Blended Learning Model

Education institution must address changing expectations related to the quality of the learning experience and the development of technology. Members of the educational community are questioning traditional approaches and their effectivity. The new children and adolescents have grown up surrounded by interactive technology, they are not comfortable anymore with the information transmission approach of large lectures, they expect a relevant and engaging experience (Garrison and Vaughan, 2008).

One approach that integrates the new wonderful technologies into a teaching and learning process is blended learning. If follows the trend of using these technologies in education as in any other are of human activity in this century of informatization (Nazarenko, 2015).

• What is Blended Learning?

Blended learning is understood as the combination of different models of delivery, teaching and styles of learning that are exercised in an interactively meaningful learning environment. 

Blended Learning Methods

“By mixing traditional methods with new ones, we now have synchronous and asynchronous tools that provide modern training and learning programs with two very powerful methods. The synchronous (real time) domain is the more traditional instructional approach to online training and has the instructor (or mentor) and learner available at the same time. Asynchronous (different time) means that the instructor (or in most cases, computer-based courseware) and the learner are available at different times, a benefit for self-directed learners that like to learn at their own pace and own time. A blended learning solution should place appropriate emphasis on both important learning domains.” (Woodall, 2004, p. 2).

On the one hand, synchronous methods consist of traditional classroom, virtual classroom as well as live product practice labs, and interactive chatrooms and mentoring (Woodall, 2004). The traditional classroom lets instructors and learners to be face-to-face in the same place, whereas the virtual classroom allows the teachers and students to not be in the same place at the same time, also, the lesson is recorded and archived for later viewing (Woodall, 2004).

On the other hand, the same author provides a list of asynchronous methods. In this list media such as documents and Web pages, Web-based training, computer-based training, CD-ROM, assessments, test, surveys, and recorded live events are included. Also, Kaur (2013) adds “virtual collaboration” to this list, this is, e-mail, online bulletin boards, listservs, and online communities.

It is crucial to select a strategy or method that best support the learning objectives. Garrison and Vaughan (2008) assert that to select and integrate media must be shaped by educational objectives and design considerations. They argue that, although the technology may expand possibilities due to the support of various forms of communication, the design of the experiences and how students are engaged directly influence the quality of the learning activity. 

Advantages

References

Garrison D. R. & Vaughan N. R. (2008). Blended Learning in Higher Education: Framework, Principles, and Guidelines. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Kaur M. (2013). Blended Learning- its challenges and future. 

Nazarenco, A. L. (2015). Blended Learning vs Traditional Learning: What works? 

Woodall, D. (2010). Blended Learning strategies: Selecting the best.