievement.In Nigeria, the circumstances of gender have strongly interacted with culture to produce sex role-stereotypes, which is the socio-cultural classifications of human activities by sex in line with what the society considers as appropriate for one sex or the other (Nzewi, 2020).Ukwueze ( 2020) is of the opinion that the instructional method used in the classroom has a way of positively influencing students' gender and their academic achievements.Okoro (2019) noted that co-operative learning strategy favours females more than males while competitive learning favours males more than females.Gender is a very important variable in this study because personal orientation and thinking style of male and female students may play a crucial role in students' academic achievement and interest.Bertea (2019) opined that e-learning embraces the active participation of male and female students.Similarly, Mahmoud, Ahmed and Mirna (2017) reported that male and female students have different experiences in using hybrid learning.With the contradictions and lack of a clear trend in gender influence on utilization of hybrid, more records of investigations have become necessary to establish a base for this study.

Statement of the Problem
Nowadays, the education system or rather the school system is experiencing transformational changes essentially in pedagogy and in the administration of the system due to advances in technology.The increasing popularity of mobile devices and the need to have information available anyplace and anytime has led to changes in the way in which teaching and learning are performed.Challenges arising from insecurity (unknown gunmen/kidnappers) and natural disaster (Covid-19) have heightened the need for students to access instructions from the comfort of their respective homes without necessarily travelling miles away for that purpose.In the last few years, integrated computer systems known as Hybrid learning have rapidly emerged and are having and will increasingly have profound effects on tertiary institution teaching and learning.Bertea (2019) assumed that if the blog and Google classroom combined with lecture method of instruction delivery may produce a better learning outcome.Blended learning teaching as an emerging concept has been extensively researched by scholars in examining its effect on students' academic achievement.Though, Hybrid teaching has been extensively researched little has been published on its nexus with academic achievement locally when compared with developed countries.In developed countries, the use of technology has advanced more robust learning system in the area of social learning, mobile learning, interactive and collaborative learning, cloud computing, etc., all geared towards enhancing creative learning.Unfortunately, it seems adopting this technology in public tertiary institutions in South East, Nigeria is rather taking steps back and there is urgent need to improve the pace.However, literature on hybrid learning revealed divisive views among researchers.Some studies revealed that conventional strategies enhanced students' performance; because too much technology make hybrid learning programs appear too flashy, and students may not take it seriously (Umoh & Akpan, 2018).Also, Adidoye (2019) reported that learners preconceived traditional classroom to be more effective and accessible, because they believed that most often they are familiar with the learning environment, others found that hybrid teaching enhanced students' performance.However, these assumptions have no empirical evidence.Again, there is no empirical evidence to support the strategies for effective utilization of hybrid instructional approaches in Office Technology and Management (OTM) in public tertiary institutions in South East, Nigeria.This study therefore, appears as one of the efforts towards bridging the gap in support of the strategies for effective utilization of blended instructional approaches in Office Technology and Management in public tertiary Institutions in South East, Nigeria.

Purpose of the Study
The main purpose of the study is to determine the strategies for effective utilization of blended instructional approaches for improved instruction in Office Technology and Management (OTM) in public tertiary institutions in South East, Nigeria.Specifically the study seeks to determine the strategies for effective utilization of the: 1. Flex Model strategies in the teaching of Office

Hypotheses
The following research hypotheses were formulated: H01: There is no significant difference in the mean ratings of business educators on the flex model strategies for effective utilization of hybrid instructional approaches for improved instruction in the in Office Technology and Management in public tertiary institutions in South East, Nigeria based on location.H02: There is no significant difference between male and female business educators on the mean ratings of the enriched virtual model strategies for effective utilization of hybrid instructional approaches for improved instruction in the in Office Technology and Management in public tertiary institutions in South East, Nigeria.

