There is little denying that the pandemic has altered how we work and live and how we are taught. Suppose you’re entering the realm of virtual learning or want to ensure that your workforce has the necessary training to function to its full potential. In that case, you may need clarification on all the new phrases that didn’t exist two years ago.
Distance learning has recently become very interesting, and several new phrases have emerged to describe this trend. Hybrid and blended learning are common elements of this trend. So, before deciding which one of the two learning methods is better for your organization, you need to know about blended learning and hybrid learning in detail. Let’s get started.
What is Blended Learning?
Blended learning combines traditional in-person instruction with digital resources to enhance learners’ learning experience. The course’s online components are asynchronous so that learners can work on them at their own pace under the constraints of a deadline set by the instructor.
Blended learning also includes in-person classroom time, where learners can interact with the instructor and the material, gain experience through face-to-face feedback, and participate in practical training exercises and role-playing situations. Blended learning models like the flipped classroom and the Flex model help do this effectively.
Benefits Of Blended Learning
Fosters An Improved Learning Environment
Learners can tailor their education with the help of blended learning. They can achieve this by learning alone in their own time until they master the material. Online tests and quizzes help instructors evaluate learners’ progress and identify areas of weakness and strength.
Instructors can tailor their lessons to their learners’ interests, abilities, and shortcomings in the classroom. The class time is used more effectively, a more collaborative atmosphere may be encouraged, and learners can be motivated to speak up and ask questions.
Improved Efficiency
Employers can make use of a variety of teaching methods with blended learning. Employees benefit from both online and in-person training opportunities. Online learning reduces learners’ reliance on instructors. The blended methodology also helps educators streamline the training process. All of these factors together make training sessions more effective and efficient.
What Is Hybrid Learning?
Hybrid learning refers to the composition of a classroom rather than a specific instruction technique. Some learners in a hybrid learning environment physically attend a training session, while others participate from afar using online video conferencing tools. The audience as a whole receives high-quality instruction from their instructor.
It is entirely up to the learner to decide whether to attend class virtually or in person. Not all learners will participate in every in-person or online session; some may choose a hybrid model, depending on necessity or personal preference. Since video conferencing is a crucial component of hybrid learning, it is evident that this approach to education largely relies on and utilizes technology for communication and eLearning.
Benefits Of Hybrid Learning
Active Student Involvement
For some people, working and learning with technology is more manageable than attending in-person classes for many reasons. Hybrid learning allows them to avoid attending in-person sessions by allowing them to attend the same sessions online or vice versa. Technology helps instructors interact with their learners and distribute course materials in a setting where all parties feel safe and comfortable.
Increased Flexibility
The hybrid learning model has several benefits, but one of the most important is the additional flexibility it gives, which is becoming increasingly important in the classroom. The ability to seamlessly transition between in-person and online instruction is a massive boon to the modern learner, who values variety above all else. If learners are not given some flexibility in how they do their coursework, they may feel unengaged and less motivated to complete the course.
Blended Learning vs. Hybrid Learning
Companies often interchangeably use the terms hybrid and blended learning because they essentially refer to the same thing. While there is some overlap between hybrid and blended learning, there is a significant difference between the two. A blended learning model combines online and face-to-face learning to maximize the benefits of both methods.
Access to both online and traditional classroom settings is beneficial, but hybrid models take things further. In a hybrid classroom, teachers can adjust the proportion of online to offline time in response to their learners’ individual learning styles and pace. In fact, with a hybrid learning model, instructors can customize the proportion of online to offline classes for individual learners, ensuring that everyone has the most productive course experience possible. However, there are several obvious distinctions between the two, yet some points also overlap.
- Blended learning calls for educators to combine traditional classroom techniques with eLearning and digital resources to serve their learners best. In a hybrid classroom, instructors have the option of picking and choosing which resources to use in their lesson plans. They can give eLearning content priority or work only from textbooks, whichever they prefer. Hybrid classrooms allow instructors to use the most effective approaches and the materials and resources they know their learners will find most useful. Learners get the flexibility to do the online coursework at their speed and in their own time. The most crucial parts of blended learning solutions are the materials and strategies used in the classroom.
- Both parties involved in a hybrid learning environment—the learner and the instructor —have input toward the direction of the curriculum. All that’s needed is a combination of in-person and remote learners, all in the same class simultaneously. So the primary consideration in hybrid courses is location. On-site learning requires the physical presence of the instructor and the learners, which can occur in various settings aside from a traditional classroom. When it comes to blended learning, face-to-face instruction is crucial.
Conclusion
Due to the pandemic, hybrid and blended learning approaches have gained unprecedented popularity. These learning techniques are becoming increasingly popular all around the world. The terms “hybrid learning” and “blended learning” will likely be used more frequently in the near future. We hope this article helped you understand the difference between hybrid and blended learning.
