Blended Learning: Definition, Reasons For Adoption, Advantages And Disadvantages

Discuss about the Blended learning is known as hybrid learning.

Blended learning is also known as hybrid learning, and it is a combination of two sets of education where there are the independent learning and the typical traditional classroom learning with tutors and instructors (Jonassen, Howland, Marra & Crismond, 2008). Currently, the learning methodology has had many definitions for it, and no single person can define it conclusively. According to Garrison and Kanuka (2004) students and teachers under this system approach learning from a different perspective, unlike before, where there was the addition of computers or teaching aids to classrooms, most of the work and activities that are done in class are performed or carried out by an individual thoroughly trained in education (Khine & Lourdusamy, 2003). Besides that, there are learning materials that the same expert provided to learners in the form of lectures that have been pre-recorded by him/her. Also, students are given a structured time guide through the materials and resources provided in the lectures and also from the skills acquired from and during classroom experience. In some cases, the individual semester of a blended learning class often adds emphasis on the classroom time so that learners may get a glimpse of that is to come later. Afterward, as the semester progresses, the instructor or facilitator begins giving more workload to learners so they can do with the help of online resources and independent studies (Valiathan, 2002).

 Blended learning utilizes classroom time for such tasks and activities that may require the interaction of the student and the instructor directly. Over the years, traditional learning has been used in most institutions, and their method has always been delivery of learning materials and resources to learners by way of lectures (Crawford & Jenkins, 2018). However, changes have started coming to the systems of learning and education where instructors van pre-record and videotape lessons before the time of teaching and learners can utilize such materials on their own. Students only come to the classroom where there is a need to solve problems or in some cases worth together through some complicated tasks. Besides that, the system is very open where 0ver 30% of the work is done online while 70% is done via classroom time ((Jonassen et al., 2008). In most cases, learners are encouraged by facilitators and instructors to engage more in discussing essential aspects and concepts online with the help of the tutor or online study software like the wiki. Blended learning ensures that all the materials for learning are availed on the web for learners to access and utilize whenever they need (Singh, 2003).

Advantages

Schools should adopt blended learning in their curriculums, and there is more than meets the eye when it comes to the method. First, students and instructors have grown a preference for blended learning as compared to the traditional education. The reason is that it is effective, in this method, students have the advantage of benefiting from both conventional and virtual learning. With the many smartphones and tablets in the hands of students and also computers, students can now fit what they ought to do during their course with their other activities. It allows students continue learning and participate in the classroom activities while engaging in other essential activities of their preference (Crompton, 2014). Also, the flipped classroom model that is widely used is the best when it comes to using the independent time to learn the materials and also introducing new ideas and concepts. Therefore, with the many techniques and tools used, learning can cover most of the aspects it is required to in a short period.

Secondly, the students get more value through the system. There is a wide range of learning resources that are available to the students both online and in classrooms. Besides that, when the classroom hours are exhausted, students can still benefit from the online materials and the pre-recorded videos and audio which are at their disposal (Evseeva & Solozhenko, 2015). Thirdly, students get more control, since there are many learning materials and resources, students can plan their learning time and journey, therefore, giving them more control over their learning outcome. In the event of finding difficulties, they can also revisit the materials available and go through the concept that was not understood until they grasp the whole concept. Additionally, teachers can easily carry out assessments, and this enables students to keep up and know the progress of their learning (Hameed, Badii & Cullen, 2008).

Students in blended learning have access to learning materials and resources anytime and any day throughout the year. The method helps students get help from the public resources on the internet, and they may not necessarily need the help of tutors whenever they have difficulties. Limitations of time which were experienced during the traditional method of learning are eliminated (Valiathan, 2002). Also, there is the uniqueness of personalized experiences, where learners have different abilities and capabilities, and therefore they can choose what works better for them since not all people are the same. Those who are quick of understanding and those who are slow can have an experience that suits them all according to their preferences. As a result, the learner through this system can focus on whatever skills and information he/she needs and dos not need to go through materials that are not relevant. Besides that, there is an improvement in the collaboration and communications where the learner can grow and become better even in the absence of the instructor (Snodin, 2013). As a result of that, an interaction between the relevant participants and their instructors is enhanced making it better. Finally, the method is cost-effective, in traditional learning, there is a lot of traveling and therefore students spend more money, and when they miss classes, they miss out on work. However, this method saves the time spent traveling and the possibility of missing the class.

