What Is Blended Learning? Definition, Models and Benefits

Blended learning is a teaching method that combines in-person instruction with web-enhanced learning. In other words, technology is integrated directly into the teaching method and curriculum.

Educators generally look for improvements for engaging and teaching students. While some pedagogical theories and models have persisted for many years, others have been introduced more recently. Blended learning’s meaning, in particular, has become even more important in recent years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.¹

When the world went into lockdown in 2020, schools had to quickly adapt to teaching students online instead of in person. Although schools have, by and large, transitioned back to in-person classes, the lessons learned from online learning are still relevant today, and some schools have embraced the blended learning approach with the idea that it provides the best of both worlds.¹

In This Article:

• What Is a Blended Learning Approach?
• Blended Learning Models
• Benefits and Drawbacks of Blended Learning
• How To Implement Blended Learning
• Enroll in a Teaching Program at GCU

What Is a Blended Learning Approach?

A blended learning approach is adaptable to materials, student needs, location, technology access and many other features. Three features make a teaching model blended: some student control, some in-person instruction and content integration across both modalities. Without some combination of these three aspects, a model cannot be considered blended learning.

Blended learning grew out of online learning. Therefore, blended learning relies on technology while also including personalized learning. Technology can help instructors adapt coursework to meet student needs. These features of blended learning and many more make it an exciting new model in today's classroom.

1. Technology That Allows Some Student Control

In all blended learning models, students complete some of their learning online. Students work through web-based content and instruction, using other technological tools as needed.

Blended learning technology may give students some control over their learning in terms of time, place, order and pace (within reason). This shift in control from teacher-driven to partially student-centered is a hallmark of blended learning.

2. In-Person Time With a Teacher or Instructor

Blended learning doesn’t solely encompass at-home learning via an online educational portal. Students in blended learning models also meet, at least part of the time, in person with a teacher. In many cases, local school buildings are the locations of these in-person meetings, with students attending schools onsite while completing other work at home. Some schools designed around a blended model may also meet in computer labs or public workspaces, and students completing in-person learning components may spend part of that time online in the classroom.

3. Content Integration Across Both Modalities

For optimal results, the content students learn in each modality (in person and online) is complementary and integrated. Blended learning does not mean that students read about a topic online and then sit through a lecture at school on the same topic. Rather, the reading, learning activities and assessments completed using technology should be supported by in-person work, perhaps through discussion, small group work or labs.

Blended Learning Models

The three features of blended learning can work together in multiple ways to allow students to make progress with their learning. The multiple models of blended learning are sometimes used in the classroom at different times, with some models being more useful than others for certain grades and subjects. Here's a further look at eight different models:

1. Station Rotation

The station rotation model has students rotating through stations following a specific schedule. At least one of the stations includes online learning. This model is closest to what traditional classrooms call “centers” but must include that online component.

A station rotation may also include teacher-led small group stations and in-person activities or reading that are not online. Typically, all stations occur within the same classroom.

Due to teachers’ and students’ familiarity with this structure, station rotation is one of the most used blended models in elementary and middle school. Teachers using stations report that it gives them a sense of control and order over the blended learning environment.²

2. Lab Rotation

A lab rotation model is similar to station rotation, but it happens in a computer lab. In this model, students move to a computer lab to complete their online learning. While the online learning station is set in the computer lab, possibly under the direction of a paraprofessional, direct instruction likely occurs in the classroom with a teacher. This allows schools to maximize teachers’ time and allocate resources in the best ways possible.

3. Individual Rotation

Students working in an individual rotation blended model have a flexible schedule. They work from a playlist of assigned stations or activities. Their schedule is not fixed, so they can decide when they are ready to move on to the next activity.

These playlists might be set by a teacher or by a software algorithm. In both cases, the idea is to use data to determine where students need extra help or enrichment and schedule them into activities that meet their needs.

Teachers who adopt this model may appreciate that it optimizes their instructional time for interventions and small groups. This ensures that students receive what they need while teachers can spend their time helping students because they know that each student has a personalized set of activities to complete.

4. Whole Group Rotation

The whole group rotation model takes a simpler approach. It has the entire class moving between stations or activities as a unit. The teacher establishes the schedule, determining how long students should spend on each activity.

In some cases, the entire class may need to physically move from the classroom to another learning space, such as the computer lab. In schools in which every student has access to a device, this may not be necessary.

5. Flipped Classroom

This blended learning model flips the work done inside and outside of the classroom. In the traditional classroom, homework is usually time for students to practice and apply what they have learned in class.

In a flipped model, however, this application and project work is completed in class while students watch videos of lectures or read course materials independently on their own time. This allows teachers to spend their time in the classroom actively supporting individual students and small groups as they practice new skills rather than lecturing.

6. Flex

The flex model allows students to develop their own schedules and learning activities based on their needs. The online learning component is central to the flex model, while teachers provide support and small group instruction as needed.

A flex model might include the following:

• Rooms for small group work
• Science lab space
• A computer lab
• Intervention groups
• Breakout rooms

This model is most often used in high schools because it prepares students for university environments.² The flex model keeps the focus on close student–teacher relationships without imposing the top-down authority of the traditional school.

