Blended Learning

Blended Learning is a formal education program in which students learn through online learning with students control over time, place, path, or pace, at least in part, at the a brick-and-mortar facility. Blended learning refers to a term used to describe the way e-learning is being combined with traditional classroom methods and independent study to create a new, hybrid teaching methodology. Blended learning can be grouped into six models that vary by teacher roles, physical space, delivery methods, and scheduling. There are some models in blended learning:

a.         Face-to-Face Driver

Face-to-face teachers deliver most of the curriculum. A physical teacher employs online learning in a technology lab or the back of the classroom to supplement.

b.         Rotation

In giving course, teacher uses rotation. Students rotate on fixed schedule between self-paced online learning and sitting in a classroom with a face-to-face teacher.

c.         Flex

An online platform delivers most of the curriculum. Teachers provide on-site, as-needed support through in-person tutoring or small group session.

d.         Online Web

An online platform delivers the entire course, but in a brick-and-mortar location. Often, students who participate in an online lab program also take traditional courses

e.         Self-Blend

Students choose to take remote online courses to supplement their school’s traditional curriculum. This model of blended learning is extremely popular among high school students. 

f.          Online Driver

An online platform and teacher deliver all the curriculum. Students work remotely, and face-to-face check-ins are either available or mandatory. 

Each school has different way of blended learning models  to be used to advance their students based on their situation and condition. For sure is every models have the advantages for student and teacher. Applying blended learning will give some advantages, such as it is more effective, less expensive, and it is flexible. In the other hand, blended learning also has disadvantages, for example it is difficult to manage the students in making a group. So, it depends to the teacher whether they choose to applying blended learning or not.

Global Education Network

Technology is improve sophisticated that people in the world can communicate and change information easily. In the globalization era, our world is becoming both increasingly diverse and increasingly connected, which means that all of people need new skill in order to communicate, collaborate and even work together or with others. The existence of instant communication is now a practical reality rather than just a theoretical possibility. Rapid technological improvements have created a bridge to for information access and worldwide transparent communication among the people of the world.

Technology has the important role in education. Because technology has the power to breakdown geographical, economical, language, and time-zone barriers. Long before the technology improved, students get a lot of obstacle in their learning process because of the geographical or economical problem. For example, a students from Indonesia has the academic qualification to join a small course in Cambridge University, but they could not get it because they didn’t have enough money to go. As the technology improved, the student now can join any courses around the world using internet.

The new technologies provide ways to overcome the traditional barriers to global education and language learning. Nowadays, new technologies provide ways to improve students’ language skills through student-to-student conversations that can be accessed anywhere.  The introduction of Peer-to-Peer video conferencing using devices students are familiar with can increase personal interaction. It also creates the opportunity for students to build an international network of friends and contacts. A contact network can help students to develop business leads, find new job opportunities, and increase their knowledge of other countries and cultures. A global contact network built from having personal conversations with other students around the world will provide lasting benefits throughout the students’ career. By using Peer-to-Peer video conferencing, students can learn new languages and other cultures.