What Is a Blended Learning School? The Concept Explained
Blended learning school concept explained: how the 3-in-1 method mixes classroom lessons, teacher recordings and independent study, plus the benefits.
Fast-moving advances in information technology have created new learning models in schools. Blended learning schools are becoming more common, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic changed how teaching and learning activities are run. So what exactly is a blended learning system? Here is the full explanation.
Understanding the Blended Learning Concept
Blended learning is a term for teaching and learning that combines the traditional and the modern. Traditional teaching is the method that is widely known and has long been used in society. Students come to school in person, receive material, do assignments and so on.
In short, traditional teaching and learning requires students to be at school in person. Modern teaching and learning, on the other hand, is a model that uses online media, also known as e-learning. Keep in mind that e-learning does not simply mean students bring gadgets to school.
Instead, the school delivers lessons through audio and video. That means students do not need to be in the classroom, because a blended learning school lets them study from anywhere using the internet. It usually relies on tools such as learning apps, blogs and so on.
A 3-in-1 Education Method
The blended learning concept as it is usually applied has three key points, carried out at the same time. They are regular classroom learning, learning through pre-lesson materials recorded by the teacher, and independent learning that uses the school's pre-lesson materials plus research on the internet.
The blended learning method lets the facilitator concentrate on explaining the pre-lesson material in as much detail as possible. Then, when it is time to learn in the classroom, the facilitator, in this case the teacher, adds practice and gives examples of how to apply the material covered earlier.
For example, students are given a lesson on how water presses in every direction. The teacher asks them to study it and look online for what the lab experiment looks like. Then the students are invited to do the experiment in person.
Benefits of Blended Learning
With the 3-in-1 method, a blended learning school offers students several benefits. They include savings in cost and time, more flexible learning, greater student participation in learning activities, and an easier way to measure how effective the teaching and learning is.
Given this explanation of the blended learning concept, it is fair to say that this model is the most ideal one to use during a pandemic like the present one. If you are looking for a school with this kind of learning system, Sekolah Murid Merdeka can be the answer. It offers levels from early childhood education (PAUD) to senior high school (SMA) for students to choose from.
