Blended learning is an education revolution whereby teaching methodologies in the classroom are combined with advanced digital tools.
While this innovative teaching approach now seems so modern, its origin is as early as the 19th century, where pioneers began experimenting with hybrid methods in trying to make teaching more accessible and efficient to learners.
Understanding the evolution of blended learning highlights a clear insight into exactly how education has changed, and where it is heading next.
Key Takeaways
- Blended learning is the teaching done on-site, combined with online support to improve flexibility and more effectiveness.
- It has grown from correspondence courses to today’s highly sophisticated digital platforms.
- Radio, TV, and the internet each represent an era of technological growth that shaped blended learning.
- This model has a bright future due to modern advancements in AI and personalized learning systems.
What is Blended Learning?
Blended learning, or hybrid learning, is the best of both worlds: traditional face-to-face learning and digital tools like e-learning platforms, video lessons, and interactive tools.
This approach provides:
- Flexibility for students and educators alike.
- Convenience of learning resources anywhere at any time.
- Personalized learning pathways based on each learner’s needs.
EdTech Magazine sees a rise in adoption reflecting that the nature of blended learning fits best, putting students in the middle where engagement and other attributes develop best.
The Pre-Digital Roots of Blended Learning
Blended learning did not begin with the internet. Its forerunner is found in correspondence courses, dating back to the mid-19th century.
These courses were sent by post, and this is how students in far-flung areas could get an education—a totally new concept then.
Key Milestones in Early Hybrid Learning
- 1840s: Sir Isaac Pitman pioneered one of the first correspondence courses in shorthand, using the postal system to distribute lessons.
- Late 19th Century: Some universities, including the University of Chicago, initiated their correspondence courses using print materials combined with structured assignments.
Although crude compared with today’s standards, these methods formed the basis for blended learning models, which merge a degree of independent study with guided instruction.
Integration of Print Media and Lecture Play
With the expansion of higher education in the 20th century, print-based learning was increasingly combined with lectures to create an additional layer of interaction between students and instructors.
- Textbooks, core tools: Bridges, complementary to in-class discussion.
- Synchronous correspondence: Students would send questions to tutors, creating a feedback loop in a more rudimentary manner than today’s digital interaction tools, such as discussion forums.
Blended Learning in the 20th Century
The 20th century saw an age of rapid technological development which actually laid the groundwork for today’s model of blended learning. From radio and television in education to computers, this era was important for the development of hybrid learning methods in use today.
The Advent of Instructional Technology
The integration of broadcast technology in the classrooms began in the early 1900s.
- Radio in Education:
During the 1920s, school boards began to utilize radio broadcasts as a means of providing specialized lessons to rural students. The University of Wisconsin pioneered such radio programs to reach rural learners. - Television and learning:
By the mid-20th century, educational television revolutionized teaching, bringing lessons directly into the house. In fact, programs like Sesame Street demonstrated how visual media might be used to far greater advantage in engaging students and reinforcing concepts.
These reforms are the beginnings of multimedia-based learning, a precursor to today’s blended methods using camcorders and audio tools.
The Computer Revolution: 1970s–1980s
Education will never be the same since the introduction of computers in the 1970s and 1980s.
- Early Learning Systems:
Of these, the most famous is the PLATO system: Programmed Logic for Automatic Teaching Operations.- PLATO was developed at the University of Illinois during the 1960s and used computer terminals to provide users with interactive lessons, quizzes, and feedback.
- It is widely regarded as a landmark in the history of computer-assisted instruction.
- IBM and Teaching Machines:
One of the early entrants into education, IBM introduced programmed learning machines that allowed students to learn at their own pace through self-guided lessons.
These systems connected traditional classroom teaching with digital self-learning, which has been among the characteristics of modern blended learning.
Distance Education and Satellite Learning: 1990s
The 1990s inaugurated the era of distance learning, with physical and virtual education more combined than ever.
- Satellite Classrooms:
Satellite-based video conferencing enabled the universities to globally pipe in video lectures, coupled with live instructions and printed study guides. - Interactive CDs:
CD-ROMs became a common medium for self-paced learning, offering multimedia experiences with videos, quizzes, and simulations.
This set the stage for the early 2000s when e-learning platforms such as Blackboard and Moodle supported hybrid and online learning environments.
The Digital Revolution and Blended Learning
The late 1990s and early 2000s were marked by the influence of the internet, which completely made over the face of education.
Online learning platforms include:
- Tools such as Blackboard and Edmodo allowed teachers to merge digital resources with classroom teaching.
Flipped Classrooms:
Teachers began adopting flipped learning, where students reviewed materials online in the comfort of their homes and continued to do practical activities in school.
This was also the era when Blended Learning found its way into corporate training. Corporate organizations used webinars, video modules, and LMS platforms to efficiently train employees.
Blended Learning in the COVID-19 Era
The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the global adoption of blended learning as schools and universities scrambled to adjust to learning remotely. Zoom, Google Classroom, and other such platforms were the lifeline for educators. The pandemic, though with some challenges like inequality in digital access, underlined the flexibility of blended learning models.
The Future of Blended Learning
With continuous development, technologies also mean that blended learning continues to evolve and shift. Future trends include:
- AI-powered personalization: Knewton and other adaptive learning systems tailor lessons to each pupil’s speed and taste.
- AR and VR in Education: Immersive Tools for Enhanced Hands-on Learning Experiences.
Blended learning is no longer an educational strategy, but a transformative force shaping the future of learning.