GEORGE COUROS
It is a student-centered style of education in which learners learn through digital and online media as well as traditional teaching methods. It is the use of online and digital techniques to aid and enhance traditional teaching methods.
Covid-19 has had a major impact on all domains. The education domain is no exception. It has witnessed a notable disruption. As per statistics put out by UNESCO on its website, over 190 countries faced disruption in formal learning and teaching impacting nearly 1.5 billion learners at one point.
COE @BGSIAS makes sure that the learning experience is unperturbed and extraordinary by making use of the best teaching methodologies. One of them is blended learning, which seamlessly combines print and digital resources to create a harmonious, rich learning environment for the student, teacher, and parent. It can be visualized as a printed textbook that is aligned to audio-visual content connected to a digital platform. Learners work on projects that are transdisciplinary in nature. Online assessments report the progress to parents, digitally. Instant feedback with digital badges motivates learners towards success.
The recently announced NEP 2020 accentuates including technology in the teaching and learning process to provide a holistic experience to the teacher and students. The NEP 2020 strongly recommends the usage of a wide variety of digital tools and techniques, to enrich the knowledge of students
both theoretically and practically.
With blended learning, the teaching process can be personalized to every learner. Teachers are equipped with tools to understand the learning behaviors, interests, strengths, and weaknesses, identify learning gaps for individual learners, enabling them to provide remedial content specific to a learner’s needs. This helps create personalized learning paths, while teachers can provide personal support as and when needed.
Learners can get instant and detailed feedback with blended learning. This helps not only them but also the teachers. Learners can analyze where they need to put in more effort, while teachers can fine-tune their teaching techniques and styles. With ed-tech solutions, assessments can be customized. Analysis of results is much easier and in-depth.
Blended learning allows the inclusion of interactive gaming elements in learning. It is no secret that almost all learners today would rather learn through videos and games, rather than merely text-based books, even if they are eBooks. Moreover, micro-learning becomes a reality, since the process of providing information in small, digestible nuggets is eased. This means higher engagement and retention levels.
With the blended approach, students can access a wide range of resources, including videos, eBooks, interact with students worldwide, at the time of their choice. It provides the learner with a choice of self-paced learning. Digital learning can provide both internal and external links, libraries as resources.
When technology is integrated into school lessons, learners are more likely to be interested in, engrossed, and excited about the subjects they are studying, while increasing information retention.
The use of computers to look up information & data is a tremendous lifesaver, combined with access to resources such as the internet to conduct research. This engagement and interaction with the resources keep them focused for longer periods than they would be with books or paper resources. It also helps develop learning through exploration and research.
The use of eLearning materials increases a student’s ability to set suitable learning goals and manage his or her own learning, which develops an ability that will be translatable across all subjects.
Students become self-motivated and responsible. Tracking their individual achievements creates self-awareness. They develop a sense of self-advocacy which helps them reach their goals.
Blended learning instills a sense of ‘student ownership over learning’. This can be a powerful force that propels the learning curve. Learners feel responsible for their learning.
BLENDED learning The new normal of post-pandemic World “Technology will not replace great teachers but technology in the hands of great teachers can be transformational”
Education for life CENTER OF EXCELLENCE Guided by the core values of BGSIAS, provides an environment that promotes self-efficacy, reflection, skilling, resilience, and international mindedness 01
