For decades, schools and higher education facilities have been leveraging technology. We used it to make education better, more seamless, and more enjoyable for every student. Due to the outbreak of COVID and the prolonged lockdown that resulted from it, educational facilities started relying on technology even more. This made the hybrid learning approach as popular as ever.
Pros and Cons of Hybrid Learning During the Pandemic
In a nutshell, the hybrid learning model implies that educators can simultaneously teach their students remotely and in person. Thus, they can ensure educational continuity for everyone. It was no surprise that it got so popular that many students were left out of school during the pandemic. But, what are the perks and cons of this model? Read on to find out about the most significant ones!
Con: Poor Self-Organization
Modern students are dealing with a hefty academic load. Even in traditional settings, the scope of work is often too enormous for students to cope with it independently. Due to this reason, many young people start thinking, “I need Essaypro writers to write an essay for me,” to keep up with an intensive load and keep their grades high. Dealing with the same massive load from home is even more challenging.
This brings us to the first significant downside of hybrid learning that we could observe during the pandemic. Due to the lack of self-organization, many young people couldn’t manage their studies without physically attending school. They struggled with managing their schedules, homework, and other academic matters. As a result, many of them fell behind the course.
Of course, it is worth noting that this educational model helps students improve their organizational and time management skills. But, before they get accustomed to it, it can be very challenging to keep up with the high load.
Pro: Education Continuity
Hybrid learning ensures the continuity of education for everyone. And under any circumstances too. This is one of its most significant and most obvious benefits of it. This is especially important during the pandemic since many students are still unable to attend school.
Without leveraging this model, schools and colleges worldwide would be unable to continue teaching for an uncertain time. Thus, when we all were forced to adhere to strict lockdown requirements, it was the only way to ensure that young people continued studying from home.
Con: Tech Requirements
Even before COVID changed the educational system, there has always been a place for technology. And though using tech in this field brings more flexibility, it also brings a variety of challenges. Namely, high tech requirements are among the most significant issues. When schools and colleges were forced to deliver classes online during the pandemic, many families and students faced specific challenges.
They needed reliable internet access and powerful computers to study effectively to meet their schools’ specifications. They also needed special software. With that being said, it is clear that moving to a hybrid class required some young people to upgrade their current technology. This required certain investments. So, this is another drawback of this model.
Pro: Intro to Online Learning
Another significant benefit of the hybrid educational model that we can see now is that it has provided an introduction to online learning for both students and teachers.
There is no secret that online education is becoming more and more popular these days. Nevertheless, either due to tech requirements, concerns related to security, or lack of some basic skills, some young people and teachers were also frightened of the possibility of studying or teaching online. But hybrid classes changed this.
Thanks to adopting this model, schools helped teachers and students get more comfortable with online education. Thanks to this, after the pandemic, we will have more teachers capable of teaching online and more people capable of learning online.
Con: Lack of In-Person Communication
Another significant disadvantage of this model is the lack of face-to-face communication. First of all, this applies to the communication between class and teacher.
In a physical classroom, whenever a student has a question about how to write a thesis paper, they can ask the teacher and get an instant answer. Thanks to various chats and other tools, the same is also possible in a hybrid class. The only problem is that not everyone feels comfortable with this means of communication. So, instead of asking questions in a class, some students may seek answers elsewhere.
Apart from this, there is also a lack of communication with peers. Though young people can chat online, this is never the same as in-person communication. This can result in various issues, including loneliness, increased stress levels, and even depression.
Pro: More Personalized Experiences
Finally, the last benefit worth highlighting is the possibility to bring better, more personalized experiences to students. The hybrid educational model leaves room for different teaching approaches and self-paced learning. It allows adding gamification features and otherwise boosting students’ engagement.
With that being said, we can conclude that this approach to learning can keep students more engaged in the classroom. Eventually, this can also help improve their overall academic performance.
The Bottom Line
There are no more doubts that the outbreak of COVID-19 has changed our world forever, and the field of education is not an exception. Schools and colleges all across the globe had to adapt to the changing situation and apply new, innovative tools and approaches to survive the lockdown. There have been plenty of changes. And we can expect even more changes to be there as the global pandemic goes on.
Yet, one of the most significant changes was a swift shift towards hybrid learning. This approach to education was the best solution at the time. And, though it has many cons, the perks outweigh them all. So, we won’t be surprised to see this change stay even after the pandemic.