Hybrid Learning Critical For Career

The education landscape has constantly been growing to fulfil the demands of an increasingly diverse student base, including motivated students who encounter hindrances in pursuing a traditional college education. Colleges and universities have made significant strides to adapt to their growing non-traditional student base.

According to industry figures, 99 per cent of teachers and 98 per cent of parents agree that online education promotes learning continuity. A staggering 91 per cent of students think online education will continue supporting traditional classroom instruction.

Hybrid and blended learning methods are becoming more and more popular due to this change. In these programs, a traditional classroom setting blends with online instruction. For adult learners, hybrid and blended learning has many advantages.

What is Hybrid Learning

Hybrid learning combines online with synchronous or traditional learning. With a hybrid course design, parts of the curriculum get taught online while other activities are in a classroom setting.

This method is excellent for encouraging students to be accountable for their learning while still granting them flexibility. They can discuss with their peers and teachers in a communal learning environment and share opinions on what confounds them or where they require more assistance with concepts or assignments. These options make it popular for teachers looking to reach a broader range of students.

According to industry experts, hybrid is a new model that is here to stay and will advance alongside ed-tech. The hybrid learning model was the most popular among students, with 68 per cent choosing it, followed by instructors at 85 per cent and parents at 89 per cent, according to the HP India Future of Learning 2022 research. According to the report, 84 per cent of students claimed that online learning allowed them to review the recorded sessions at their convenience, while 85 per cent of teachers preferred online learning to enhance classroom instruction. Finally, 94 per cent of parents believed hybrid learning supported ongoing learning even during natural disasters.

Reasons why learners thrive in a hybrid learning prototype

Hybrid learning has plenty of benefits, which is why it has become such a popular method of education. The power of these learning methods lies in personalising education to meet each student's individual needs. That can make hybrid learning models particularly well-suited for adults hoping to head back to college to finish their degrees.

You get the added flexibility of online learning with the serenity of in-class instruction. Hybrid models get arranged so that some more complex or hands-on topics can be presented in the traditional classroom setting, while other subjects get facilitated online. These learning formats allow students to, at least to an extent, learn at their own pace.

You may be among the numerous students who accomplish better with hybrid learning. A recent study suggested that blended and hybrid learning can help boost students' grades. Students in hybrid learning programs eventually outperformed all others. Another study has consistently reported that online courses performed modestly better than face-to-face classes. Others point toward the fact that technology is a great enabler integrated into learning models. In any case, this dynamic learning model has its advantages. Students are more likely to remain curious and concentrated.

You can take ownership of your learning. Another advantage of hybrid and blended learning models is the increasing student autonomy. Combining traditional courses and online learning can empower students to take charge of their goals, track their achievements and seek resources. The beauty of hybrid learning is that while students can take ownership of their education, they still obtain the steady in-person support and guidance of professors and academic advisors.

You can find methods to excel, irrespective of your learning style. Hybrid learning offers students the unique opportunity to benefit from in-classroom instruction while allowing them to take their studies home. Hybrid learning models offer advantages for students with different learning styles or nontraditional students like adult learners.

In hybrid and blended programs, learners can receive various new real-world skills that could continue to aid their careers for years. These include independent researching skills, self-learning, professional communication across modalities and computer literacy.

Hybrid learning can make or break a student's career

For the hybrid learning environment to be truly productive, it needs a specially designed curriculum that involves different strategies from those deployed in a physical classroom. It can be safely expressed that in the future, there is room for all models of teaching and learning to grow, namely in-person, online and hybrid learning. However, there is a strong argument that hybrid learning is poised to grow significantly. Hybrid learning powerfully integrates the advantages of personalisation with convenience to deliver a learning environment that is sufficiently suitable to address the changing needs of students in the present times.

Below are some attributes for consideration that will help make the hybrid learning model a triumphant one:

- Use technology to track where students are slackening through detailed feedback and make teaching-learning more interactive

- It is taking steps to overcome the 'Digital Divide' that may pose a significant barrier to equality in remote instruction

- The teachers must structure their classes differently to make them more focussed and purposeful

Parents and guardians become critical stakeholders in a child's learning to ensure that the child completes the assigned work

- The role of Teachers as mentors is crucial; teachers will be needed to regularly engage and encourage students to help them navigate the unique challenges brought upon them in the wake of the unprecedented pandemic

Vivek Varshney

Guest Author The author is Founder & CEO, SpeEdLabs