BLENDED/FLEXIBLE

TEACHING AND
LEARNING
 BLENDED LEARNING AND FLEXIBLE LEARNING

DISTANCE LEARNING

ONLINE LEARNING AND E-LEARNING

ASYNCHRONOUS AND SYNCHRONOUS MODES OF LEARNING

 Since then, the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the
educational landscape and system globally. But while
schools were closed because of the community quarantine,
education has to continue, but this time it would be in
different modalities. DepEd termed it as “blended learning,”
while CHEd called it “flexible learning.” Others used the
term distance learning, remote learning, etc. But what
became very popular is the “online learning” since it was
declared that there would be no “face-to-face” learning until
there is a vaccine.
The closure of the schools coincided with the final evaluation of the
students. As a result, different schools issued different guidelines
on how students will be graded. It seems that these new practices
shall continue and will be part of the new normal in education. For
sure, there will be some revisions that will be implemented in the
curriculum. Since the traditional way of face-to-face is impossible
and will be replaced by the new modalities, teachers are at a loss
on how they will conduct teaching and imbued learning to their
students, as well as how they will assess students’ learning
 It is in this context that an additional lesson has to be added to this
subject. There is a need not only for future teachers but even the present
teachers to acquire the necessary skills and knowledge on how they will
assess students’ learning in the new normal set up with the adoption of the
altered modalities.
 LESSON I: Let Us Clarify the Terminologies

BLENDED LEARNING AND FLEXIBLE LEARNING

BLENDED LEARNING

• We first heard “blended learning” from DepEd Secretary Briones, and since then, it
created a question mark on what it really means. To fully comprehend the value and
promise of blended learning, I think we first have to understand that the idea of
blended learning is not really new.

• In other countries, especially in Western countries, blended learning or

sometimes being termed as blended courses had been in utilization for quite some
time now. Several definitions came out of practice and experiences.
• McGee and Reis (2012) point out that while there is no absolute
agreement within higher education on the exact make-up of a blended
course, institutions generally use “blended” (or related terms) to refer
to some combination of on-campus class meeting and online
activities.
With Horn and Staker (2014), blended learning is a formal education
program in which a student learns:

• at least in part through online learning, with some element of student

control over time, place, path, and or pace;
• at least in part in a supervised brick-and-mortar location away from
home;
• the modalities along each student’s learning path within a course or
subject are connected to provide an integrated learning experience.
• Based on these definitions, blended learning is a combination of
learning at a distance and the traditional on-campus learning (in a
classroom or what is commonly known as face-to-face).
• FLEXIBLE LEARNING
CHEd Commissioner Prospero De Vera declared that universities and
colleges in the country would use “flexible learning.” De Vera said that
flexible learning for higher educations or HEIs involves a combination
of “digital and non-digital technology.” He added that this does not
necessarily require connectivity. From there, it seems that there is no
difference between the two terms.
• Flexible learning describes a learning design perspective deeply
rooted in the needs of students, with the primary objective being to
provide them with the most flexibility about the learning content,
schedules, access, and learning styles as possible.

• A flexible learning design customizes learning environments to meet

the needs of learners, using both technological and non-technological
tools. Flexible Learning is closely related to Blended Learning and
Distributed Learning.

• Cheong (2013) follows the same line of thought, arguing that “the
nature of ‘flexibility’ revolves around learners: what choices are
available and how they affect their learning.”
Nikolov et al. (2018) discussed further the conceptualization of flexible learning out of
many researches. First, they shared the five categories of flexibility:

• time,

• content,

• access/entry,

• requirements,

• pedagogy/instruction approach, and design and delivery.

Second, they had given the key elements of curriculum flexibility.
The mentioned authors added that curriculum flexibility (also called a flexible curriculum,
flexible learning, flexible education) could serve as a means to respond to learner diversity.
Central to a flexible curriculum are

