Blended Learning in a Pandemic: Necessity and Opportunity

I. A. Nagaeva

, A. G. Erokhin

and M. F. Vanina

Natural Sciences Chair, Moscow International University, Moscow, Russia

Department of Business Informatics, Moscow Technical University of Communication and Informatics, Moscow, Russia

Keywords: Blended Learning, Information Technology, e-Learning, Informatization of Education.

Abstract:

The article analyzes the potential and capabilities of the blended learning method as a didactic means of

implementing the transition from a traditional learning model to an integrated one with the involvement of

electronic environments and resources. Existing blended learning models are considered as well as ways of

adapting them to the conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic are discussed. The problems that hinder the

effective and rapid integration of electronic educational environments are identified, and some strategic

initiatives are proposed to solve them.

1 INTRODUCTION

The educational sphere in the context of the pandemic

has undergone the most dramatic and rapid changes.

The main of them was the rapid introduction of

information technologies into the educational

process, which make it possible to conduct training

remotely. And although the COVID-19 pandemic,

unfortunately, is still far from the end, today it is

already possible to draw the first conclusions about

the lessons of transferring the entire education system

to a distance format. Several stages can be

distinguished in the development of digital education

in a pandemic. The first stage, which took place in

March-June 2020, included the transfer of the

traditional teacher's work in the classroom to the

format of remote interaction using computers and

communication networks. And although this

approach to the implementation of educational

programs caused a lot of dissatisfaction both in the

student and teaching environment, there was simply

no other way out in that environment. However, as

early as September 2020, the situation began to

change. Some universities have tried to completely

return to traditional educational technologies. Others

have completely abandoned distance learning.

However, most of the higher education institutions

have tried to find a “middle ground” by combining

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5890-2622

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7688-5453

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4542-7326

traditional education and online technologies, that is,

to implement blended learning processes. It becomes

obvious that the further development of education is

impossible without serious scientific research. This

article attempts to analyze the effectiveness of

blended learning and the prospects for its further

development.

2 STUDY RESULTS

2.1 Blended Learning Definitions

The current stage in the development of educational

activities is determined by the dominance of

information and communication technologies, which

make it possible to intensify the forms and methods

of traditional approaches to teaching. An increasing

number of people are striving to get an education with

minimal time losses, as the pace of life leaves less and

less time for traditional full-time education. Such

technologies became especially popular during the

COVID-19 pandemic. The use of infocommunication

technologies makes it possible to change the very

principles of organizing the educational process, to

create conditions for the implementation of dynamic

personalized learning (Oreshkina, 2014). The Federal

Law of the Russian Federation № 273-FZ "On

Nagaeva, I., Erokhin, A. and Vanina, M.

Blended Learning in a Pandemic: Necessity and Opportunity.

DOI: 10.5220/0011111100003439

In Proceedings of the 2nd International Scientiﬁc and Practical Conference "COVID-19: Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals" (RTCOV 2021), pages 89-95

ISBN: 978-989-758-617-0

Education" defines distance educational technologies

as educational technologies implemented mainly with

the use of information and telecommunication

networks with indirect (at a distance) interaction

between students and teachers. One of the modern

educational technologies is blended learning, which

is based on the concept of combining technologies of

the "classroom system", e-learning, distance learning

technologies. Among the main advantages of this

training are the following:

- each student gets the opportunity to master the

necessary knowledge and skills in a convenient

format;

- planning and understanding what training needs

should be met and what results will bring;

- providing effective learning management tools;

- reducing the time and financial costs of training,

without losing the advantages of the traditional

approach;

- technology and teaching enrich and complement

each other;

- active social interaction of trainees both with

each other and with teachers;

- availability of the teacher is almost constant;

- training is possible regardless of time and place;

- variety of didactic approaches;

- improving the quality of education (including

through the use of more effective teaching aids);

- individual control over training;

- natural development by students of modern

means of organizing work, communications;

- priority of the student's independent activity;

- organization of individual support for the

educational activities of each student;

- using the organization of group learning

activities;

- flexibility of the educational trajectory;

- integration of online and offline educational and

methodological content.

Here are the main definitions of blended learning.

