Redoble Modern Reflection.docx

University of Southern Philippines Graduate School Cebu City

“Blended Learning” A Reflection in Modern Approaches in Science Education (Educ 292)

Submitted by: REDOBLE, EMMYLOU

Submitted to: DEOGENES ADOPTANTE

1ST SEMESTER, SY 2018 - 2019

Success in the teaching-learning process is always attributed to the creativity of the teacher. In the recent years, teachers of 21st century have used a range of learning activities and resources to assist learners to achieve learning objectives. With the advent of technology, the teacher has to employ effective teaching approach highly attuned to learner’s ability, capacity, and preference. One of the teaching approaches that embraces a society and world where smartphones and tablets are widespread and incorporate integrated technologies into learning is blended learning. Blended learning can be defined as the mixing of face-to-face teaching and online learning. According to Garrison (2004), blended learning courses combine online and classroom learning activities and uses resources optimally to improve student learning outcomes and to address important institutional issues. Students have some choice over where they study (at school, at home or somewhere in between) and when they study (during school hours, in the evening or on weekends). But it is still the teacher who decides the extent of the choice, as well as which elements of the student’s education are completed online and which elements are completed in the class. With the rise of learning platforms, teachers and students have access to a shared online learning environment that only they can access. Digital resources, i.e., videos, animations, web pages, podcasts, music and much more, help drive student engagement and, ultimately, performance. It enables teachers to make better use of the limited time they have with their students. More time is spent working with individual students and less time talking in front of the class by moving some traditional classroom activities into the online world. As a result, teachers can better differentiate their teaching to suit individual needs, answering student questions and giving individual feedback. In addition, blended models such as the flipped classroom use online videos and resources to prepare students before they come to class. This way, the students have already learned the theory and can use the classroom time to put that theory into practice. Despite the benefits blended learning presents to both teacher and learner, a major obstacle arising is the strong dependence on resources with which learning is delivered

is evident. As the resources need to be up to date and convenient to use for a meaningful learning experience, it could have disadvantages in technical aspects. Blended learning provides learners opportunities to construct their own knowledge, learn how to work and collaborate online at their own pace in their own time through technology. Blended learning requires an understanding of technology, but that technology is merely a means to an end. At the end, they develop critical-thinking and creative skills demanded by modern employers.

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