Pivotal Role that Blended Learning in Schools has

 The role technology has played in the education sector in the last year remains monumental. Traditional education has always been ‘good enough for all stakeholders, but the urgency to revolutionise every school’s department was felt when the pandemic struck upending lives in 2020. Overnight, technology for schools became necessary rather than a luxury, and blended learning in schools became more than just a temporary arrangement.

When the sector got disrupted

Causing the biggest disruption to the education sector in history, the pandemic calls for a resilient model in the present day scenario that can withstand any future crisis. To facilitate undisrupted learning with quality, schools are opting for a blended learning model. Blended learning combines the best of traditional face-to-face classroom learning and eLearning. This mode helps keep all kinds of learners engaged ―the ones who learn better in a structured environment and those who learn better at their own pace with the help of technology.  Schools in India have kept technology at bay owing to the massive infrastructural changes that come with it. But integrated solutions bring the entire school functioning on a single dashboard where all the stakeholders can access information anytime without any massive infrastructural changes.

Why is the technology required now more than ever?

For a very long time, technology in schools has been considered a privilege where only Tier-1 cities had its access. But with integrated solutions, technology has reached the remote parts of the country, bringing about a ‘much needed’ change in the sector.

But how is technology making education seamless and effective? Let’s have a look:

●      Learning at your pace: When a school gets tech-enabled, students can learn from the comfort of their houses at their own pace. Every student has a different learning curve, and this can be addressed with integrated solutions.

●      Better learning resources: Unlike online learning, where the entire learning structure remains haphazard, a tech-enabled school provides adequate learning resources and engages students during lectures with a well-curated curriculum and practices.

●      Collaboration: In the absence of camaraderie that school life brings, students can indulge in collaborative learning, hone critical thinking skills, etc., with integrated solutions. Students also learn empathy and master leadership skills.

 

Technology beyond learning

Technology has overhauled the nitty-gritty of the education sector. Not only does it ensure quality learning, but it also ensures seamless functioning across various school departments. Conducting various functions in a school has always been done manually and used to take several hours and sometimes days. But when a school is tech-enabled and has integrated solutions deployed, every function can be taken care of with a single click.  The integrated solution has also made teachers proficient at handling online classes better. Teachers can navigate better during their classes through various tools and make learning effective and impactful.

Reports have suggested that “85% of jobs that will exist in 2030 haven't been invented yet.” To cater to the fierce generation, schools must look beyond textbooks to bring about change.

 

In January, World Bank reported, “At the peak of school closures in April 2020, 94 per cent of students – or 1.6 billion children – were out of school worldwide, and, still, around 700 million students today are studying from home.” To avoid learning loss of this scale from happening in the future, schools must make technology an intrinsic part of their infrastructure.

The world we live in right now is highly unpredictable. Unfortunately, the learning gaps are irreversible, and the gaps that get created now will leave a long-term impact on students. Sustainable practices like integrated solutions must be adopted to make the education sector thrive in all circumstances.