Flexible and Blended Learning during COVID-19 Pandemic: New Norm in Teaching and Learning

Peter K Mbaka ,Elias Eric Mwenda

doi:10.7176/jep/12-15-05

Abstract

The emergent of CVID-19 prompted profound thinking into the design and approaches of teaching appropriate to all levels of education. This came into focus when the pandemic COVID-19 forced educational institutions to shift rapidly to distance and online learning to bring in flexibility and hybrid or blended learning. The pandemic forced the closure of learning institutions and teachers and students had to apply flexible and blended learning approaches when none of them had been sufficiently trained or even set psychologically to shift to this online mode of teaching and learning contexts. This phenomenon further propagated insightful thinking and debate on effectiveness of flexibility and blending in learning for institutions in Kenya. Flexible and blended learning is an inventive concept that embraces both traditional teaching in the classroom and Information Communication Technology supported learning including both offline learning and online learning. It also encompasses collaborative learning; constructive learning and computer assisted learning (CAI). Flexible and blended learning requires laborious efforts, right attitude, handsome budget and highly motivated teachers and students for its successful implementation. It incorporates diverse modes and therefore making it a complex project and difficult task to organize. The current paper explored flexible and blended learning approaches, design and implementation of flexible and blended learning approaches, relevance of flexible and blended learning approaches during the COVID 19 pandemic as a new norm in teaching and learning among institutions in Kenya. Keywords : Flexible and blended learning , traditional teaching in the classroom, Information Communication Technology supported learning, collaborative learning, constructive learning, computer assisted learning DOI: 10.7176/JEP/12-15-05 Publication date: May 31 st 2021

Highlights

Introduction Since the entering of Covid19 in Kenya in March 2020, the educational institutions rushed into implementing online teaching and learning policies to ensure the continuity of teaching and learning process
It was apparently clear that the traditional teaching that is basically face to face interaction was impossible following the COVID 19 containment measures developed by World Health Organization which requires social distancing as key in minimizing the spread of the virus
The flexible and blended learning approach would have supported and sustained teaching and learning in Kenyan institutions when COVID 19 containment measures led to partial lock down of the country and closure of all learning institutions

Summary

Introduction

Introduction Since the entering of Covid19 in Kenya in March 2020, the educational institutions rushed into implementing online teaching and learning policies to ensure the continuity of teaching and learning process. The flexible and blended learning approaches improves institutional www.iiste.org readiness to benefit from the efficiencies which may be gained by the use of Information Communication Technology in both administration and teaching, increased access and expansion of quality education programs.

Results

Conclusion