BLENDED LEARNING

BLENDED LEARNING

Introduction

The blended classroom is designed to meet the individual needs of student by allowing teachers to personalize instruction.  This strategy can be used for any subject and any grade level.  Blended learning combines face-to-face and online instruction. It allows students to work with teachers in school and have online resources at home. It is similar to the flipped classroom, but with more emphasis on in-class work with the teacher over video/home content. Project Based Learning is a type of blended classroom. Students work on projects at home, and in class. In class, they can ask the teacher for help, and continue on the project at home, with online materials for help. By having online materials available, students have access to support when out of the classroom. Students access some material at home and complete some work at home, while leaving more time during class to get into deeper context with the teachers.

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Pros: 

• Provides for individualized support for the students
• students can access material at anytime, anywhere, to review the material
• provides richer, more interactive learning experiences
• provides more time for collaboration with the students and teachers
• parents have access to what students are doing - better communication and support
• studies show it increases student and teacher productivity, improves teaching and learning, and provides more and better data, and helps customize learning.
• more and more colleges and even workplaces are using this model
• gives students more time to learn - extends the learning beyond the end of the school day

Cons:

• Teachers will need time to create and/or select content.
• Teachers will need training on using this method of instruction to make it effective
• students will need to be shown how to access, use the technology and what is expected of them
• Students need to be able to do work outside of school hours
• do they have access to technology at home?
• do they have access to internet at home?
• do they have other things that take up their time (job, etc.)
• students need to be self-directed to work at home

Ways technology supports the strategy

• resources are posted online via class website, LMS (Edmodo, Google Classroom, Schoology, etc). Resources include articles, videos, interactive multimedia, virtual labs, and more
• Teachers can track which students are using materials at home
• online materials are available to students anytime, anywhere
• materials are accessible to parents and specialists to assist the students
• provides interactive activities, support materials and learning resources
• multimedia content helps address different learning styles

WHAT IS E-LEARNING?

WHAT IS E-LEARNING?

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E-learning (also called electronic learning is any type of learning that takes place through or with a computer. E-learning is primarily facilitated through the Internet but can also be accomplished with CD-ROMs and DVDs, streaming audio or video and other media. The purpose of e-learning is to allow people to learn for personal accomplishment or to earn a professional degree, without physically attending a traditional university or academic setting. E-learning can be applied for all levels of schooling from grade school to graduate degrees, and is versatile enough to accommodate all learning styles.

Read more : http://www.ehow.com/about_4788168_what-purpose-elearning.html 

According to https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20140715064821-11282346-indonesia-higher-education-e-learning-management-strategy

 

Here is the role of E-learning in Educational System

a) E-learning is a network, which allows him to improve quickly, save or bring back, distributing, and sharing of learning and information. This requirement is essential in e-learning, so that Rosenberg called it an absolute requirement.
b) E-learning is delivered to users through a computer using standard Internet technology. CD ROM, Web TV, Web Cell Phones, Pagers, and aids other personal digital although learning can prepare messages but can not be classified as e-learning.
c) E-learning is focused on the views of the most extensive learning, learning solutions beat traditional paradigm in training.

The Advantages of eLearning training includes

Based on http://www.optimussourcing.com/learninghintsandtips/the-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-elearning

More Flexible – eLearning can be done in short chunks of time that can fit around your daily schedule. Unlike public scheduled and in-house training, you don’t have to dedicate an entire day to the training that has been organised by your company. Instead, you will have a set amount of learning, normally divided into modules, with a deadline in which to do them in. This way, if you want to do all of the learning in one day as you work better this way, you can. However if your schedule doesn’t allow you an entire day off your everyday tasks – then you can easily spend an hour or 2 here and there at times that suit you.

Mobile – As eLearning can be done on laptops, tablets and phones – it is a very mobile method. Learning can be done on the train, on a plane or any other time that could normally be wasted. Whilst you used to be confined to the classroom, the whole world can now be your classroom.

No Travel– As just mentioned, eLearning can be done wherever you have a device capable of doing so. Therefore again you can fit it in to your schedule, but also save money on the costs of travel. As mentioned before on the public scheduled blog, external courses can sometimes only be sourced in locations far away from your company so you then have to pay the costs of travel as well potentially accommodation. eLearning takes these costs away completely.

Lower cost – As you aren’t using a trainer’s time or any room or equipment, eLearning tends to be the much cheaper option. If you already have a device capable of carrying out the training on, then the savings can be considerable. Therefore if you and your company are on a budget, this can be the ideal option for you.  Equally for companies that have thousands of employees then it can reduce the cost per head especially on areas such as Money Laundering, Compliance and Microsoft Office training.

Tailor it to you – eLearning courses aren’t confined to be fixed to try and suit the needs of the majority. If you feel you already know a particular area well and don’t need to spend an hour on it again, then you can skim over it and concentrate that time on something you feel you need to work more at. Everyone is able to learn at their own pace – a massive factor that only eLearning can provide for.

Technological Possibilities – eLearning is fast becoming a more and more popular method and with it, so has the investment into how to improve it further. The computer based nature of training means new technology is being introduced all the time to help with the learning. Different apps are helping to further reinforce the learning whilst forums can be used to greatly increase the amount of interaction and engagement between learners. This is only going to improve as time goes on as well.

Global – With very few restrictions companies can be confident that their staff can receive the same content regardless of their location, and in many cases, their nationality.  Therefore if you wish to provide the same training or have your staff understand and use common methodology, eLearning is a useful way of ensuring this happens with ease and reduced cost.