(1) choices and options, and

(2) the adaptation to/central position of individual student’s needs. Within this body of
researches, it came out that curriculum flexibility, in general, supports student learning in
diverse classrooms.
• The following are DepEd’s Five Delivery Options under its
“Learning Continuity Plan for 2020-2021 depending on the
health status of the locality: 1) blended learning; 2) distance
learning; 3) homeschooling; 4) apprenticeship; and if the
vaccine is already available, the possibility of 5) face to face
schooling
• “Flexible learning is a pedagogical approach that is sound,
purposefully selected delivery approach resulting from fundamental
moves and changes in the socio-economic contexts of the times we
live in and has been adopted by higher education institutions for some
reasons.”
DISTANCE LEARNING
DISTANCE LEARNING OR DISTANCE EDUCATION
• Distance learning is the process of taking courses online from a college
or educational organization located anywhere. The distance makes no
difference, and the quality of education should be similar to that of a
classroom environment, as long as the educational institution is certified by
an appropriate licensing board (Walter, 2020).
• Distance learning is often taken to be a synonym with online learning,
mainly because the term has been used for universities and colleges
to attract enrollees from different parts of the world. The process
became possible for many individuals to finish schooling while at home
or working and graduate from a known university in other places or
countries without physical presence. That is where the term has also
given the term distance education and universities were called “open
university” just like the University of the Philippines Open University
(OPOU) as the best example in our country.
 ONLINE LEARNING AND E-LEARNING

ONLINE LEARNING
Online learning refers to the idea of using online tools for learning (Pop,
2020). The key element here is the use of the internet. Basically, an online course
implies a distance between the learner and the teacher. Lectures, assignments,
tests are all enabled by virtual platforms.
• Online learning has more flexibility but requires learners to be
self-motivated. An individual who is deciding to choose between the
two must weigh both options. However, both provide the benefit of
learning from home, removing the commute to school face to face
mode, and providing a measure of flexibility.

• Previously, we learned that distance learning is often taken to be

a synonym with online learning. Let us try to find out the differences.
• E-learning is a type of learning that is enabled electronically as being defined
by future school.com. It is also the acquisition of knowledge that takes place
through electronic technologies and media. Sometimes, it is also referring to as
online learning.
• E-learning is a new method of education involving technologies that allow the
students to complete a course outside of the traditional classroom. These
technologies hinge on the internet to reach students, many miles from a physical
school or university.
 ASYNCHRONOUS AND SYNCHRONOUS MODES OF LEARNING

• Terry Heick (2020) in Teachthought.com shared a clear comparison of

these two modes of learning; the asynchronous and synchronous
learning as follows.
• The primary characteristic of asynchronous learning is that it is not dictated
by time, place, or collaboration, thus encouraging student’s independence
and self-motivation on self-learning where dependence on the teacher for
learning is lessened.
• There is no single form of asynchronous learning because another
uniqueness of this is that the pace of the teaching is less tied to curriculum
layouts, pacing guides, and even the sequence of the curriculum itself can
be unique.
• All of this means that in asynchronous learning, differentiation is more
natural–less disruptive to the ‘rest of the class’ and less demanding of the
teacher as there is no ‘real-time’ teaching.
 SYNCHRONOUS LEARNING
• As a general rule, Synchronous Learning occurs when students learn the
same thing simultaneously–online or offline (in our context, it has to be purely
online). The big idea is ‘together’ (a concept that often implies ‘same’) (Heick, 2020).
• Heick expounded that synchronous learning is when students learn the same
thing simultaneously–through a lecture (online or in-person), for example.
Synchronous learning is a kind of ‘group learning’ that happens in a way that’s
unified by time and space–that is, students generally learn the same or similar
content at more or less the same time and generally the same place.
• As opposed to asynchronous learning, synchronous learning is characterized
by the theme of togetherness (as class section, by major, etc.) and all of the pros
and cons that a large group of people doing something together brings with it. It is
where all of the classroom activities such, as lectures, group discussions, and
collaborative activities, are all technically ‘synchronous’ (online).
BLENDED/FLEXIBLE
TEACHING AND
LEARNING
LESSON 2: CHALLENGES AND
ISSUES IN BLENDED/FLEXIBLE
AND ONLINE COURSES
Teaching and learning and even assessing student learning in the new normal set up are facing new
challenges and scenarios that could bring a lot of unprecedented issues due to the pandemic crisis we are
experiencing now.

The online environment is the call of the time since all the modalities in one way or another shall indulge in
online classes. This means that courses and curriculum must be designed to deliver the same or better quality
that the physical face-to-face course can provide. This could only mean that the assessments that worked
better in the traditional face-to-face classroom may need to be replaced to counteract the issues and
challenges that may occur in its implementation.

