What is Blended Learning?

Blended Learning. Hybrid Learning. Mixed -Mode Learning. Flipped Classroom Learning - You can name it whatever you would want to, but it all means the same - Combining classroom and online learning. If you have been an elearning professional or a part of e-learning industry, there is a good chance that you may have heard one of these terms especially the increasingly hot term: 'Blended Learning'. It has become a trend in the education technology space and is being adapted by many of the Learning Management System (LMS) providers to help make life easier for the students/learners.

How would you define Blended Learning?

Blended learning, as the word 'blended' means - a mix of two things, can be generally defined as the mix of online learning and face-to-face teaching. Students/learners have an option to choose where they want to learn (in campus or at home) whereas its the teachers who have the control over the choice.

There have been many definitions of blended learning provided by numerous experts/institutions around the globe. Here are a couple of them,

According to North America Counsel of Online Learning  , "In general terms, blended learning combines online delivery of educational content with the best features of classroom interaction and live instruction to personalize learning, allow thoughtful reflection, and differentiate instruction from student to student across a diverse group of learners.‟

Dziuban, Hartman and Moskal defined Blended Learning as "a pedagogical approach that combines the effectiveness and socialization opportunities of the classroom with the technologically enhanced active learning possibilities of the online environment, rather than a ratio of delivery modalities. In other words, blended learning should be approached not merely as a temporal construct, but rather as a fundamental redesign of the instructional model".

Why Blend?

Blended Learning Trends

Blended Learning Models