From crisis to opportunity : A study of online learning during Covid -19 and its potential for blended learning futures

Abstract

Conventional teaching approaches face challenges due to shifts in student learning dynamics in recent years. There is a need for teachers to align their methods with contemporary student expec tations. Recognizing and adapting to these shifts is fundamental in crafting effective educational strategies that resonate with today's learners. Utilizing technology wisely holds immense potential in enhancing the learning experience for modern students. To achieve this, educators can delve into understanding varied learning styles and preferences through students' questionnaires and interviews. One of these styles is blended learning which this thesis will be exploring its potentiality in schools. Blended learning holds significant importance in modern education due to its ability to combine the aspects of traditional classroom teaching with the advantages of online learning. It is the blending of face-to-face and online learning components. The concept of blending traditional classroom instruction with online learning experiences gained importance during the late 1990s, and the term "blended learning" was created to describe this hybrid approach to education. This thesis and the study are based on the theoretical framework of blended learning. The thesis' main research question is to explore whether blended learning is more efficient than traditional one or that traditional learning is the efficient way to deliver educa tional information. Two questionnaires were employed to gather students' and teachers' viewpoints on online learning within the online educational realm during Covid- 19. The primary aim was to investigate optimal strategies and approaches for implementing blended learning effectively in the online learning en vironment as well as achieving a successful collaborative and social environment. The findings of this study yielded a surprising revelation; both teachers and students exhibited a notable dissatisfaction towards online and blended learning. Despite the widespread adoption and promotion of online and blended learning as innovative educational approaches, the data collected underscored a significant dissatisfaction among participants with these modalities. The implications of these findings prompt a critical reevaluation of the implementation and pedagogical strategies associated with online and blended learning, suggesting a need for further research and refinement to better align with the preferences and needs of both educators and learners.