RESEARCH METHODS
The design for the study was descriptive survey design.The study was carried out in South-East geopolitical zone of Nigeria.South East, Nigeria comprises of five Igbo speaking states of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo.The population of the study is Business Educators in the 19 public tertiary institutions in the South East zone which consist of one hundred and twenty-nine (129) male and one hundred and thirty-nine female (139), given a total of two hundred and sixty-eight (268) business educators employed under Business Education Department of public tertiary institutions in South-East, Nigeria.The entire population of 268 was studied since the number of the business Educators is small.There was no need for sampling.The instrument for data collection was structured questionnaire titled: "Strategies for effective utilization of blended instructional approaches in office technology and management questionnaire (SEUBIAOTMQ)".In order to ascertain the validity of the instrument, it was subjected to validation using three expertstwo in the field of Business Education and one in the field of Measurement and Evaluation, Science Education Department, all from Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki.The validated instrument was further subjected to a reliability test.To ascertain this, 30 copies of the instrument were administered to 30 (thirty) lecturers in University of Calabar, Cross River State.The items of the instrument yielded an average reliability of 0.85.To facilitate easy method of data collection, the researcher adopted the on-the-spot delivery and recovery method of data collection.Out of the 268 questionnaires that were distributed, 260 were retrieved and used for the study.This represented 98% retrieval level.Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions.The decision rule was obtained by using the range of 2.50 which served as the mean value that was used in taking decision.Items whose mean value or the overall grand mean is greater than the decision was taken as very effective while items whose mean value was less than the decision mean value was considered as very ineffective.The implication, therefore, was that each item of the instrument with a mean of 2.50 and above was regarded as one of the strategies for effective utilization of blended learning in teaching of Office Technology and Management in tertiary institutions in South East, Nigeria.On the other hand, items with mean values less than 2.50 were regarded as not strategies.To test the hypothesis, independent t-test statistical tool was used at 0.05 level of significance.

Research Questions 1: What are flex model strategies for effective utilization of hybrid instructional approaches for improved instruction in Office Technology and Management in public tertiary institutions in South East, Nigeria?
Data collected with items 1 to 9 of the instrument were used to answer this research question and the finding was presented in Table 1.The results in Table 8 show that 30-38 items listed on flex model strategies have mean ratings ranging from 3.26 to 3.35 which is the above the benchmark of 2.50.This implies that all the items are accepted as the flex model strategies for effective utilization of hybrid instructional approaches in Office Technology and Management in public tertiary institutions.The grand mean of 3.28 indicates that business educators accepted all the nine items as the enriched virtual model as flex model strategies for effective utilization of hybrid instructional approaches in Office Technology and Management in public tertiary institutions.The standard deviations for all the items are within the same range indicating that respondents are homogenous in their mean ratings.Research Question 2: What are the enriched virtual model strategies for effective utilization of hybrid instructional approaches for improved instruction in Office Technology and Management in public tertiary institutions in South East, Nigeria?Data collected with items 10 to 18 of the instrument were used to answer this research question and the finding was presented in Table 2.The results in Table 8 show that all the items (38-47) yielded mean scores ranging from 3.13 to 3.36 which is the above the benchmark of 2.50.This implies that all the items are accepted as the strategies for effective utilization of hybrid instructional approaches for improved instruction in Office Technology and Management in public tertiary institutions.The cluster mean score of 3.28 means that business educators rated enriched virtual model as strategies for effective utilization of hybrid instructional approaches for improved instruction in Office Technology and Management in public tertiary institutions.The standard deviations for all the items are within the same range indicating that respondents are homogenous in their mean ratings.Hypotheses H01: There is no significant difference in the mean ratings of business educators on the flex model strategies for effective utilization of blended instructional approaches in Office Technology and Management (OTM) in public tertiary institutions in South East, Nigeria based on location.Data collected on embedded audit software skills were separated across urban and rural and subjected to a t-test of difference between means of independent samples and the finding was presented in Table 3.  Summary of the result of the t-test analyses presented in Table 3 indicates significant difference between respondents from urban and rural on items 3, 6 and 9 only with P-value of 0.04, 0.020 and 0.042 which less than 0.05.While the other six items have their P-values ranging from 0.06 to 0.803 which are greater than 0.05 indicating non-significant difference between urban and rural respondents on flex model strategies for effective utilization of hybrid or blended instructional approaches in Office Technology and Management (OTM) in public tertiary institutions.The grand total of P-values is 0.331 which greater than 0.05.This implies that is no significant difference in the mean ratings of business educators on the flex model strategies for effective utilization of hybrid or blended instructional approaches in Office Technology and Management (OTM) in public tertiary institutions in South East, Nigeria based on location.H02: There is no significant difference in the mean ratings of male and female business educators on the enriched virtual model strategies for effective utilization of blended instructional approaches in Office Technology and Management (OTM) in public tertiary institutions in South East, Nigeria.Data collected on enriched virtual model strategies were separated across genders and subjected to a t-test of difference between means of independent samples and the finding was presented in Table 4.  Summary of result on Table 4 shows that all items have their t-calculated values ranging from 0.267 to 0.82 and p-value ranging from 0.33 to 0.96 which are greater than 0.05 indicating is no significant difference in the mean ratings of male and female business educators on the enriched virtual model strategies for effective utilization of hybrid or blended instructional approaches in Office Technology and Management (OTM) in public tertiary institutions in South East, Nigeria.The grand total of P-value is 0.529 which is greater than 0.05, implies that is no significant difference in the mean ratings of male and female business educators on the enriched virtual model strategies for effective utilization of hybrid or blended instructional approaches in Office Technology and Management (OTM) in public tertiary institutions in South East, Nigeria

