By Aliza Ali, PhD of Education (Curriculum and Pedagogy)

The Covid 19 social distance has no doubt change the way of teaching pedagogy and has a major impact on education. Now it is time for schools and education institutions to consider a blended learning approach and hybrid learning strategy to allow for independent, distance, and remote learning. Some serious social distancing during Covid 19 pandemic becomes the students’ priority. Thus, many teaching and learning activities have shifted to online distance learning approach of learning. Nevertheless, the unplanned online distance pedagogical approach presented challenges and issues at all levels of education in this country.

What is blended learning?

The blended learning is a pedagogy that integrates any form of traditional approach with modern digital technology during lesson activities to facilitate distance learning and independent learning. For instance, students in blended learning mode attend face-to-face class with their teacher for one or two days a week, then participate in online learning forums the rest of the school days in a week. This method promotes flexible, active and self-directed learning as well as creating a safe learning and supporting environment. The lesson in the blended learning approach is designed to meet students’ needs and interests based on the learning outcomes set by the teacher through guided learning and independent learning opportunities.

What is the difference between blended learning and hybrid learning?

Hybrid learning is a new term in education and is a part of blended learning that involves both in-person instruction and online learners simultaneously. Hybrid learning focuses more on bridging the traditional physical classroom and modern digital technology classroom closer together to make teaching and learning are more flexible and workable. It refers specifically to the synchronous lesson that is taught live, distance and remotely at the same time. That means all students log onto the online classroom learning platform to participate in the distance classroom, lecturers, forums, activities, or discussion.

In other words, blended learning is an approach that involves the process of teaching and learning practice whereas hybrid learning is a strategy in the blended approach pedagogy. As such, hybrid learning falls under the umbrella of blended learning. Both approach and strategy are students centred and taking consideration students’ needs, initiatives, abilities as well as to help students to achieve the desire learning outcomes of the specific lesson or course.