{"id":2872,"date":"2023-10-06T09:54:09","date_gmt":"2023-10-06T07:54:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/skilla2026.local\/2023\/10\/06\/blended-learning-teaching-models-and-learning-theories\/"},"modified":"2026-08-28T14:32:36","modified_gmt":"2026-08-28T12:32:36","slug":"blended-learning-teaching-models-and-learning-theories","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new.skilla.com\/en\/2023\/10\/06\/blended-learning-teaching-models-and-learning-theories\/","title":{"rendered":"Blended learning: teaching models and learning theories"},"content":{"rendered":"

Blended learning vs hybrid learning<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Firstly, let\u2019s deal with a matter of terminology. Blended learning and hybrid learning are overlapping and often used interchangeably, but there are important differences between the two approaches.<\/p>\n

While blended learning<\/em> integrates online and face-to-face delivery modes to design a mixed-mode learner experience across the course, with some elements delivered in person and others online, hybrid learning<\/em> is more student-driven in that the learner can decide through which mode (online or face-to-face) they would like to access each and all the learning materials and sessions. In a helpful analogy, Simon Thomson<\/a> likens hybrid learning to a hybrid car in that you can choose which power delivery source (electric or traditional engine) to use, depending on logistics or the journey you will take.<\/p>\n

Jisc<\/a> also highlights the greater degree of choice exercised by learners in the hybrid learning approach, a view endorsed by Roberto Prieto of EIT Digital<\/a> (2021), who emphasises the irreplaceable nature of the value attributed to face-to-face learning in blended learning: \u201cUnlike hybrid learning, blended learning does not compromise on the unique aspects of face-to-face interactions\u201d.<\/em><\/p>\n

The online component is challenging to deliver, however. It is important to recognise that online learning is not and can never be simply a case of transferring the traditional teaching and learning model online. Initially, under pressure created by the Covid-19 pandemic, many providers struggled with this, as they had not conceived of digital teaching and learning as a new and distinct practice, a systemic solution<\/a>, which requires a different mindset and a range of skills, in the creation, management, delivery and utilisation of the courses, not generally exercised in traditional classroom teaching.<\/p>\n

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Models of blended learning<\/strong><\/h2>\n

For the learner, previously accustomed in formal education and professional or work-based education to being merely the recipient of knowledge and information conveyed through the teacher or through various media, the shift to blended and hybrid learning represents a rich opportunity to moderate how, when, in what order and for how long the learning takes place. This results in a more andragogical<\/em> model of learning in which the learner can be self-directed. Not all learners, however, have the necessary motivation and skills to benefit from self-directed learning. We shall explore the implications of the andragogical theory of learning below.<\/p>\n

Positioning blended learning in a framework of learning theories<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Tony Bates, a respected online education expert and experienced practitioner based in Ontario, Canada, has suggested that there is perhaps a need for a theory for blended learning<\/a>. I tend to agree. Blended learning reflects the range of teaching and learning possibilities inherent in combining modes of delivery for learning, online (including mobile) and in-person, the former of which is evolving rapidly as digital technology advances.<\/p>\n

So, does it make sense to focus so much on the mode of delivery, potentially at the expense of the objectives behind learning teaching and training? The latter include having a significant impact in the development of the individual and delivering learning outcomes which enhance knowledge and capabilities, in an engaging, co-designed learning experience. As Bates points out, good practices derive from theories being tested and put into practice; without the guidance of a theoretical framework, we are in danger of mere experimentation, which is certainly one<\/em> valuable means of learning, but not sufficient by itself. Lets look at some of the blended learning theories that have emerged so far.<\/p>\n

Complex Adaptive Blended Learning System<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Wang, Han and Yang (2015)<\/a> proposed a theory of the Complex Adaptive Blended Learning System comprising an ecosystem of 6 inter-related elements co-operating in a dynamic and adaptive relationship, a framework for the design of a blended learning system. The six components are as below, and each breaks down into sub-components:<\/p>\n