DISCUSSIONS
The findings of this study in respect to the research question identified flex model strategies in the teaching of Office Technology and Management (OTM) in public tertiary institutions.Findings of the study revealed that respondents rated flex model strategies for teaching of Office Technology and Management to include, giving students instructions online, allow students to work independently during teaching, create new concepts in a digital environment, providing teaching content online for students to view content synchronously, engage the entire class synchronously online course content away from campus at any time, shared documents through Google Microsoft, engage the entire class asynchronous online course content away from campus at any time, create online discussion board for students, post ideas to students through online discussion board, provide course structure, to meet the needs of students' participation in classroom and online, application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology in teaching the students, assign homework and upload teaching material on the cloud platform for students to view later.However, the findings on the hypothesis tested showed that there is no significant difference in the mean ratings of business educators on the flex model strategies for effective utilization of hybrid or blended instructional approaches in Office Technology and Management (OTM) in public tertiary institutions in South East, Nigeria based on location.This finding is in tandem with the views of Nikolas, (2022) who reported that that flex model strategies in the teaching appears as an alternative teaching practice that should be embraced by teachers, to assist students to improve their performance.In the same vien, the study is in line with the opinon of Wagner, Hassan, and Head, (2008) who posited that the strategies in flex teaching and learning is that the teacher first record teaching and provide face-to-face support on a flexible and adaptive as-needed basis through activities such as small-group instruction, group projects, and individual tutoring.The teacher of record is on-site, and students learn mostly on the brick-and-mortar campus, except for any homework assignments.Wagner, Hassan, and Head, (2008) noted that some of implementations strategies is to have substantial face-to-face support, whereas others have minimal support.For example, some Flex models may have face-to-face certified teachers who supplement the online learning on a daily basis, whereas others may provide little face-to-face enrichment.Still others may have different staffing combinations.This finding is in consonance with that of Eastman (2022) which reported that the flex model is designed to allow students work at their own pace with the occasion of having small face-to-face interactions with the teacher and their peers to bolster the learning process.Flex model of blended learning features an online platform that delivers most of the curricula.It's the model where most of the learning is done online and the face-to-face model exists to provide on-site support for a flexible and adaptive, as required basis through in-person tutoring sessions and small group sessions.
The researcher feels that the result is so because in the flex model, students work through online material while on location at school, with teachers nearby to deepen students' learning and offer additional support as necessary.In the flipped model the students are given the learning videos before the lesson whereas in the enriched virtual model the students were given take home tasks after the classroom instruction.The teacher acted as a moderator.Online discussions and diversity of opinions were encouraged in the class.
Various information in the form of weblinks were provided to the learners to foster effective learning The findings of this study in respect to the second research question identified enriched virtual model strategies in the teaching of Office Technology and Management (OTM) in public tertiary institutions.
Findings of the study revealed that respondents rated enriched virtual model strategies for teaching of Office Technology and Management to include, create online platform for the students, teaching the students directly via the chat window, develop the use of collaborative learning method approach, organize learning activities with the help of computer multimedia, use of Google classroom in teaching the students, using digital materials in teaching the students, teaching with course content management platform, teaching with the use of electronic books and use of blackboard instructional approaches during teaching.This supports the views of who discovered that when choosing a blended model of learning it is necessary to take into account the enriched virtual model strategies for teaching to include, use of Google classroom instructional strategy, use of face to face instructional strategy, use of Video lectures strategy, use of prezi presentations strategy, use of podcasts strategy, use of electronic books strategy, use of blackboard instructional strategy, use of open source learning management system strategy and use of course content management system strategy.This finding is consistent with that of Chiang, Chapman & Elder, (2010) which reported that transformation to less conventional methods of teaching results is in fear and reluctance from teachers, who find the change hard, and risky.This finding tally with the study of Wei-Li, (2016) who opined that conventional teaching is also limiting the room for more creative thinking and also seldom considering individual differences.However, the findings on the hypothesis tested showed that there is no significant difference in the mean ratings of male and female business educators on the enriched virtual model strategies for effective utilization of hybrid or blended instructional approaches in Office Technology and Management (OTM) in public tertiary institutions in South East, Nigeria.The result of this study was also in contrast with the views of Agboola (2006) who suggested that male business educators experience less anxiety about e-Learning and make more frequent use of it.Wagner, Hassan, and Head, (2008) posited that female business educators are assumed to show lower confidence or knowledge ability than male about using blended learning approaches for e-Learning.However, the results of this study showed that male and female business educators do not differ on the extent of utilization of blended learning as teaching tools for e-Learning in tertiary institutions in South East, Nigeria.The researcher feels that the result is so because it has been a norm to see how frequent students use technology in their learning.Implementation of the enriched virtual model requires teacher and students to access the internet simultaneously.Educators provide learning material in the form of papers or presentation slides and students can listen to presentations directly via the internet.

