Blended Learning Practices: Need of Academic Settings

Blended learning practices have been implemented by many Higher Education Institutions for many years. This learning environment encourages student-centered learning and motivates increased student-interactions with study. In recent past, blended learning has gained appeal among academic experts. A blended learning environment requires the integration of old-fashioned class room face-to-face learning experiences with online learning experiences. Different studies have discovered that the use of the blended learning practices enhanced engagement in non-compulsory evaluation tasks and better levels in both in-session exams and final. Additionally, by giving students with additional power over their own studying, blended understanding can really help promote crucial and reflective thinking.

Making use of the Internet and information-technology (IT) has become a widespread practice in all aspects of higher-education over the last few decades. Institutions of higher-education increasingly rely on IT and Internet media to support their management and administrative functions. Instructors are increasingly incorporating online tools into face-to-face teaching approaches. Innovations in technology have influenced teaching and learning, as shown in studies that have demonstrated the effectiveness of blended learning. This effectiveness is primarily related to the learning experience, which is defined as the variety of experiences within the university’s concerns wherein students perceive and interact; thereby in turn affecting their learning opportunities.

In order to provide quality-experiences for learners, some important elements have to be managed, such as technology, the structure of the course, the instructor, technical support, assignments, students-engagement and learning flexibility. The results different study suggested that students consider the blended learning practices as a positive innovation to their learning experience. These practices adopted have a favorable impact on student learning outcomes, their overall satisfaction with the course and student performance with respect to overall assessment. The adoption of innovations in approach to subject-content and delivery will enhance the quality of students’ learning experience and learning outcomes. Blended learning designs differ according to the elements that are blended, the percentage of these elements in the course-credit, and the objectives of the courses. There is a shortage in blended-learning-designs that can be followed by instructors.

The adoption of blended-learning-practices can appreciably enhance students’ results and experience. In addition, computer-based-assessment-practices also increase student engagement and motivation and provide timely-feedback to students. The use of on-line-assessment-tasks made an important contribution to student learning and suggests that a blended-learning-practice provides a multi-faceted, student-focused approach allowing students the flexibility to utilize the on-line-resources to support their learning style. This educational-environment has promoted favorable student experiences and outcomes.

One major challenge to be considered in the implementation of blended-learning in universities is the adaptation of this element in the traditional-university-culture. Specifically, the issues that are likely to arise are related to  a measure of: the extension of comfort levels related to the use of technology in education; the level  of students’ self-discipline, organizational and managerial support; student responsiveness. Some instructors are against new technological-methods as a replacement for face-to-face instructions that revealed a type of instructor resistance that should be taken into consideration. Moreover, it may be for universities to get students to the use of new learning-strategies when they have been used to the traditional didactic, lecture-based classroom. Unlike a traditional approach, blended-learning requires a high level of student discipline and responsiveness.