Online, Flipped, and Blended Learning Environments
In the digital era, online, flipped, and blended learning environments offer a variety of advantages and disadvantages for instructors and learners alike. This paper explores each learning approach shown in Figure 1, providing insights into their characteristics and applications.
Figure 1
Digital Age Learning Environments
Online learning is characterized by its reliance on digital platforms. Learning content and experiences are entirely delivered online whether synchronously or asynchronously. The advantages of online learning are its flexibility, allowing students to access course content that utilizes a variety of multimedia tools to enhance the learning experience. However, there are several disadvantages of this learning approach. Most notably, the lack of in-person social interaction may make learners feel isolated (Kwon, et al., 2021). Learners must be self-motivated and have the self-discipline necessary to manage their time wisely to complete assignments on time. Learners who value flexibility and autonomy may benefit most from this learning approach, given they have the technical expertise to navigate digital platforms.
Flipped learning reverses the traditional instructional approach. Learners access content online for individual study, while in-person classroom time is devoted to interactive activities to support learning. The advantage of this approach is its efficiency. Instructors pre-record and upload video lessons for students to view before class, maximizing limited classroom time that is dedicated to in-person engagements like group discussions, problem-solving, and hands-on collaborative activities (Chin, 2023). Flipped learning requires intense preparation and frontloading for instructors to create high-quality content to be delivered online. Another disadvantage is the accessibility of technology and internet connectivitiy for students to watch pre-recorded lessons before class. Given the necessary tools and access, flipped learning benefits students who have the motivation and time-management skills for independent study and value time to work collaboratively with their peers.
In a blended learning environment, learning content and experiences are delivered through a mix of traditional face-to-face instruction with elements of online instruction. This approach combines the benefit of in-person support with the flexibility of online resources to enhance learning (Argyriou et al., 2022). It supports personalized learning and leverages both physical and digital learning spaces to appeal to diverse learning styles. A disadvantage is the complexity of planning, integrating, and coordinating in-person and online resources. Instructors may face challenges adopting this model if they have limited experience in instructional design as they plan, design, and implement courses the first time. Learners who are adaptable and able to seamlessly move from in-person interaction to online support will benefit most from this blended approach.
Conclusion
Online, flipped, and blended learning environments have their own set of advantages and challenges, and their effectiveness depend on the content, learner context, and available resources. It is important to recognize that learners are diverse and to consider these factors when choosing among them during the instructional design process.
References
Argyriou, P., Benamar, K., & Nikolajeva, M. (2022). What to Blend? Exploring the Relationship Between Student Engagement and Academic Achievement via a Blended Learning Approach. Psychology Learning & Teaching, 21(2), 126–137. https://doi.org/10.1177/14757257221091512
Chin, P. P. L. (2023). Flipped Classroom Learning: A Case Study in Meragang Sixth Form College. Journal of Higher Education Theory & Practice, 23(8), 136–148. https://doi.org/10.33423/jhetp.v23i8.6072
Kwon, S., Kim, W., Bae, C., Cho, M., Lee, S., & Dreamson, N. (2021). The identity changes in online learning and teaching: instructors, learners, and learning management systems. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 18(1), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-021-00304-8
