THE BENEFITS OF
by Jeremy Smith
BLENDED LEARNING digital age and the ways in which we work, socialize and learn are changing. People are now used to receiving a continuous stream of digital information at a fast pace and incorporating it into their daily working and social lives – so why should the classroom be any different? It is best to think of blended learning as an additional element to the classroom; one which supports existing teaching practices whilst integrating them with new technologies. Responding to the needs of the modern learner, it combines many of the best elements of face-to-face teaching (personalized learning, social google also Google VERB [TRANSITIVE]
to search for something on the internet, especially using the Google™ search engine (July 2003)
interaction and direct contact with the language) whilst allowing greater variety and flexibility than a traditional classroom set-up. Using a blended learning approach means that teachers not only access online content within their classrooms but integrate it into a cohesive lesson or syllabus. One of the major advantages of blended learning over other approaches to language study is that it is easily adaptable to specific syllabuses. This adaptability comes from the varied ways that online resources can be used. One of the most important components of a blended learning programme is its courses. Balanced and flexible courses can guarantee a successful blended learning programme and knowing that a course is being tailored to suit the specific needs of a class can be a great source of interest and motivation for students. TTeachers also have more opportunities to engage learners by creating collaborative and project-based
work and can help them to develop their online research skills and improve their critical thinking. Blended learning is not confined solely by its approach to content, however. A key ingredient of blended learning is independent learning. Accessing resources and courses online allows language learning to fit more easily into people’s everyday lives and gives learners more opportunities for useful study away from the classroom. In order to drive learners towards independent learning, products designed for blended learning allow learners to monitor their own progress remotely and provide them with instant feedback on resources without the need to check with a teacher first. Blended learning also provides a way of repositioning the teacher in the learning process. The teacher’s role is evolving from that of a lecturer to a facilitator who monitors and assesses students’ progress while allowing them to learn for themselves. Blended learning supports this approach by allowing a wider range of personalized information than ever before. A teacher can quickly and easily check how individual learners or whole classes are performing. This dynamic approach allows teachers to analyze where further explanation or additional practice of a topic area or language point may be required. These are just some of the benefits of using a blended approach if you are a studying or teaching. And there are additional benefits for language institutions in adopting a blended model as well but, regardless of the audience, blended learning provides a great solution.
2004
Award-winning Macmillan Education wins an ELT ELTon award for its range of dictionary products, including website and web-zine. Macmillan English Campus is ‘highly commended’ too.
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