
What is “blended learning” and why is it important?
The phrase “blended learning” was coined in the 1960s but gained popularity in the early 2000s when progressive schools began to lean into technology as a keystone learning tool. Today, “blended learning” is primarily used to describe educational programs that use more than one method for instructing students. For example, a school or district that employs blended learning might allow students to take courses online or in-person. Another term often used for this is hybrid learning.
Some schools expand the idea of blended learning further, offering even more ways for students to interact with course material. Options For Youth, as an example, allows students to move through courses at home part-time and meet with their teachers, who oversee their progress carefully, once or twice a week in-person. With this model, students are able to get direct guidance from their teachers outside of classroom settings, which we know can be intimidating, distracting, or discouraging for many students with anxiety, skill gaps, learning disabilities, or other specialized needs or circumstances.
Perhaps most distinctly, many blended learning programs allow students to progress through course material at a speed that best matches their ability and learning style, rather than forcing all students—despite a diverse spectrum of interest and ability—to move through material at the same pace in a large, traditional classroom. In progressive blended environments, teacher responsiveness is adaptive. Instructors are able to spend more time with individual students on material they find challenging, but also have the ability to step back and let students move at a faster pace wherever they naturally excel.
Unsurprisingly, many of the leading blended educational institutions in the U.S. embrace the connection between mental and social-emotional well being, aiming to strengthen academic performance by tailoring curriculum and resources to holistic wellness. Since the turn of the millennium (and especially since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic), organizations such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have found a direct link between mental health and academic growth—students with poor mental health are more likely to struggle academically, and vice versa. In short, when a student feels safe and comfortable in their learning environment, they are more likely to comprehend and retain course content, usually leading to improved grades and overall health. During the pandemic, most schools were forced to pivot from traditional classroom based learning to virtual platforms, and many lacked the funding and knowledge to support the social-emotional needs of students during the transition. A much smaller group of schools, like Options For Youth, which designed its blended learning programming to meet the unique and evolving needs of a diverse student population, were able to transition seamlessly.
In addition to close, personalized attention from teachers and social-emotional wellness, blended learning schools also often emphasize preparation for life after high school graduation. Students who have experience with guided independent study learn to manage their time well, making them better equipped to handle the transition to college or university.
But blended learning programs aren’t strictly about college preparation. Some, like Options For Youth, also allow students to explore career interests through hands-on, credit-bearing Career Technical Education (CTE) courses, as well as career interest workshops, job fairs, vocational internships, and other career-focused programming. In a nutshell, blended learning educational programs depart from outdated models of learning by allowing teachers, families, and students more options to better fit not only the needs of individual students, but the modern workforce they are preparing to enter.
For information on blended learning and how it might be a good fit for you or your child, contact us today.
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