BLENDED LEARNING

BLENDED LEARNING

            Today’s learning and teaching process is become very innovative in the term of method and also the medium. Schools are not only held by attending the class and sitting while listening to the teacher till the time for the students to go home. The variation and development in the teaching method definitely is to make the students get better understanding in learning the subject and also make the learning process become interesting. In line with the technological progress, there is one learning method that is very beneficial for the students called Blended Learning.

          Blended learning is a term increasingly used to describe the way e-learning is being combined with traditional classroom methods and independent study to create a new, hybrid teaching methodology. The Blended Learning has some models that can be used in teaching the students:

•          Face to face driver

Face to face teachers deliver most of the curriculum. The teacher also guides the students in e-learning in lab or in the class to supplement.

•          Rotation

The students have their schedule in online-learning by themselves and attending classroom for face to face learning with their teacher.

•          Flex

Most of the curriculum is online learning, but the teacher is provided a small group in the class for tutoring the students so they will not misunderstand the difficult material that they read by themselves.

•          Online Lab

The teacher brings the students to the computer lab to learn from the internet.

•          Self-Blended

The students themselves take the remote online-learning to supplement their traditional classroom learning.

•          Online Driver

An online platform and teacher deliver all the curriculum. Students work remotely and, and face to face check-ins are either available and mandatory.

Blended learning is a complete package for the students, because it combined two thing which is online learning and traditional classroom learning. By the online learning, the students can learn by themselves about the subject with unlimited sources. But then, the student will also get the feedback from the teacher about the subject they learn by themselves so that they will not misunderstand the lesson/subject, even, they will have better understanding about it.

Global Network Education

Global Network Education

An unlimited internet connection around the world and sophisticated technology enable people in a different country to communicate each other. This brings advantages for everyone but also give bad impacts as well. That is why everyone must use the technology wise so that they can get much beneficial from it. Related to education, the technological developments will facilitate the student with many helps for their study. For example, Peer-to-Peer video conferencing that creates the opportunity for students to build an international network of friends and contacts. A contact network can help students to develop business leads, find new job opportunities, and increase their knowledge of other countries and cultures. A global contact network built from having personal conversations with other students around the world will provide lasting benefits throughout the student’s career. Through the use of Peer-to-Peer video conferencing, students can also study new languages and to learn about cultural differences while building a global support network.

The unlimited network connection brings the world to enter the Global Network Education. Global Network Education is any classroom activities which expose young children to new ways of thinking about the world, their own and others’ cultures, world languages, communities, and families through cross-country network connection. By creating the Global Education Network, early childhood teachers have the ability to expose children to concepts of diversity, multiculturalism, and multilingualism at an early age. This type of early exposure can make issues of equity and equality, as well as global understanding, accessible and relevant to children and hopefully less of a struggle to understand and practice as they grow into adults.

There are some advantages of being part of the Global Network Education, such as:

• Choice
  Large choice of tutors and others with varying ages, backgrounds, and geography.
• Flexible and convenient scheduling

Wide calendar availability, on demand, cancellation policy

• Pricing
  Variable pricing, no contracts, trusted payment methods
• User experience

User interfaces tailored for language learning & cultural exchange

• Social attraction

Personal interactions that reach across cultures and borders for friendly fun while learning

• Safety
  Proper consent policy, policies to prohibit inappropriate conversations
• Privacy
  1-to-1 classes using secure video
• Rating
  Options for students to rate their experiences with tutors

Looking at the advantages that will the students get if they are joining Global Network Education, I think it is very important for them to use the chance wisely and make a better future for their life.