Disadvantages

Technology dependence has its downside like the internet availability when students and participants must use this method, and there must be a reliable internet connection to facilitate the learning. Besides that, leaners must be aware of the technology and how to use it, if not they may end up wasting resources offered to them because they can’t use the technology (Garrison & Vaughan, 2008). Additionally, the costs of setting up this program might be costly and may require a lot of investment to kick start. Having various departments could see the costs rise in a short period but in the long run, the same costs will pay off in a big way.

Learning is now taking a different shape, and with the introduction of technology in education, many changes are necessary for the greater good. In my assessment, I find blended learning engaging and unique. Using both traditional and blended learning is better because students get to know what they are weak in and how they can make efforts to improve. Also, they enjoy the quick feedbacks from tutors who are trained in providing such information. However, learners have different preferences when it comes to learning, and some would feel comfortable engaging each other in blended learning whereas other would opt out. Either way, institutions ought to find the best way of implementing the system by considering both the needs of those who are for it and those who are not. Also, since the method uses a ratio of 70:30 in classroom and e-learning respectively, tutors must find the right balance to enable all students to benefit from the technique.

In the first video on the topic of instructional theories, there are different theories of learning. According to the theory by Robert Gagne, there are nine steps to a good instruction which can make any learner grasp many things and improve outcomes (Gibbons, Boling & Smith, 2014). Before the good instruction can become anything desirable and productive, there has to be proper and planning which Robert Gagne has helped out in drafting nice steps. First, there has to the place where the instructor identifies the outcomes of learning. In this case, the instructor determines what exactly he/she wants the students to learn (Branch & Kopcha, 2014). By doing this, the instructor will be able to provide the learner with feedback at the end telling the learner whether they have got the point he/she was trying to pass across, or they still need more work. Secondly, the instructor has to identify the skills and knowledge that the learner ought to have as a prerequisite. In this case, the learner must possess some skills or knowledge which will enable them to become successful before beginning the learning process (Bates, 2005).

Personal Opinion on Blended Learning

The third step is that the instructor must strive to identify and discover the kind of instruction that the learners need to have got or received for them to attain the desired outcome. At this point, the instructor must decide the exact things that he/she needs to teach the students, by so doing, their instructions must point students to the set goals of the learning. After that, the instructor then has to set the scope for learning and the context. The instructor should then tell the students what they need to learn precisely and where they need to get the learning materials to facilitate the same (Reiser, 2001). Since learning occurs at different phases, the instructor must make a distinction and a record of the traits of the learners. This process aims to allow the instructor to look at the learners he/she has and see what their differences are in that context. The characteristics will enable the instructor to know what kind of instruction each learner or group of learners need for him/her to realize the outcome of the instructions effectively. The sixth key is finding the right media for giving or disseminating the instructions to the learners. Under this section, the instructor chooses what is best for the learners, whether it be books or videos or audio notes, he/she must select what will bring out the most out of the learners at the end of the day.

Besides that, learners like any other people need motivation, and the instructor has to provide for their motivations (Herreid & Schiller, 2013). The aim of this is to motivate them and get them excited about learning the content that the instructor has for them during that particular period. Also, the instructor must find a way of testing the learners to see what they have got out of the instruction. The test can be in the form of evaluations where a small group is tested before testing or trying it on the rest of the group. Finally, the instructor has to judge the effectiveness of his/her instructions (Strayer, 2012). In this case, the instructor has to evaluate the instruction and see whether it worked by achieving the planned goals and objectives or not. Besides the nine steps to good instruction, Gagne also came up with the nine steps of delivering the instructions. All instructions must be delivered in such a way that they lead the learner to a specific goal and outcome (Bergen Jr & Han-fu, 2002). The first step is helping the students by getting their attention. Since the instruction involves the use of software and other learning material, it’s important to get the learners to concentrate. After their attention is achieved and secured, the instructor must share with them the learning objective. The instructor should be telling them what they ought to do and why as they continue learning the use of the new software (Guzman & Nussbaum, 2009). Since there will be a lot of information being given out to learners, there is always the tendency to forget some information along the way. Therefore, the instructor must ensure that he/she makes a habit of stimulating the recalling of the previously learned or shared information. In the event, the instructor had taught them about using some of the sites and getting the information he/she must remind them before proceeding further.

