Teachers and students were not prepared to tackle online learning when the COVID-19 pandemic began in early 2020. Thrust into the online world, teachers scrambled to prepare and deliver their lessons through their computer’s camera to a sea of blacked-out faces, uncertain if their efforts were being received. As we continue to navigate these uncertain times, hybrid/blended learning is becoming the new norm. The question is whether hybrid/blended learning will become part of a 21st century science and technology classroom or classrooms in general?
What are Hybrid and Blended Learning Models?
“Hybrid learning is a teaching method where teachers instruct in-person and remote students at the same time. In hybrid learning models, asynchronous teaching methods can be used to supplement synchronous, face-to-face instruction” (Boyarsky, 2020).
“Blended learning combines in-person teaching with asynchronous learning methods, where students work on online exercises and watch instructional videos during their own time” (Boyarsky, 2020).
Quebec shifted to a version of the hybrid/blended model in October 2020. At present, students are attending classes in person one day out of two. On the days they are in school, students benefit from the in-person connection with their teacher, and on alternate days, they are logging in to a lesson with their teacher from home. In model, teachers and students are being asked to use skills such as self-regulation, organization, critical thinking, and communication while also working towards the acquisition of subject knowledge. Furthermore, basic technological skills are required and “blended learning also offers students a chance to build soft skills, including time management and proactive learning” (Modan, 2020). As with any pedagogical framework or model, there are pros and cons. What I have noticed in my research for this post, is that this list varies depending on what grade level one is teaching as well as many other extenuating factors. Therefore, the list I am compiling here is reflective of the pros and cons faced by students at my school.
Pros:
Students can work at their pace
Students submit assignments easily
Students are improving 21st century skills (communication and critical thinking)
Students are slowly learning what works best for them (self-regulation)
Caters to a vast variety of learning styles
Cons
Several students are falling behind in their work
Some students are having trouble with organization
Issues with technology use
Some students report being disengaged
Some find it too fast to follow
Is Hybrid/Blended Learning Conducive to Fostering 21st Century Skills?
In order to gauge its effectiveness, we need to consider whether hybrid/blended learning is providing an engaging environment for students and focus on whether they are maintaining or improving upon their success in their courses. This data will likely only emerge later. However, to begin this discussion, there have been few studies in regards to the benefits for students in K-12 who are learning through a hybrid model, since many agree that there are simply some skills and topics that students need to learn through in-person interactions. “Younger children need a level of guidance, social interaction, and tactile-learning opportunities that are difficult to replicate in an online classroom” (Dorn et al., 2020). Since I teach at the secondary level, my goal is to reflect on its effectiveness for students in their teens. In order to do this, I need to consider when I started to use technology as an assistant in my class.
When I was introduced to Edmodo in 2010 at an Educational Technology Fair, I adopted it as my platform of choice. Over the next several years I used it to communicate with my students outside of class hours, provided class summaries and accompanying material after an in-class lesson, accepted turned-in work, created quizzes and polls for my students to take, and encouraged online collaboration between group members in their respective assigned chat rooms. Innovative use of available communication platforms seemed to be the need at that time. However, I question whether this truly was an example of innovation? To what extent was I teaching students to be proactive and self-regulated? As I reflect on my intended use of Edmodo, providing notes to students, writing down their homework on our digital class wall, and accepting work digitally as opposed to in person, are all examples of substitution according to the SAMR model (See Blog Entry 5 for more information about this model) and, in many ways, I was spoon feeding my teenaged students in lieu of using the technology to encourage their self-regulation and 21st century skills.
It is important to stress again that I have not yet returned to work from my maternity leave and as a result have not directly experienced or produced any planned material for this current model. However, as I mentally prepare for my return in February, I need to consider in what ways I will be using my in-class and online time while also considering the lessons I learned with my use of Edmodo. I am inspired by the following graphic produced by McKinsey & Company.
What this graphic is outlining is that it is vital for the teacher to decide which scenario (in-person or online) is best suited for the required task. This graphic is a suggestion, and I believe that every teacher needs to carefully consider, and thus utilize, the hybrid/learning model in such a way as to maximize 21st century skills and the acquisition of content knowledge. As a science and technology teacher, the flipped learning model within the hybrid model is what I feel will work best. Since my physical time with students will essentially be cut in half, I need to ensure that their in-class sessions are optimized in such a way as to engage students in activities that will solidify their content knowledge previously introduced via videos or a lesson delivered by me online. I believe that once students accustom themselves to this routine, and teachers continue to create ideal learning environments for their students when they are physically in class, that one’s ability to learn in such a framework may actually become expected. Therefore, the hybrid/blended model, in my opinion, is likely here to stay.
References:
Boyarsky, K. (2020, June 12). What Is Hybrid Learning? Here’s Everything You Need to Know. Www.Owllabs.com. https://www.owllabs.com/blog/hybrid-learning
Dorn, E., Panier, F., Probst, N., & Sarakatsannis, J. (2020, August 31). Back to school: Lessons for effective remote and hybrid learning | McKinsey. Www.Mckinsey.com. https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/public-and-social-sector/our-insights/back-to-school-a-framework-for-remote-and-hybrid-learning-amid-covid-19#
McKinsey & Company. (2020). The way teachers interact with students ought to shift under different hybrid-learning models. https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/public-and-social-sector/our-insights/back-to-school-a-framework-for-remote-and-hybrid-learning-amid-covid-19#
Modan, N. (2020, June 17). Fast Forward: Hybrid models could prove effective. Are they here to stay? Education Dive. https://www.educationdive.com/news/fast-forward-hybrid-models-could-prove-effective-are-they-here-to-stay/579782/
SAMR Model: A Practical Guide for EdTech Integration. (2017, October 30). Www.Schoology.Com. https://www.schoology.com/blog/samr-model-practical-guide-edtech-integration#:~:text=The%20SAMR%20Model%20is%20a