- Blended learning is a formal curriculum in

which students at least partially study in an electronic,

online format, and at the same time there are some

elements of control over the timing, course and pace

of learning; partly, the training takes place in person,

outside the students’ home. This learning uses

different modalities to provide an integrated learning

experience in the end (Staker & Horn, 2012).

- Blended learning is the integration of e-learning

and traditional learning, with planning and

pedagogical value (The Sloan Consortium, 2011).

- Blended learning is a teaching method that

combines various resources, in particular, elements of

face-to-face training sessions and e-learning

(Bielawski & Metcalf, 2003; Means et al., 2009;

Mijares, 2012; Griff, 2012).

The main elements of the blended learning model

are the following.

- Lectures: lecture materials are designed in the

form of presentations and / or an online course.

- Seminar sessions (face-to-face sessions):

sessions can be combined with lectures. Discussion

of the most important topics of the discipline, as well

as practicing skills.

- Teaching materials of disciplines (textbooks and

teaching aids):

- Materials are presented in printed and electronic

form, various multimedia applications are used.

- Online communication with teachers and

students.

- Individual and group online projects

(collaboration): development of skills for working on

the Internet, analyzing information from various

sources, working with a group, assigning

responsibilities for the performance of work.

- Virtual classroom: communication of students

with the teacher using various means of Internet

communications.

- Audio and video lectures, animations and

simulations.

2.2 Blended Learning Models

There are typical blended learning models to choose

from:

1) Model "Face-to-Face Driver", when a

significant part of the curriculum is studied at school

with direct interaction with the teacher; e-learning is

used as an add-on to the main curriculum.

2) Rotational model, when there is an

alternation of ways of working with educational

materials during the passage of the educational

program; study time is allocated between one-to-one

e-learning and classroom training with the trainer.

- Classroom rotation is the alternation of ways to

study the material according to the established

schedule (schedule) or at the discretion of the teacher,

the use of e-learning, the involvement of a group of

students or individually.

- Laboratory rotation - one of the ways to work

with teaching materials is online laboratory work, the

presence of an approved schedule, the movement of

students within the educational institution.

- Flipped Classroom is the presence of an

approved schedule of face-to-face educational

activities, including work on projects; preferential use

of e-learning with a certain control over learning; the

RTCOV 2021 - II International Scientiﬁc and Practical Conference " COVID-19: Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals

(RTCOV )

ability to choose a place for e-learning, use for the

organization of independent educational activities.

- Individual rotation - is the presence of an

individual schedule for studying a subject, a

mandatory online stage of study.

3) Flex model - this is the predominant use of

e-learning; providing online, offline and face-to-face

support for trainees; availability of an individual

schedule; work in small groups; organization of group

projects; individual training.

4) Self-blend model (model of "training

menu"), when there is a study of one or more e-

learning courses completely online; simultaneous

training in various institutions is possible.

5) Virtual enriched model is a model of the

whole educational institution; optional daily school

attendance; a combination of face-to-face and

distance learning.

Each model is distinguished by the predominance

of one of three components of blended learning

technology:

- Direct personal interaction of participants in the

educational process.

- Interactive interaction mediated by computer

telecommunication technologies and electronic

information and educational resources.

- Self-education.

3 BLENDED LEARNING

EFFICIENCY IN A PANDEMIC

The use of methods and technologies of full-time and

e-learning allows you to simultaneously use the

advantages of these forms of education. Face-to-face

elements are used to motivate students. Traditional

forms of education are based on direct personal

communication between the student and the teacher.

E-learning technologies provide multimedia content

that is timeless for learners with different capabilities

and needs. The combination of online and offline

elements makes learning effective, cost-effective and

convenient, and the educational process is interactive,

person-centered and adaptive for all interested parties

in learning. Of course, there are a number of reasons

for the ineffective use of distance and e-learning

technologies:

- lack of effective education management tools;

- lack of funds for the development of educational

content;

- lack of teaching staff in the field of distance

learning technologies;

- specifics of training;

- lack of modern teaching aids;

- poor technical and software equipment of the

trainees;

- lagging of educational programs from real life,

etc.

