Online and blended learning have come to the forefront of education creating new ways to interact and deliver content. In this blog post, I will share my personal definition of online and blended learning with examples, describe the significance for educators and learners, and explain how these modalities meet learners' needs. At the end I will discuss the future of education with a final thought. Three questions will guide me as I share my insights, supported by my experiences and research as both an educator and a learner.
What is Online and Blended Learning?
Online learning is the delivering and the consumption of
content via the internet (Rottmann et
al., 2020, p.1). The learning environment is completely virtual. Learners and
instructors engage and deliver content through Learning Management Systems (LMS) like
Canvas or Blackboard. Flexibility for both parties is at the forefront of this
method. Learners can participate at their own pace and digest information independently
while interacting with their peers through discussion posts and online group
work/projects. Instructors can record lectures, instructions, and overviews of
course content, and students can watch at their own convenience. Asynchronous learning provides accessibility for self-motivated learners. Video conferencing
adds a synchronous option and can be used by instructors to simulate the face-to-face
experience. Online learning takes advantage of the virtual space by offering content
in way that affords accessibility and flexibility.
Blended learning, on the other hand, blends online and
face-to-face interactions between instructors and students, in effect using
both modalities to facilitate learning (Rottmann et al., 2020, p.1). The
blended environment features in-person, instructor-student interactions, and a
LMS like Canvas or Blackboard to track and deliver content, assignments, assessments,
and learning modules. In my own practice as an educator, I have used the modern classroom approach to blend the modalities with an emphasis on differentiation
and accessibility. In the modern
classroom students access instructor made videos on an LMS and show mastery of
content on assessments as pre-requisite before moving on to the next concept. In this way
teachers are set free from the traditional stand in front of the class lecture,
and are more able to address questions, and provide guidance and differentiation
for students. Students in-turn are given
more access to the content and can move through it at their own pace.
The significance of online and blended learning is vast in
the realm of education. Students can now
embark on learning journeys that are more accessible and flexible than ever
before. If education is the great equalizer, then online and blended
learning can be the tools to finally even the playing field. The significance
is great, however the advantages and disadvantages need to be accounted for, in
order for us to truly realize the potential of where these modalities can take
us into the future.
Some key advantages include accessibility, flexibility, adaptiveness
to the learner, and the ability to scale education to be far reaching. Online
learning allows access from anywhere with a connection. The asynchronous element
allows for self-pacing and broadens the appeal of education for people with busy
lives and commitments. Current technology allows for an adaptive element to be
added that can differentiate assessments and content to fit the needs of the
learner. Courses that were once only available to a few can now be scaled to
include a massive number of learners from anywhere on the globe.
Although the advantages are great, we must also acknowledge the
disadvantages to understand the limitations and take action to mitigate the
weaknesses of these modalities. Technology does not always work and learners
must adjust to virtual environments and LMS interfaces in order to access
content. Poorly designed courses (visually and structurally) can impede
learning and cause frustration for the learner (Conceição et al., 2020, p. 45). Effective learning also has a very important social aspect that course designers
and instructors must take into consideration. Without interaction between peers
and instructors, and timely feedback, learners can feel isolated and
disengaged.
Blended learning addresses some of these disadvantages, especially
the social aspect. However, for learning and teaching to be effective, mindful
planning and attention to detail when designing courses in either modality is necessary to ensure excellent
execution and to ultimately maximize student learning.
How Can Online and Blended Learning Meet the Needs of Students?
As discussed previously, accessibility and flexibility lend themselves well to these types of learning environments. The differentiation, personalization, and support for diverse learning styles should also be highlighted when discussing how the needs of learners can be met. There are now various adaptative learning platforms available to tailor learning based on student assessment and feedback. This empowers students to learn at their own pace while getting instant feedback and supports students’ learning within their zone of proximal development. Tools like these can be easily incorporated into either the online or the blended setting.
In the modern classroom, blended learning leads the way.
Students watch instructor created recordings and complete activities online in
a LMS to show mastery. This system works well for students with various needs
and learning styles. Students can stop, rewind, and repeat the lesson as
needed. The teacher is free from the front of the class type lecture style to remediate
where and when needed. I have used this approach with my students while learning
to write an argumentative essay. I was better able to help those who needed it
and those that did not, also did not have to wait to move on. Students reported
that they felt the blended, modern classroom approach was much more beneficial
for them. I also saw improvements in my students’ writing.
Online and blended learning is impacting education in ways
that broaden the reach and effectiveness of teaching and learning. These modalities
boost accessibility and flexibility, while aiming to be inclusive and meet the
various needs of learners. The successful design and implementation of courses,
either online or blended, will surely shape the future of education with
improved educational opportunities and outcomes for all learners.
References
Conceição, S. C. O., & Howles, L. (2020). Designing the online learning experience: Evidence-based principles and strategies. Taylor & Francis Group. https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/asulib-ebooks/detail.action?docID=6426893
Rottman, A., Barreto, D., & Rabidoux, S. (2020). What in the world is a learning management system? In D. Barreto, A. Rottman, & S. Rabidoux (Eds.), Learning management systems: Choosing the right path for your organization (pp. 1–7). EdTech Books. https://edtechbooks.org/learning_management_systems/introduction