Blended Learning

Blended learning is the delivery of teaching methods by Human application and electronic resources (Hubbard, 2013:96).

I grew up in a world where technology did not have supremacy within every accessible establishment; (schools, shops, the home and transport) meaning that there were very few electronic resource devises around and this meant that we had to do everything manually – writing letters, static telephone calls, going to the bank to pay a bill, going to the shops to do your shopping was an everyday occurrence. You had no option but to show up to participate with society.
I am now amazed by the advancement of technology and can understand the anxiety which many older generations feel about this new advancement.  For many older people technology can be an alien notion, as we no longer have to show up in order to participate in society, we can via the internet have access to many resources from the comfort of our own homes. This can be vital for those who are unable to, or find it difficult to have full access to participating in society. The options of how we participate has expanded now that Technology can reach far and wide.
More importantly the access to education is more widely available.
The  notion of blended learning is an amazing achievement but it is one that needs to be understood. Once people understand the potential of blended learning I feel there will be fewer barriers created towards it. In my experience it can be mainly the older generation of people who have barriers towards change. Let’s talk about what blended learning is.

BLENDED LEARNING

Reading Hubbard’s The Really Useful eLearning Instruction Manual (2013) was insightful. I had a vague idea of what Blended Learning is. The chapter written by Julie Wedgwood provided a clear understanding of the term ‘Blended Learning’. To clarify, it is a mixture of learning methods which are facilitated by an instructor whilst using electronic resources to provide learning outcomes (ibid, 2013:93-94) which means you do not have to be in a classroom to attend a lessons as, with access to technology, you access the lessons from anywhere.

On page 95 the author suggests which opportunities can be gathered from Blended Learning:

– Learners can participate from around the globe

– manage own learning time

– Access content as many times as necessary

The author makes great points on the benefits of Blended Learning. However, What we have to keep in mind is that this type of learning can only go as far as the technology allows for. There is a high cost for technology, the equipment, internet access and the cost of electricity can be too costly for everyone to afford, this problematic when we are discussing how accessible Blended Learning can be.

Wedgwood goes to great lengths to explain the process of Blended Learning and the outcomes it can achieve. This I am grateful for as, when planning an activity, you have to consider all the steps carefully in order to reach the desired outcome.

Wedgwood refer to Clive Shepherd in the chapter, he designed a three step approach which in the grand scheme of things left Wedgwood referring to the GEEARR method. A way of planning a lesson which facilitates the learning goals;

G – GATHER methods – How can we gather methods known or intend to learn?

E -EXPAND methods – How can we expand our understanding?

E- EXERCISE methods – practise – put our understanding to the test.

A – APPLY methods – Use our collective knowledge and apply in a way that works.

R – REFLECT methods – What have we learned? What new knowledge have we acquired?

R – REVIEW methods – What else would you like to know? Would you do anything the same/different?

The GEEARR approach expands within a table:blende learning table-12kikxy here Wedgwood compiles more information with regards to this approach and I feel it is useful for planning my activity.

With the right technology, and with accessibility, Blended Learning could expand the way our future education system is delivered.