The Challenge of Understanding Blended Learning Models and related didactic conditions

Abstract

The article deals with the problem of the typology of the blended learning models that require the certain didactic conditions. In this regard, the various approaches to classifying blended learning models and determining its didactic nature in American, European and Russian scientific literature are analyzed. A critical view is offered on the research experience of the blended learning modeling, interpretation of the concepts of «the didactic conditions» and «the organizational-didactic model». The purpose of this article is to analyze the scientific understanding of the blended learning models typology and related didactic conditions. This led to the use of the comparative analysis methods and generalization. The results of the study show that the idea of the didactic nature of the blended learning, which combines technological and pedagogical principles, has become permanent in the scientific literature. Blended learning requires developed electronic information environment containing high-quality and diverse content that can form an individual learning trajectory, provide a personal virtual educational space, and monitor and record student learning achievements. And the didactic role of the teacher is also changing, who cannot do without confident IT competencies. He is responsible for shaping the content of the educational program, strengthening the individual approach to learning, and managing the planning of training. Existing attempts to classify blended learning models are, as a rule, incomplete and boil down to identifying a set of modeling criteria. As an illustration, examples of the optimal solutions to the problem of modeling and differentiation of didactic conditions are given, their influence on the teacher’s role and the requirements for a digital educational environment are shown.