CONCLUSION
Based on the findings of the study, it was concluded that business educators in public tertiary institutions in South East, Nigeria agreed that flex model and enriched virtual model teaching strategies can enhance effective teaching of Office Technology and Management (OTM) in public tertiary institutions.The outcome of the study also revealed that gender, years of experiences and location of institutions did not affect the opinion of business educators on strategies for effective utilization of hybrid or blended instructional approaches in Office Technology and Management (OTM) in public tertiary institutions in South East, Nigeria.

Educational Implications of the Study
The findings of this study have implications for education particularly in teaching office technology and management education.The implications of this study border on development of more virile instructional approach for teaching office technology and management (OTM) courses.The study reveals that blended learning method was better than lecture method.
The findings of this study equally implied that the OTM educators (lecturers) should endeavor to use innovative student-centered instructional method like the blended learning pedagogy other than conventional teaching methods since the latter is not students centered and cannot enhance student's achievement.Also, the finding of the study shows that male and female students exist in separate conceptual world.

RECOMMENDATIONS
Based on the findings of the study, the researcher recommended that: 1.The Federal government could provide public tertiary institutions in South East, Nigeria enriched virtual classrooms to enable teachers make use of them for effective teaching Office Technology and Management (OTM) in public tertiary institutions in South East, Nigeria 2. The management of in public tertiary institutions in South East, Nigeria could from time to time train business educators on emerging technologies which can be adopted for Flex classroom model in Office Technology and Management (OTM) Department in public tertiary institutions in South East, Nigeria Ugwu .…..….. Int.J .Innovative Educ.Res 11(3):201-212, 2023 Technology and Management (OTM) in public tertiary institutions in South East, Nigeria.2. Enriched virtual model strategies for improve instruction in the teaching of Office Technology and Management (OTM) in public tertiary institutions in South East, Nigeria.Research Questions 1.What are the Flex Model strategies for effective utilization of hybrid instructional approaches for improved instruction in the in Office Technology and Management in public tertiary institutions in South East, Nigeria? 2. What are the enriched virtual model strategies for effective utilization of hybrid instructional approaches for improved instruction in the in Office Technology and Management in public tertiary institutions in South East, Nigeria?