Hybrid Learning – Its Importance, Advantages and Challenges

World order and systems are changing and evolving rapidly. Similarly, the education system is transforming all over the world. Technological advancements have brought about a revolutionary change in the way education is being imparted today. The epidemic has pushed schools and teachers to look for unconventional ways to maintain the pace of learning for students. Hence, there was a rise in various types of online education. Hybrid learning, though prevalent for education in the past, gained prominence after the Covid-19 induced lockdown period. We will explore different areas associated with hybrid learning.

Hybrid Learning

Hybrid learning is a way of learning that incorporates both online and offline (classroom-based) modes of learning. This type of education is very helpful in assisting students to progress from fully guided education to self-motivated learning. It is a form of synchronous learning that is conducted both physically and remotely.

Importance of Hybrid Learning

This method of synchronous learning encompasses both live and online classes simultaneously. The future landscape of education will witness the increased adoption of hybrid learning. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the school administration and teachers have realized that some amount of flexibility is required both during the current situation and even in the future.

While in-person and face-to-face teaching is going to remain an essential part of the education system in the recent future, we are now seeing the need to open multiple channels for quicker and more creative response; not only to address extremities like a global disaster but to ward off daily challenges faced in the field of education. Hybrid learning not only makes learning more accessible to the differently-abled students and people in general, but it also gives educators a free hand to reach remote areas, helps students stay connected with their teachers and studies during long absences, and makes both educators and learners familiar with the latest technologies in the field of education.

Advantages of Hybrid Learning

• Hybrid learning gives a student the freedom to choose their courses and the pace of learning.
• As it involves both online and face-to-face classroom models, it is the best option for students of all kinds.
• It gives students more opportunities for a student to work on their doubts as they would have access to the instructor lead module inside the class and then have the chance to go over the specific resources for the same topic made by the same instructor herself at her own pace. This flexibility will enhance the student learning experience. Leveraging the power of Artificial Intelligence, hybrid learning allows a teacher to understand a student’s level of understanding and also their strengths and weaknesses. This makes the process of learning quick and easy for both teachers and students.
• Hybrid learning makes it possible to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of a student, peer optimization, and detailed and exact reporting with the help of technology.

Challenges in making the shift to Hybrid Learning

Hybrid learning, also known as blended learning, has been around for a decade but, it gained importance after the pandemic pushed everyone behind closed doors. No one would have imagined 5 years ago that education would transform and adopt the online mode within such a short span of time. However, with the help of advanced technology and high-speed internet, it has become a reality. Hybrid education with its all-inclusive approach is making it happen.

Though online education is a boon in the present times, we see that sometimes teachers are not so tech-friendly since they never felt a need to learn about technology. This is because they have been trained in a different way and the present technologies were not available during their tenure. Nonetheless, it does not make them ineligible to teach as there are many teachers who are the best for their students in a particular subject. The need of the hour is to help these teachers become well-versed with the new technology and make good use of their teaching skills. If they can teach well, it is also obvious that they can learn these skills without much hassle and keep guiding their students with their knowledge.

Making Hybrid learning more effective

• Educational institutions must do their best to bridge the gap by making technology and the internet more accessible to students in remote areas.
• Parents and guardians must ensure that the kids are completing the work and assignment that is being allotted to them on a daily basis.
• The classes need to be more interactive and less instructional to keep students engaged during the class.
• Hybrid learning is a technology-based learning model. Teachers must make full use of technology to understand a student’s requirements and guide them accordingly.
• Every student is different, and their grasping power of a particular topic is also different. Teachers should relate to students to understand what works for them.
• Effective use of technology during class can help make classes interesting and attractive for students. Teachers should take the help of video lectures, gaming, and animation to make the process of learning more interesting.

From the above discussion, we can say that hybrid learning provided by online learning platforms is the need of the hour. This method of learning can bridge the gap and address the shortcomings of the traditional mode of education. Schools and colleges should show a positive approach and try to inculcate Hybrid learning in their teaching processes.