The School of the Future

Afterward, the instructor ought to present the information that the students need (Slomanson, 2014). The information being given may be entirely different from the previous steps. In this part, the instructor has to demonstrate to the learners how to use the instructions or the information that he is offering them in a way that they can understand. When the information sinks home, the instructor can now provide them with guidance on the various objectives of the process. In this step, the learners are taught how to perform or carry out their tasks, and this can be best done through a PowerPoint presentation. As the students are doing the tasks and understanding the requirements, the instructor should now elicit performance where he/she allows them to do it on their own and then try to see how they are performing (Al-Bataineh, Anderson, Toledo & Wellinski, 2008). At this stage, they may be in groups and while they are trying out the instructions and following the guidelines, the instructor could be going around providing feedback to them. He/she can answer questions and respond to their concerns in those groups. Also, at this point, the instructor can give out a quiz to the students to test their understanding, by doing so, it’s easy to provide feedback to the learners on their performance (Raymond, 2016). Afterward, the instructor can assess the learners, he/she can allow the learners to say what they recall about the procedure that he/she has already taught them previously. For example, they can now begin explaining the use of the software from the start to the end, and the instructor has to evaluate their understanding.

Finally, there is a need to help them retain the information and practice the same in the real world (Borchers, 2000). After teaching them how to use the software and they have fully understood the concept, it’s good to allow them to find a way of keeping that information and also applying the same in their world, be it at work or wherever they spend most of their time. The best part of this theory and method is that it motivates the learner into liking the subject and makes the learner excited. The essence of learning is about presenting information to the learner in the right way that can make him/her understand it easily (Jones & Marsden, 2006). Besides that, learning should be able to improve the retention of knowledge in the learners. In most parts of the world, students are given a lot of things to study read and be tested, and they end up memorizing the part which is needed for exams. However, such kind of learning is ineffective and faulty, and it can make the learner progress only to forget the things he/she studied a few years or months back (Rogers, Sharp, & Preece, 2011). Learning in the future should and will be readily available to the learner and that he/she does not need to travel miles or pay so much to get access to the same.

Learning should be easy to be transferred, in such cases simple gadgets like phones should be able to transfer the same to the students and help them get the most of the information needed (Ong & Tasir, 2015). In the future, learning will not be bound by languages like it has been in the past, as there are many software that have been developed to translate languages making each detail easy to understand in almost all languages (Bates, 2005). Besides that, learning should be able to leave the classrooms and teaching halls I to the marketplace and into the real world. Learners should be able to apply and use the knowledge they have in the real world. E-learning is making learning global and easily accessible to people from different parts of the world. E-learning also has the part where it helps the learner to search for information and answers outside the classroom setting or the traditional setting. Learners can access various kinds of information they want on YouTube, iTunes, wiki among others.

Among the most common ways, e-learning is happening today through the social media. It is evident that learning takes place on different platforms and through different media, people get information all the time and from various sources. The internet has a lot of information that can widen the scope of learners when it comes to learning (Anderson, 2008). Different people have published material that the learner can compare and evaluate and come up with a sound solution or answer the questions. Classroom time has been overemphasized for years even though its productivity has not been that much. However, with the coming of the e-learning and the learning software, learners can now get more information for their studies and achieve their outcome beyond the instructor’s expectations (Tavangarian, Leypold, Nölting, Röser & Voigt, 2004)

References

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Anderson, T. (Ed.). (2008). The  management theory and practice of online learning. Athabasca University Press.

Bates, A. T. (2005). Technology, e-learning and distance education. Routledge.

Bergen Jr, T. J., & Han-fu, M. (2002). Peer tutoring and the self-instructional module. Educational Research Quarterly, 25(4), 28.

Borchers, J. O. (2000, August). A pattern approach to interaction design. In Proceedings of the 3rd conference on Designing interactive systems: processes, practices, methods, and techniques (pp. 369-378). ACM.

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Crawford, R., & Jenkins, L. E. (2018). Making Pedagogy Tangible: Developing Skills and Knowledge Using a Team Teaching and Blended Learning Approach. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 43(1), 8. 

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