Team_Embibe.com had looked upon the challenges faced by students and teachers. It would be
beneficial to know all of these so that we could implement assessment better.
 CHALLENGES FACED BY STUDENTS IN
BLENDED/FLEXIBLE AND ONLINE LEARNING

Adaptability – Due to the sudden change to an online environment, learners may not adapt immediately.
Being accustomed to the traditional face-to-face setting, it would not be that easy to change their mindset
and accept the new learning environment with an open mind and have a clear focus on learning through
the online platforms.

Technical Issues - One of the challenges teachers and students might encounter in this new normal set
up is the well-known fact of intermittent internet connectivity in our country. No one has an immediate
idea when there will be poor connectivity that may affect how a student can attend the class regularly
and never miss any live sessions.
Computer Knowledge – although our students nowadays are known as the “millennials” and are
considered to be “digital natives,” there still many students who are not computer savvy and who still
cannot fully operate and manipulate a computer and uncover the internet.

Time Management – Due to what the internet is offering and the social media behind it is causing a lot of
distractions to the students that are giving them some difficulties in adjusting and focusing on the time
required for online learning. For those who would choose an asynchronous mode, the flexibility of time
they have might be compromise brought by procrastinating.

Self-Motivation – One of the characteristics of the millenials is that they quickly get bored and start
losing hope when they find difficulty in online learning and, significantly, in reading and answering
modules. Lack of motivation is a common challenge for many students.
Distraction– Even if in traditional classroom settings, noise distraction can also be present, but since the students know that they
are in school, the mindset is there. Being at home, with the noise within the neighborhood, the barking of the dogs, and with
parents and siblings around are a different story. You can be easily distracted even by small things at home. Other students
wanted a quiet, solitary place without any interference while answering modules. In online classes, an individual has to manage
everything with the family around having their activities.

Learning Styles – We all know that learners have different learning styles. Some cannot cope up without a teacher discussing
everything and will find it hard to cope up with self- learning through modules and also with online learning. Others who need
time, lack concentration when online, difficulty in creating projects and assignments using technology. But some can make it to
adapt so quickly to these styles. These are giving teachers many difficulties and are posing challenges, especially in assessing
learning with credibility.

Communication – There are those students who could not communicate well in front of a camera and feel shy to share and
speak with classmates and teachers. Simultaneously, others are due to lack of interest and laziness that cannot express
themselves via live chats and respond in emails, group chat, or text messages. There are others also who lack effective written
communication that found it to be challenging to construct appropriate and correct sentence structures on their modules.
Virtual Engagement - Online classes help teachers to provide reading material, assignments,
communication via email, live chats or messages, and delivering content by live sessions, presentations,
recorded videos, or lectures for the students. Despite of all these activities, some students still do not find
engaging compared to a traditional one. Students find it challenging to communicate in person who
struggles with understanding concepts. Many times these students do not even approach teachers to
clear their doubts.

Feedback – many students are not used to reading and giving time to teachers’ feedback. Every student
needs feedback for their performance during the learning process to improve their learning abilities. They
are not only observed during the tests or exams but also for each assignment and project. Research
reveals that the students hardly visit their assignments to check the suggestions and comments.
 ISSUES AND CHALLENGES IN ASSESSMENT OF
STUDENT LEARNING IN BLENDED/FLEXIBLE AND
ONLINE LEARNING

As the education system is going on online, flexible, and blended, teachers are also facing
a lot of challenges despite the so-called benefits of online and flexible learning. With all the
challenges the students might be encountering, there is a corresponding challenge that a
teacher has to face, more so in assessing student learning.

The following are some of the compounded issues and challenges teachers might be facing
in assessing student learning in the new normal education set up.
Cheating is easier to do (and harder to detect) online. Cheating can be defined as a transgression
against integrity, which entails taking an unfair advantage that results in a misrepresentation of a
student’s ability and grasp of knowledge (Kinoti, 2015).

The possibility of online impersonation

Another issue that is bringing a challenge to online classes is that of impersonation. Is the student
really who they say they are? A common problem in an online examination is verifying that the person
behind the computer or a laptop is the actual student registered or somebody answered the quiz/test on
their behalf.

Plagiarism
Plagiarism has been very rampant in traditional classrooms, and in this time of online learning
environment, there is a stronger possibility for it to become a common practice and is posing to be a
big issue and challenge for teachers. Dee and Jacob (2012) said, “Over the past decades, cases of
student plagiarism in higher education have increased substantially
LESSON 2: CHALLENGES AND
ISSUES IN BLENDED/FLEXIBLE
AND ONLINE COURSES