The educational landscape is changing by leaps and bounds, which makes us consider that, in the future, the way to access education may be different. Given this, could Blended Education become the new form of education? If you have asked yourself this question, keep reading this article.
The 21st century has come hand in hand with an important technological revolution, fostering great innovation in the educational field. As it has progressed, the teachers have adapted to the new tasks and, little by little, they have adapted their way of intervening with the students.
In recent months, external factors such as COVID-19 and the different measures carried out to control it, have led to an abrupt and sudden change. It has not only transformed the way we interact or act, but it has also changed the way we teach. That is why, throughout this time, Distance Education has become the only possible option.
The multiple deficiencies detected in the Distance Education modality and the generalized doctrine in our country that advocates face-to-face teaching, leads us to consider the possibility of going to a new modality that is halfway between the two: Blended Education or Blended Learning .
This type of education can be shown as an alternative with greater benefits than Distance Education, in addition to becoming an option to reduce the ratios in the classrooms and to be able to carry out one of the measures on which the health authorities have placed the greatest emphasis to prevent the spread of COVID-19, interpersonal distance.If you want to know more about this approach, keep reading this post from Write my paper 4 me.
Blended Learning How does this new modality work?
If we look back, I think none of us would have considered all the changes that we have been subjected to during these months. At an accelerated rate, we have had to readjust what we thought was "the only possible reality."
The blended education or "Blended Learning" is defined as a mode that combines traditional teaching method, characterized by a complete presencialidad, mediated by a new information and communications technology (Graham, 2006) learning.This type of education includes learning environments in which there is a physical interaction between the student body and their mentor. In these moments of presence, the teacher will be able to guide and evaluate the teaching-learning process that the students are carrying out.On the other hand, it offers time slots, in which students work autonomously, with virtual teaching guided by the teacher in a more indirect way.
How to develop a blended learning program
The way of carrying out Blended Education is quite flexible , so several possible options can be considered, as has been considered in the proposal made by the Junta de Andalucía in its recent publication, in which it offers guidance for proceed in the educational centers of Andalusia in the current situation. In a general way, I will discover what are the options that arise:
Synchronous teaching (face-to-face and online): A part of the students will attend class and another part will be at home and will attend virtually at the same time.
In-person attendance of the entire group at the set times : The entire group of students will have a combination of set time slots to attend the classroom in person and to work at home.
In-person attendance of one part of the group and virtual attendance of the other part : The students will be divided into two or more subgroups and these will alternate to attend in person or online from time to time.
Once we have placed ourselves in this type of education, we must reflect on the different strengths and weaknesses that it presents in order to make the right decisions and offer a quality education.
What benefits can this type of education bring to students?
The new information and communication technologies were already present in our lives, in a deeply rooted way, but the conjunctural change, which occurred in our society due to the current health crisis, has highlighted their capital importance in all areas of our lives. Specifically, in the educational field they have been essential to be able to give continuity to the teaching work that has been carried out throughout the past year.
Despite this , the situation has highlighted, even more if it can, the relevant work of the teacher in the educational and personal development of students. The teacher is not a mere transmitter of content, but acts as a guide, support and promoter of culture and values. It is essential that the teacher has direct contact with the students in order to establish links with them.
The Education Semipresencial therefore in its version distance can bring to students greater flexibility in learning, adapting to the pace and how to learn from each individually. In addition, it can give you greater autonomy in the management, organization and access to information, which can become general in other areas and favor the way you cope with daily situations or problems that arise throughout your life.
On the other hand , as has been reflected previously, Blended Education offers spaces for interaction and closeness between the teacher and the student and among their classmates. In this face-to-face meeting, students will be able to share doubts, experiences and concerns and will be able to enrich themselves with the contributions of their classmates and the teacher himself. At this time, the teacher will be able to offer the support that the students need to continue their journey independently in their telematic classes.
Is blended training a benefit for everyone?
At this point, it is necessary to reflect on the various personal situations existing in our society. Therefore, the blended educational approach cannot be considered as a global solution. It is true that, as we mentioned earlier, Blended Education can provide students with benefits compared to purely face-to-face or distance education, but we cannot transfer this to all educational levels or to all situations.
An example of this, we have in the students of Early Childhood Education and Primary and students with Specific Needs of Educational Support . These groups require total presence in order to acquire adequate curricular and personal development. Either by age or by the characteristics they present, it is very likely that they have not yet developed the capacity for self-control necessary to be able to cope with an autonomous job.
In addition, at the educational levels in which they are found, the basis of most of the learning that they will acquire throughout their school and professional life is built, so the processes that they have to internalize are of a great complexity.
It is at this moment, when they begin to take the first steps in the knowledge of mathematics or in the learning of literacy . Therefore, for this type of student, with greater force, the work of the teacher is critical to effectively guide their learning process. It will only be effective if it is done in a closer and more direct way.
On the other hand, we must bear in mind those students who belong to families that do not have sufficient economic capacity to possess the necessary technological resources. The economic deprivation can be considered as one of the limits of children to access education through this modality.
These cases have been presented as the most outstanding ones, but there are many situations that we can find, such as the global problem of difficulties for family conciliation .
Can this type of education become the education of the future?
After elucidating the different benefits and harms that Blended Education can have, the answer to the question, posed at the beginning, is clear.Blended Education can be implemented as the education of the future for our children if all the obstacles that we can find are valued. It is necessary to find solutions in accordance with and applying them requires a reflection on each particular case. Taking into account the limitations that students may encounter, we have to ensure that education reaches everyone equally.
What would be the ideal setting for blended learning?
In order to establish it as the education of the future, there is still a long way to go. Several are the aspects that become fundamental for the proper functioning of the same and some of them are:
Provide students, teachers and families with the digital skills necessary .
Propose new methodologies learning that contemplate distance and face-to-face education.
Provide adequate infrastructures to carry out this type of teaching.
Create official platforms and consensual for all students.
Have a network of resources , where you can store content corresponding to each educational stage and that can be used among colleagues. As mentioned by Marques (2012), the keys for an adequate inclusion of Information and Communication Technologies are: The commitment of the management team and the educational community, the existence of adequate infrastructures, technical-didactic training, having teaching materials, exquisite coordination and maintenance and, of course, an open attitude from the teacher.