It should be taken into account that education with

the help of Internet technologies is a new

phenomenon. The culture of communication and

work via the Internet has not yet been formed. Today,

some disadvantages of using new technologies in

education are already visible:

- most teaching materials created for traditional

learning are not suitable for online or blended

learning.

- a distant student, learning only with the help of

information technologies, does not get the

opportunity to develop the necessary skills that he

could develop at lectures and seminars;

- lack of professionalism in the development of

online educational materials and the need for special

training of teachers to work with new technologies;

- the need to equip the educational institution with

computer equipment and software that require

constant updating;

- the developed courses do not correspond to

different standards for interface, graphics, etc., can be

taught by only one educational institution or only one

teacher;

- lack of a system of incentives for participation in

improving the quality of the education process, in the

development of new principles of teaching with the

use of distance learning technologies;

- problems of developing skills in working with

information systems for all participants in the

educational process.

Against the background of implementation

problems, a blended learning model looks very

beneficial - you can combine technologies. Teachers

and students have more time and opportunities to

master new technologies, because the number of

online classes is increasing gradually. In the blended

learning model, it is possible to progressively design

courses, as this model does not require fully

interactive and multimedia courses. At the initial

stage of the introduction of innovative technologies,

there are enough formalized text materials, a forum, a

chat, a testing system and a file exchange system.

Introduction to the educational process of blended

learning allows you to solve a number of problems:

1) for trainees

Blended Learning in a Pandemic: Necessity and Opportunity

- expanding the educational opportunities of

students by increasing the availability and flexibility

of education, taking into account their individual

educational needs, as well as the pace and rhythm of

mastering the educational material;

- implementation of individual curricula with an

unlimited choice of subjects, the level of their

development and methods of organizing educational

activities;

- personalization of the educational process: the

student independently determines his educational

goals, ways to achieve them, taking into account his

educational needs, interests and abilities;

- maximum objectification of the assessment

procedure and results;

- stimulating the formation of the subject position

of the student: increasing independence, social

activity, motivation of cognitive activity;

- obtaining individual counseling from a teacher

to overcome difficulties in mastering the educational

material and fill gaps in knowledge;

2) for teachers

- advanced training of teaching staff;

- acquisition of qualification competencies,

- increasing the effectiveness of teaching

activities in order to achieve new educational results;

- the use of new types of control and

communication in the pedagogical process;

- the ability to organize quality work with highly

motivated students;

- transform the teacher's style: move from the

translation of knowledge to interactive interaction

with the student, which contributes to the

construction of students' own knowledge;

3) for educational organizations

- the possibility of saving money by increasing the

level of effectiveness of teaching.

- attracting an additional contingent of students

through the organization of multidisciplinary

training;

- solving the problem of the shortage of teaching

staff;

- intensification of educational activities in order

to save time for the implementation of other

educational and cultural needs.

Examples of blended learning are e-learning,

hands-on learning, project-specific work, service

rotation, e-books, mobile learning, coaching,

podcasts, face-to-face training, onsite learning,

learning games and simulations, formal training with

certifications, and more.

4 BLENDED LEARNING

READINESS ASSESSMENT

To implement the technology of blended learning, it

is necessary to have the appropriate hardware.

Recently, not only personal computers, but also

mobile phones have been used for this purpose.

According to the analytical agency We Are Social

and the SMM platform Hootsuite (We Are Social,

2018), more than 4 billion people use the Internet, and

two-thirds of the world's population have mobile

phones (Figure 1 and Figure 2).

For example, in Russia, 91.4 million people

constantly use the Internet in their daily life, and 61%

of all mobile devices are smartphones (Figure 3).

These factors clearly indicate the need to take into

account significant changes in the learning

environment and the growing need for mobility

(Nagaeva, I.A., Frolov, A.B., & Kuznetsov, I.A.,

2021).

Figure 1: Mobile users and mobile communications.

Figure 2: Share of web traffic by device worldwide.

RTCOV 2021 - II International Scientiﬁc and Practical Conference " COVID-19: Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals

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Figure 3: Use of communication devices in Russia.

The use of mobile devices makes it possible to

raise distance learning technologies to a new

qualitative level. In a pandemic, they simply became

a salvation for some categories of students. After all,

not every student has personal computers, especially

from remote areas. Without the use of mobile devices,

it would not have been possible to quickly implement

the organization of distance learning in a pandemic.