7. A La Carte

Students who seek a learning option that is not provided by the school can benefit from the a la carte blended model. In the a la carte model, students can complete an online course in the subject they wish to study while also taking in-person classes at school.

This model gives students flexibility over their learning content and allows them to complete courses such as electives or Advanced Placement courses their schools might not otherwise offer. This model is most common in high schools where students accumulate credit for coursework.

8. Enriched Virtual

In the enriched virtual blended model, students complete most of their coursework online and go to school in person for just one subject or course. For example, some high school students may be able to take all their academic courses online but attend school in person twice a week to earn their physical education credits. The enriched virtual model may not require daily attendance for online work but does require minimal in-person attendance.

Benefits and Drawbacks of Blended Learning

Practitioners have found benefits in just about every educational model, which explains why these models have persisted over time. Although it’s a fairly recent innovation, blended learning has a lot to offer.

Benefits for learners include the following:

• More control over how, what and when they learn
• Integration between concepts, which facilitates more comprehensive understanding
• Flexible models that include a mix of independent work and social interaction
• Increased time to apply learning and practice new skills
• Just-in-time learning and differentiated content to meet students’ immediate needs

Benefits for education providers include the following:

• Reduced costs for paper materials, copies and other supplies
• More efficient use of resources by allowing teachers and paraprofessionals to supervise different groups
• Varied methodologies, which can increase engagement and reduce behavioral or classroom management issues
• Technology that keeps track of progress and develops learning paths, which means less administrative work for teachers
• Safer and smaller groups of students learning in person at one time

There may be some drawbacks to blended learning that teachers and school administrators should be aware of. For example, teachers may need additional training to implement technology, and some students may have problems with internet access at home.

However, these are challenges that can be overcome. Before starting to implement blended learning, schools may need to poll their teachers and students’ families to assess the extent to which training and resources would be needed. From there, school-specific solutions can be developed.

How To Implement Blended Learning

The blended learning approach often requires a schoolwide commitment to change. The school must invest in technology, software, teacher training, paraprofessionals and other aspects of the new model.

Some newer schools develop as blended learning sites from the beginning, so these features are built into their operations. Existing public schools, however, may have a more difficult time making the shift.

Teachers who work in schools where blended learning is not a schoolwide initiative can still implement some blended models. Here are some steps they can take to get started:

1. Assess Technology

Technology is a required component of blended learning. If a teacher has a few desktop computers in the classroom, they may be able to run station rotations or a flipped model, but they would not be able to implement lab rotations or the flex model.

A teacher in a 1:1 technology environment has many more options for blended learning models. Additionally, teachers must consider the type of software they plan to adopt in their chosen blended learning model. This software should include teaching and practice and allow students some choice.

2. Start Small

Teachers interested in creating a blended learning environment can ease into the new model by adding a technology component to the centers or stations they already use. For example, an elementary school teacher could try a flipped lesson model by filming a lesson on equivalent fractions for students to watch for homework. Students would then participate in relevant activities and practice opportunities during math class the next day.

Meanwhile, a middle school or high school teacher could assign a reading on a historical topic for homework and then have students engage in a Socratic seminar-style discussion on the topic during the following class period.

3. Incorporate Choice

Like technology, choice is a key component in blended learning approaches. Teachers who build choice into their curricula may find it easier to adopt a full blended learning model later.

To begin, teachers can consider ways to offer students choices in how, what or where they learn, and in how they demonstrate their learning.

For example, students might choose from the following learning options:

• Listening to a small group lecture
• Watching a video
• Reading a text
• Practicing with an online program
• Working on a team project

Later, the assessment might be a project of choice or a test with a choice of which items to complete.

4. Communicate With Families

Teachers should proactively explain the new model and methods they are incorporating in and out of the classroom. Families may be confused by the choice and the amount of technology their students are using. By sharing the benefits of blended learning early and often, however, teachers can educate families on new learning methods.

5. Recruit Other Teachers

Teaching can be an isolating job, especially when an instructor tries a new program or model that is not a schoolwide initiative. However, teachers who want to implement a blended learning approach can team up with other teachers who are interested.

Such collaboration can help cut down the workload. For example, teachers can share the workload by dividing the work of creating videos for flipped learning or by researching software programs to use during stations and then sharing the findings.

6. Document Results

Teaching is a data-driven profession. Teachers who implement blended learning modes should regularly collect data on student progress to prove the efficacy of their approaches. They can then present this data to their administrators with the goal of obtaining additional tools, resources and support.

Enroll in a Teaching Program at GCU

If blended learning piques your interest, consider expanding your online teaching skills with the Graduate-Level Distance Learning Certificate from Grand Canyon University. In this program, you examine impactful remote educational sessions that can be used in blended learning models. 

Not a teacher yet? Apply online at GCU to enroll in an undergraduate teaching degree that leads to initial teacher licensure. GCU also offers a wide range of master’s degree options, both for existing teachers and for those interested in transitioning to the profession.