We have a traditional framework concept of blended learning which is the integration of face-to-face and online activities, but not all online activity-based learning meets the characteristics of blended learning. True blended learning, as the authors conclude in the article, requires thoughtful selection and organic integration of face-to-face and online learning approaches. The innovation for blended learning is for us to rethink and redesign the ways and means by which learners can be fully engaged. By making face-to-face learning and online powerfully complementary is meant the combination of face-to-face synchronous communication with text-based online asynchronous communication. But blended learning offers more possibilities and difficult choices for educators and participants in communities of inquiry, and if learning is online then it is important to ensure that learners adhere to community norms and responsibilities. The teacher cannot guarantee that learners will adhere to these nor can interaction and collaboration alone guarantee that students will learn in a deep and meaningful way.
Indeed, compared to our traditional education and blended education, if it is only face-to-face learning then the learner may not be able to remember all the points taught in class, compared to blended education where the learner can watch the points taught in class again and again after class.
Vaughan, N. D., Garrison, D. R., & Cleveland-Innes, M. (2013). Teaching in blended learning environments: Creating and sustaining communities of inquiry. AU Press.
leihan
Hi, Minrui
I agree with you very much, I think the hybrid learning model has a lot of room for improvement in the future, and the traditional education that we have been accustomed to has become reasonable and perfect after a long period of optimization, and I hope it can get better and better.
The best
Lei.
minruihan
Compared with traditional education, hybrid education is really not perfect at this stage. But we can’t be completely negative about blended, there is still a lot of room for improvement in blended education in the future.
Mengqi Zhang
I agree with you that in many cases blended learning involves online lectures or exams. This requires students to abide by the relevant constraints and not violate academic integrity issues, but this is hard to implement. For traditional education, I think it is very important that teachers and students interact effectively at all times. Such as eye contact, body language, etc. This will greatly improve students’ sense of participation in class.
minruihan
It is true that such blended learning makes it difficult for teachers to monitor students’ compliance with rules, such as not violating academic integrity issues during exams. There is a lot more interaction between students and teachers than in traditional education. This will greatly increase student engagement.
zitongzhao
Hi minrui,
I agree with you that blended learning can better help students learn and understand knowledge. I can also communicate with my classmates and teachers more flexibly.
yilinwang
Hi Minrui Han,
I am totally agree with what you mentioned that not all online activity based learning fits the characteristics of blended learning. We do encounter many problems in the blended learning environment. For example, when we encounter very difficult professional courses, we cannot get timely responses from teachers when we encounter problems, and the learning efficiency is low. But this is not the case with face-to-face teaching.