Blended learning is more effective than tradicional learning

Blended learning is more effective than traditional learning

There was a time when going to school meant only sitting at a desk and listening to the teachers talk while they used chalk and a blackboard to explain something to their students. Homework had to be done and written down in a notebook, the one made of paper. The students had to be in the classroom every single day. And this ritual would repeat itself throughout the year. As the decades passed by, a considerable part of this scenery has changed. In some schools, the blackboard is not black anymore; it´s either white or glass, and the teachers don’t have to use chalk anymore; they can use markers. Teachers now have to deal with technology such as stereos, projectors, computers, ipads and all the gadgets that come along with them. Some students, instead of paper notebooks, bring computers to class to take notes on important things. But a real sign that times have changed is that students don’t even have to be in the classroom to study anymore. They can come to class every other week and, when they´re not at school, access the internet in order to do the activities related to their courses. This whole new scenery leads us to an inevitable question. Is blended learning more effective than traditional learning? No, traditional learning is still the best alternative to good education.

The defenders of blended learning state that it has innumerable advantages, such as saving money and time, and that the use of technology functions as a student´s ally. You could save money, for example, not having to commute from your house to school every day, which would also generate savings for the school, because it wouldn’t have to spend money on electricity, water and paper. You could save time because you would have more control over when exactly you would access the course online and how much time you would spend in each activity. 

All these arguments have to be taken into account. However, they´re weak comparing to the advantages that traditional education offers. Traditional learning provides the student with teacher–student time, which is fundamental for a solid education. Life experience and knowledge exchange between teachers and students can´t be given by an online course. It is also known that an effective education is based on the individualization of the instruction. The teacher has to be familiar with his/her students and aware of each one´s needs; know their faces and names well. Also, the sense of accountability is a very important aspect that appears in traditional education. Things work better if you have a teacher asking you what to do each class than if you have only a vague deadline on the internet. Traditional education, therefore, has features that can´t be replaced by blended education.

Besides, being at school also makes the students focus on their activities. Although they might get distracted sometimes while at school, they are still in a study environment, where everything leads to learning. There are specified times to study and breaks, to relax for a while. Being at home, on the other hand, brings many distractions. In addition, being at school brings the student a sense of community, because it shows the individual how to live in society, which he/she won´t acquire studying alone, at home. Learning how to live in society is vital.

Furthermore, technology is essential nowadays, while it may also be a great source of distraction for the students, especially for the younger ones. Let´s take a student who needs to do research on the internet, for instance. He/she might get distracted by opening tons of pages that have absolutely nothing to do with the subject of interest, while looking for the necessary material; not to mention social webs, games and music.

In summary, traditional education still represents the best path to quality education. Teachers have to feel whether the subject that they´re teaching is reaching their students or not and how it is affecting their lives. There isn´t a better way to do that than actually being in the classroom, sharing experiences with the students. The teacher´s figure and presence are strong, invaluable assets for the students, and should never be replaced by computers.