Blended learning is on the rise and being used more than only online mode of learning in countries around the world.
According to iNACOL, blended learning is described as a mode that supports in-class activities for students in an actual classroom whereas online learning occurs entirely outside of the classroom and entails no physical student presence at all.
Check out these statistics, studies and reports that reflect the benefits of blended learning.
1. A successful blended model helped improve student performance, in this Report by the RAND Corporation, completed in conjunction with the US Department of Education, found that a group of middle and high school algebra students who learned via a blended learning model showcased significant gains in performance (8 percentile points, in fact). That's a great breakthrough, especially in the high-focus area of middle school and high school mathematics.
Excerpt from the report:
“Like other blended learning curriculum the Carnegie Learning approach relies on software to supplement teacher instruction. “We ask students to do a lot of writing about math, solving real world problems,” Ritter said. The company recommends using software two days a week and in-class instruction three days a week because things like classroom interaction, group discussion, collaborating on problem-solving helps cement the learning.”
2. Blended learning is gaining school-wide support. As per a survey of educators completed by Learning in the 21st Century, 76 percent of those asked believe blended learning is beneficial to students. That is a significant group of educators and that percentage has only grown with enhancement and awareness increase relating to the use of technology in education.
3. The prevalence of online classes is growing. It's predicted that by 2019, half of all classes for grades K-12 will be taught online.
4. Students tend to be more engaged. In a study 59% teachers reported that students were more motivated to learn in a blended learning environment.
5. According to this Effective Instructional Tools for an Evolving Learning Landscape Report, approximately 5 million college students take at least one online course, according to recent Babson Survey Research Group data. The Evergreen Education Group estimates 5 percent of K-12 students take an online or blended course, and 75 percent of all districts offer some type of online or blended option. Online options extend education outside the classroom, allowing students to be anytime, anywhere learners. At the college level, where students may have jobs or family obligations, online learning is a popular choice to help students obtain degrees that otherwise would not be able to.
A 2009 U.S. Department of Education meta-analysis found that blended learning, where students have some face-to-face and some online learning experiences, makes blended learning the most effective learning model.
6. Student engagement rates and blended instruction show a positive correlation as engagement can certainly be a point of struggle within the classroom, but blended learning can help there in many ways. A study completed by the Center for Digital Education found that 73 percent of educators who utilize a blended learning instruction model observed an increase in student engagement.
Excerpt from the report:
“Today’s students are easily bored with slow-moving teaching techniques or those they view as antiquated,” says Wayne Feller, Technology and Innovation Coach for Stillwater Area Public Schools in Minnesota. “Both students and parents have higher expectations for teachers to use current technologies, content and teaching methods, and that includes blended learning.”
Reasons mentioned for the district’s blended learning success include:
-- Recognition by administrators that digital learning is essential given the expectations of employers and the dynamics of today’s society.
-- Expanded Wi-Fi access in the schools and support for a bring-your-own-device (BYOD) policy for secondary-level students.
-- Rapid adoption of blended learning technologies and techniques by Stillwater teachers.
This study also mentions of this survey on “A Center for Digital Education (CDE)” covering digital content use in K-12 education found that a roughly equal percentage of respondent use three distinct blended learning models:
•43 percent combine online and traditional classes.
•43 percent use the flipped classroom model.
•38 percent use the rotation model for giving students access to online learning.
Behind this online activity are district goals for offering more personalized learning (reported by 85 percent of survey participants) and increasing student engagement (chosen by 73 percent of K-12 respondents)
7. According to this report on “How Digital Content Is Changing Education”, in both higher education and K-12, learning that takes place at least partly online continues to grow. In 2013, 33 percent of higher education students — about 7 million — took at least one course online. Meanwhile, 43 percent of K-12 administrators in a 2013 survey by Project Tomorrow reported offering online courses to students.
The latter survey also found 60 percent of educators believed online learning better motivated students and virtual, blended and flipped learning instructors use more digital content than traditional instructors. In addition to regular online courses students pay to take, free, large-scale classes known as massive open online courses (MOOCs) are now drawing up to 100,000 students per course. Some MOOCs also come with verified certifications for students who complete them, which some colleges and universities are beginning to accept for credit.
Know more about Blended Learning here.
What stats, facts, reports or reasons did I skip about use of Blended Learning in education?
What is your take on Blended Learning?
Keeps the list growing in the comments!