Implementing blended learning technology will help schools be prepared for potential closures, and support students who may need to quarantine.
As states in the US begin to ease stay-at-home restrictions and hope to return to a semblance of life as it was before the COVID-19 outbreak, there are concerns about a second wave of coronavirus hitting our country in the near future.
Dr. Anthony Fauci said on May 27th that a second wave of coronavirus could emerge, but is not inevitable. According to him, the determining factor would be whether or not states and citizens follow guidelines around easing restrictions without “leapfrogging” steps.
Because regions are reopening differently, it’s impossible to predict what the state of the pandemic will be during the fall and winter. But some medical experts are very worried about that period of time because it coincides with flu season, which could put the health of many Americans in danger and could put hospitals in certain areas at risk of being overrun.
While no one can be certain how the coming seasons will play out, we do know that education will continue, whether online or on-ground.
The uncertainty around the future of the pandemic along with updated guidelines from the Department of Education around distance learning are prompting schools to adopt new technology to improve their online offering in case of future stay-at-home orders.
While your school is considering adopting new technology to bolster its distance learning programs, there’s one quality it should look for that will be incredibly advantageous moving forward. Your school should invest in software that can seamlessly transition between on-ground and online learning environments.
For example, if you’re looking to adopt an attendance solution, find one that is designed to be used in any learning environment, including online, in the classroom, at an externship site, etc. Don’t limit yourself to a solution that can only take attendance online and doesn’t provide the same value to an on-ground course. The same goes for engagement, assessment, and compliance tools. Look for technology that delivers equal value regardless of the class setting. Now, let’s get into why.
Flexibility With Blended Learning Technology
Having blended learning technology in place that can work effectively on-ground and online will allow your school to operate smoothly if it shifts back and forth. Being able to transition quickly between online and on-ground will allow schools to run classes without worrying about downtime and forcing students to take time off from school.
For example, let’s say that your school resumes on-ground programs again in the fall with guidelines in place to help minimize the spread of COVID-19. Classes are running smoothly and students are learning safely for a few weeks. Then, from one day to the next, a handful of students exhibit symptoms or test positive for the virus and have potentially spread it to their classmates and teachers in the previous days. Your school is forced to shut down immediately. By having technology in place that works just as well for online courses as it does for in-person ones, students can continue learning at home without going through a period of downtime or learning to use a new set of software.
School admins won’t have to worry about quickly changing the technology used in class and can instead spend their time supporting teachers and students making the transition online. And as soon as it’s safe to reopen the campus, your school can transition back to on-ground courses without skipping a beat. With versatile technology in place, your school can seamlessly transition between online and on-ground courses as necessary to keep students safe and productive.
Implementing Blended Learning
Having technology in place that works in both online and on-ground programs, and can seamlessly switch between the two, can help your school implement blended learning programs. Also known as hybrid learning, blended learning combines the best aspects of face-to-face teaching and online instruction in ways that enable students to learn as effectively as possible. It gives students the resources to learn course material on their own time while providing live, in person sections that give students substantial and consistent interaction with instructors to assist with their comprehension.
Studies have shown
that blended learning reduces failure rates, improves learning, and boosts engagement. It’s proving to be a scalable learning model that is effective for a diverse population of students. It is especially helpful for career education students, who may be working a job or have a child at home while taking their program. The flexibility of blended learning is very beneficial for their potentially sporadic schedule.
Having one piece of technology that works online and on-ground enables your school to implement blended learning courses without needing to adopt multiple systems.
In Conclusion: Investing In Blending Learning Technology
We’re living in volatile times. Nobody knows what will happen next week, let alone a few months from now. Schools that have technology in place that functions effectively both on-ground and online will be well prepared in case they need to shut down their campuses or stay-at-home orders are reinstated. In addition, technology that works in both learning environments will help schools implement blended learning programs, which is rising in popularity among students.
CourseKey’s suite of learning tools, including attendance, engagement, compliance, are designed to work in any learning environment, including online and on-ground. For a personalized walkthrough of the CourseKey platform, request a demo below.