We can say that we are on the verge of mobile

learning ̶ Mlearning (Mobile learning), the goal of

which is to make the learning process flexible,

accessible and personalized, which is part of the

blended education process. Such training implies:

1) Learning, when the student has mobile

access to educational resources, and can also interact

with the teacher and other students.

2) Transfer of information to a mobile device,

which can be downloaded and discussed, or passed a

control test. This can be useful for employees of

enterprises who want to get a second degree or just

new knowledge without interrupting work,

schoolchildren and students, travelers and tourists

during hikes, excursions or visiting museums,

citizens who want to receive medical, legal and other

information. This type of training has the following

characteristics:

- dynamism: providing up-to-date information;

- interactivity: the ability to contact specialists;

- functioning in real time: access to information

regardless of time or place;

- collaboration: interacting with people interested

in similar issues;

- student-oriented: providing information in

accordance with the level of training of the student;

- multi-format: the use of various forms and

methods of presenting information, both in the form

of electronic textbooks and multimedia content, to a

specific student;

- the possibility of training people with

disabilities.

Of course, this approach to teaching cannot

replace the traditional system, but it perfectly

complements it in a form convenient for students. The

introduction of mobile devices into the education

process can lead to qualitative changes. Klopfer

(2008) pointed out the following factors:

1) mobility, when the boundaries of the

"class" are determined by the range of the wireless

network;

2) social interaction, when data exchange

between learners is added to traditional teaching;

3) individualization is the adaptation of the

educational trajectory and pace of learning to the

capabilities of a particular person;

4) connectivity, when a certain universal

environment for network interaction is created;

5) convergence of the real and virtual

(educational) worlds using different sensors.

5 DISCUSSION

When introducing distance technologies into the

educational process, students become listeners,

teachers - tutors, employees of dean's offices -

organizers of the educational process. The teacher's

activities are to coordinate the activities of students

both internally and remotely in a high-tech

information and educational environment, building

individual educational trajectories; organization of

various types of activities using information and

educational resources; selection of electronic

educational content. In a blended learning

environment, the teacher provides feedback by

commenting on the progress and speed of passing the

educational material, the success of its

implementation thanks to the functionality and

information educational environment:

videoconferences, forums, chats, etc. In addition, the

teacher continuously monitors the educational

process and comprehensive analysis of intermediate

performance results each student by checking

information about the activity of the network, the

quality of control tasks performed in the test form, the

number of attempts to complete one or another task,

referring to additional educational resources

(Nagaeva, 2013a). In some studies, the traditional

approach is called teacher-centered. With this

approach, the teacher is the actor and manager of the

educational process. With a blended learning model,

the approach changes to student-centered. In

traditional teaching, the student is taught, in mixed

teaching, the student is helped to learn. Participant of

the educational process - Active Student, who can

Blended Learning in a Pandemic: Necessity and Opportunity

adjust the educational process and independently plan

the study time. The student's independent work

consists in mastering online training materials,

working in chats and forums, communicating by e-

mail, passing online testing, etc.

With blended learning, there are fewer classes in

the classroom - some of the classes are transferred

online. For online classes, you need to independently

master a certain material or complete assignments.

Online classes can be “question-and-answer”, or the

teacher can set topics for discussion, can invite

students to ask a topic. The deadlines for assignments

in blended learning are fixed. An online lesson is

divided into three stages: work "before", work

"during", work "after". Work "before": students

should prepare for the lesson, for contact with other

trainees and the teacher, in order to be able to discuss

and work through what they have learned, as well as

ask all the necessary questions. Work "during" is

contact: discussion of topics, assignments,

consolidation and verification of the acquired

knowledge using tests, questions or practical

assignments. Work "after": consolidation of new

material, homework, test, etc. Assessment of student

progress can be carried out both online and in the

classroom. Online testing and execution of various

projects and tasks can be carried out. The final grade

- credit or exam - is done in the classroom only. To

organize the collaboration of students and teachers,

Web 2.0 collaboration tools are used, such as social

networks, user-generated content, wikis, blogs.

