Blended Learning: A boon or bane
Blended learning or hybrid learning is the combination of traditional face-to-face learning as well as modern virtual learning. With computers and technology getting closer to us, these days every child has their own virtual teacher in the form of computers. There is a lot of potential in blended learning. For a lay man, blended learning is something which has to do with computers in the classroom for education.
With blended learning we can do something which we can’t do in our conventional education systems like learning programming, entering quiz questions, or doing a presentation on PowerPoint. It has to do with technology. Kids these days with their virtual profile should use technology powers for enhancing their education. Blended learning is where children are learning from computers for about 25 percent or more of their day. This is different from online courses. Face to face interaction is very important when it comes to blended learning. Of course, we need computers in school because kids need 21st century skills. It is more about using technology than teaching technology.
Blended learning prepares us well for the corporate world. Employees select you for a job if you are well equipped with soft skills like, Microsoft word, PowerPoint, excel, and if you know how to code an app, or know how to manage a website. Blended learning is about using a computer as a tool for learning from the computer. Blended learning has broadened our career choices. Digital marketing, content creation, social media handling, gaming, cinematography, artificial intelligence, coding, digital art, web page designing, video editing, etc. – There are lots of professions which one can opt for.
Job hunting has become a bit more convenient. Freshers and job seekers can create their profile on various job search engines like LinkedIn, Naukri, Fiverr, etc. and easily apply for jobs.
Blended education makes learning fun. Students find interest when they do their lessons with videos and audios apart from reading text. It helps students to learn and helps teachers to be more effective and efficient. When students are using this technology, they are able to go at their own pace. They can get immediate feedback when they get the question wrong. Students can learn from anywhere. They can also access their lessons from home. It helps students become independent learners and their teachers can now focus less on remediation. But one may ponder upon that how is this financially possible to have all of these computers and programs in schools. You may be surprised to find out that these programs actually are more cost efficient than some of our traditional education systems.
We can find a lot of drawbacks in our current educational system. This model is yet not adapted in our classrooms currently. We really have to make this program effective. The computer is just a device. We can’t hand them computers and say learn on their own. It is well said, “Technology won’t replace teachers. Teachers who don’t use technology will be replaced by those who do.”
With blended education, teaching and learning will change. And for this thing our institution and our teachers have to change. Flexibility, commitment and mindset – this is all what’s required. Teachers should be trained to be well versed in using these programs and to commit to using the data in order to make the students work valid and visible. The role of the teacher increases as they are the only human voice to guide them about this complex model. Knowing and picking which program should go for which student. They now have to fire at all the skills which computers can’t do like motivating the child, provide a conducive environment in the classroom and connect with doing to their home life, also provide them a virtual project which compliments them. The teacher needs to be an experimenter. Adaptability and flexibility are the keywords for the teacher today. We need educators as well as software designers, app developers, and web developers. and content creators. There is so much need in the area of blended learning.
Blended learning is the future of education and is the new normal after the pandemic. Over all I believe that blended learning had the potential to change the way students learn by giving them the opportunity to learn at their own pace and creating an individualized educational experience.
