Blended or Hybrid Learning Models: What’s Right for You?

The concept of hybrid and blended models of learning has been around for more than a decade. The unprecedented global crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic brought these models into the limelight, however. The idea that most—if not all—learning would go online, and that students and teachers would not go into the classroom at all would once have seemed like a far-fetched idea.

The pandemic did what we thought impossible: educational institutions went online to teach. They tested several models to zero in on the most effective ones, and hybrid and blended models are two such approaches.

Understanding Hybrid and Blended Learning

What Is Blended Learning?

Blended learning combines traditional teacher-led classroom training and eLearning. It helps institutions engage in both kinds of learning, including face-to-face learning and independent learning at the student’s convenience from anywhere. The student connects online with the help of learning management systems (LMS).

While the classroom offers students an opportunity for immediate learning, online training offers students self-paced, personalized education and engages with interactive media like games, videos, and tutorials.

What Is Hybrid Learning?

In hybrid learning, online teaching replaces most, if not all, of the physical communication between instructors and students. This means students don’t just watch an online lecture, but their classes also include interactive and virtual components.

What’s the Difference between Hybrid and Blended Learning?

While blended learning combines offline and online instructions, hybrid learning is a flexible balance between online and offline that promotes the educational experience for an individual student.

Recent advances in educational technologies have made both blended and hybrid learning accessible to and viable for academic institutions, providing them with newer business opportunities to engage with the learners.

Advantages and Challenges of Blended and Hybrid Learning

Advantages of Blended Learning

Helps Expand Reach

Educational institutions with an effective blended learning program in place widen their reach. Not every student wants to attend physical classes during

the pandemic. Blended learning helps institutions enable their students to access their courses and complete their education.

Helps Retain Students

Education technology has revolutionized the traditional learning landscape, but the key concern is low student retention. Instructor-led training, which encourages accountability, engaging content, and new delivery formats, helps improve the learning experience.

Challenges Associated with Blended Learning

Requires Educators to Tweak the Way They Teach

A blended model allows students to learn in class as well as remotely. Teachers face an additional burden of interacting with both in-person and remote students, so juggling the two sets of students can overwhelm educators.

Not All Teachers and Students Are at Ease with Technology

In-person classes require limited use of technology but teaching in a blended learning setting requires more technology skills. Some teachers and students are at ease with technology, whereas some are not. Both will need training and ongoing support.

Advantages of Hybrid Learning

Offers Better Flexibility

Hybrid learning offers more flexibility than in-person classes. Instead of attending multiple physical classes each day or week, students complete more than half of their work online, giving them time to arrange their academic appointments around their other responsibilities.

Works for Almost All Students

A hybrid learning system works well with all kinds of students. For example, students with a hearing problem can rewind the courseware to repeat a lecture. Similarly, students with eyesight issues can zoom in and out at their own pace.

Challenges Associated with Hybrid Learning

Both Students and Teachers Need Strong Organizational Skills

Some students and teachers have problems with the organizational skills needed for hybrid classes. As classes have moved online, only those with better time management skills and the ability to prioritize assignments will study effectively.

Technology Constraints

Hybrid learning is technology-intensive. Students need computers and data connections that meet their institution’s specifications. In some cases, students may need to upgrade their computer or even purchase a new one, which many cannot afford. New software can be expensive, too.

Straive’s eLearning Solutions for Blended and Hybrid Learning Models

Straive’s eLearning solutions enable academic institutions to move their students to blended or hybrid learning formats seamlessly. In addition, we have enhanced our eLearning solutions with sources, processes, and technical knowledge gained from our work with hundreds of top institutions and publishers from across the world.

Straive’s eLearning solutions span pre-K12 to higher education and corporate offerings in a multitude of use cases, including:

• Cloud-based application supporting Ed-Fi data standard
• NextGen authoring
• Learning products
• Resourcing onshore/offshore
• Design and development of Learning Management Systems (LMS)
• eReader platform development
• Adaptive learning platform
• Development of cloud-based multi-tenant platform
• Accessibility/localization
• Student support

While both blended and hybrid forms of learning have seen traction, it’s difficult to say which is better. Both have strengths and benefits, and it boils down to your choice to keep your students engaged. However, the right solution makes all the difference.

Learn more about Straive’s eLearning capabilities: www.straive.com