Changes to teaching technology include:

 learning in more than one environment,

expanding the scope of the educational

institution;

 joint work on projects, content filling;

 use of e-books with multimedia content instead

of textbooks;

 active remote interaction of trainees with each

other and with the teacher;

 adaptation of traditional teaching methods to

new realities.

E-learning and the use of distance learning

technologies make it possible to create for students a

more accessible and flexible learning environment,

which significantly expands the possibilities for

students to work together (Nagaeva, 2013b). For the

effective implementation of the study of the discipline

in the blended learning system, it is necessary, first of

all, to develop methodological support for the training

program, which includes:

 educational and methodological materials: the

content of the academic subject, corresponding

to the goals and objectives of education, aimed

at the assimilation of students of a certain

amount of scientific knowledge; materials for

the formation of a worldview, cognitive

activity, interest in professional activity;

 computer support created on the basis of

information and communication technologies:

software for the educational process (system

and applied programs and software systems

used in one form or another, including

instrumental environments for creating

educational programs and software systems);

computing, telecommunication and other

equipment; data transmission channels.

Interactive training courses are a kind of

electronic textbooks filled with text, animation,

video, sound, simulations. Courses can be

recorded on discs, taken in local mode, and

uploaded to websites. The benefits of using

online training courses are as follows:

 development of skills of independent learning

and self-control;

 stimulating active learning;

 interactive visualization of the material;

 study of the investigated processes from the

inside through various simulations;

 study of impossible, life-threatening or

expensive scenarios and situations, such as

radiation equipment, operations, parallel

worlds, etc .;



use of video materials. While there are obvious

advantages of using video courses, such as a

variety of teaching materials, demonstration of

production processes, control of learning, there

are also disadvantages: a decrease in the active

role of students in learning; possible technical

problems with software or hardware. The

introduction of a blended form of education is

associated with the need to amend the

regulatory framework, requires investment in

the development of the necessary educational

content, retraining of personnel.

6 CONCLUSIONS

Taking the above into consideration, the main

guidelines for blended making learning effective are

as follows.

1) Blended learning must be focused. A blended

learning program should have a well-thought-

out architecture with sequential transitions

between different types and types of learning

activities.

RTCOV 2021 - II International Scientiﬁc and Practical Conference " COVID-19: Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals

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2) The development of blended learning should be

based on a systematic approach, including

learning objectives, target audience, learning

needs, schedule, technology, learning

architecture.

3) A system of intermediate and final control of

the assimilation of knowledge, the acquisition

of skills and abilities are needed; development

of online tests, project topics.

4) Conducting an analysis of the training needs of

the target audience, basic knowledge and skills,

experience, preferred learning styles.

5) Choosing one of the typical goals of blended

learning programs: to reach a larger number of

trainees (e-courses, virtual classrooms, on-the-

job training), to increase the effectiveness of

the practical application of the knowledge

gained (coaching, practical face-to-face

workshops, online simulations, exchange of

best practices, collaborative work), reduce

training costs.

6) The optimal ratio of educational activities

types: 10% - formal training and independent

work (virtual classrooms, classrooms,

webinars, asynchronous e-learning, tests); 20%

- mentoring and tutoring; 70% - informal

training and practical tasks (practical training,

joint projects, practical tasks, laboratory work).

7) Construction of different trajectories and

training scenarios for different groups of

trainees.

8) Preparation of documentation, including: the

main objectives of the training; hierarchy of

required learning outcomes; a description of all

teaching methods used; the time frame for each

component of blended learning; learning

support tools; budget and staffing

requirements.

Thus, blended learning is characterized by the

preservation of the general traditional principles of

building the educational process with the inclusion of

elements of Internet learning. The ratio of these two

forms of education is determined by the readiness of

the educational institution for such a structure of the

educational process, as well as the desire and

technical capabilities of the students. Technology is

transforming education, and its influence is

constantly growing. Blended learning is a promising

learning system that combines the benefits of

traditional and interactive learning. In our opinion,

the development of a blended form of education can

become one of the key areas of modernization of the

entire educational sphere.

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Blended Learning in a Pandemic: Necessity and Opportunity