The happy-go-lucky options: Emergence of hybrid classes
During the pandemic, online learning has become the norm. This method can go hand in hand with traditional face-to-face learning even when the pandemic ends
At this stage of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic when every sector has opted for a reopening after spending some gruelling months of government-imposed closure, the education sector is standing at a crossroads. Because of the prevalence of coronavirus, the educational structure has completely been renovated where online learning has been the most feasible method to go on. As the urges and questions arise to reopen the educational institutions, the emergence of hybrid classes comes to a few steps closer.
The pandemic has hurt the whole economy drastically. Its ripple effect has caused a lot of harm to every sector at the initial stage. While the pharmaceutical industry is booming with revenues, the industry of papers falls into the pit at a similar rate.
As all sectors are disrupted, the students face a lot of issues staring at digital screens and quite a large number of them have to stop the e-learning method due to financial and physical hurdles.
With the hybrid classes being continued, both online and offline classes can be conducted. The options of both distance and face-to-face learning have been the standard.
Because of Covid-19, a lot of families had to leave urban cities like Dhaka where their recovery state is on the exponential path. This can result in added benefits for students coming from lower-income families to continue learning online.
The hybrid option may be cost-effective and also safe for the people who are unable to come to an urban area and afford that standard of living. Hybrid courses are convenient because they offer more adaptability than regular classroom-only courses. Auditory learners may learn from the ability to rewind the recorded lectures, while visual learners can study slides at their own rate.
Students can budget their time to correspond to face-to-face classroom requirements. Moreover, they can work on web-enhanced assignments on their own time. Online course supplements can be accessed from almost any device connected to the internet, so they offer suitability for students who might have jobs, additional academic courses or personal responsibilities.
Keeping the technical issues aside, the psychological issues also come into the fore. Every step of educational success needs strategy and commitment but the hybrid classes can be challenging. The students may procrastinate which can disrupt the flow of classes. It takes more self-discipline to be a part of this new method of learning.
The technological problem has been one of the biggest hindrances in all kinds of work during the pandemic, leading to disturbance in the normal stream of work. Students face difficulties in terms of using the internet and devices.
But on the other hand, they tend to use the internet trouble as an excuse to escape classes and quizzes. Furthermore, the recorded version of classes would also make the student irregular and less-disciplined with poor attendance.
For some students, taking a hybrid class might necessitate buying a new computer or upgrading the current one. Depending on the program, hybrid learners may need to purchase software programs which is an extra cost-incurring issue a lot might face.
Balancing the pros and cons, the emergence of the hybrid classes can be the best possible way to proceed in the educational sectors. It is also counted as a blessing towards the continuous pace of learning which gives the students further options to go on with their education without it being hampered.
Kashfia Kamal Metheela is a teacher at South Breeze school. She can be reached at kashfiakamal55@gmail.com
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of The Business Standard.
