Blogpost written by Nguyen Thi Khanh Vy and Thedini Wickramasinghe
- Technology and the economy influence how students learn and the job market.
- Flexible learning methods don’t harm student outcomes.
- Strong student-teacher interaction matters most.
„Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.“ – Nelson Mandela
Is the traditional classroom boring?
We, students, are way too familiar with the classroom because every 5 or 6-year-old kid must go to school. A classroom with one teacher explaining a lesson in 45 to 60 minutes to students is a common method worldwide. Where students sit still, listening, and learning from one-way interaction. And not much discussion, or sharing ideas, thoughts with other mates. Lack of interaction between teachers and students, or students to students has demotivated the learning atmosphere. Who likes to go to class just to sit and listen and obey?
Also, students are expected to absorb knowledge and receive homework from the teachers after class. Then in the next class, they will work on correcting answers for the homework, listen to the new lesson topic, and receive another new homework. The whole process has been going on and on for decades, from elementary to high schools, and universities.
It is not difficult to understand, because how can students learn effectively outside the classroom, such as at home or in a café? There are no blackboards at home, no math teacher, no chemical lab. No tools and instructors to guide them, to help them absorb the knowledge and practice that easily.
Busy adults want to go to school too
Not only young students, professional workers want to upgrade their skills with learning new things too. Moreover, after the pandemic, remote working has become more common, and that has pushed the demand for highly skilled workers who can work effectively and solve problems even in the remote working environment.
Furthermore, office workers who are already busy in the daytime with work, also want to pursue classes after work, for higher education, or upskilling. However, traveling from work to school, and catching up with evening classes or early morning classes consumes energy and concentration too. They would wish that classroom time was only for more personal interaction and other pre-reading activities or self-learning could be done at home, at their own pace. So that they can save time and energy.
Should we reduce classroom time?
As we can see, with the two above types of learners, there are demands for a better classroom method. Thanks to the internet, computers, and software; these are mediums to help teachers re-organize classrooms, where students can spend more time on self-learning and are expected to interact more in the class. And teachers can leverage software to distribute content or reading materials online, without having students sitting in the class. Therefore, they can use the classroom spare time to coordinate more discussion among students and teachers.
This new way to organize learning is mentioned in Müller and Mildenberger paper in 2021 under the term ‘blended learning’. However, there is some skepticism about the cost-efficiency and student performance between the traditional classroom and the reduced-time classroom.
Insights from Müller and Mildenberger paper in 2021
For a brief introduction on this paper, Müller and Mildenberger research digs into an important topic in modern education: what happens when we reduce classroom time and shift a part of the learning process to online settings? They have conducted experiments on reducing 30-79% classroom time and measuring the final performance.
As it turns out, it highlights that both traditional and blended learning methods are equally efficient if it is implemented properly. Plus, flexibility is useful for adult learners since it allows them to upskill or reskill with other responsibilities. However, the researchers highlighted that meaningful interactions: both between teachers and students and among peers, are the most important factors in successful learning, regardless of the format or the style of learning.
Challenges in reducing classroom time
Shifting to online learning appears to be a good idea, but there are some concerns. The study revealed a few important challenges:
- Lack of structure for students: Some students fail to maintain discipline and motivation in online learning environments. Without maintaining continuous interaction, some students can easily fall behind or get confused.
- Learning Gaps: Not every area or skills are easily learned online with limited classroom time due to longer hours for equipment setup. For example, doing science experiments, practising singing, sports, etc.
- Technology Barriers: Access to reliable technology and the internet is crucial for online education. Students without these resources may be left behind.
- Teacher readiness: Teachers sometimes face high barriers to learning while developing effective online activities and content. Without enough training and support, online content may fail to attract students or achieve the depth of classroom conversations.
Müller and Mildenberger study reminds us that while online learning offers flexibility and adaptability, it’s not a one-size-fits-all answer. Replacing classroom time with online activities does not guarantee better outcomes, so its success solely depends on how it’s implemented.
Universities should focus on maintaining a balance. Online learning can benefit in-person teaching by offering flexibility and new tools for engagement, but it should not replace the invaluable interaction and support students get in physical classrooms.
The future of education depends on finding ways to combine the best of both worlds, keeping students’ needs and challenges in mind. By addressing the limitations highlighted, universities and other educational institutions can build learning environments that are effective, and adaptable for everyone.
Müller & Mildenberger (2021): Facilitating flexible learning by replacing classroom time with an online learning environment: A systematic review of blended learning in higher education. doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2021.100394