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We find ourselves becoming more and more adjusted to a growing fast-paced life, one in which we are connected more to technology than anything else.
Our minds are racing but constantly trying to keep up with our daily duties, routines, and the professional demands of our organizational behaviours. Nonetheless, we want to continue to learn, to adapt and to grow. As adults, we are mature learners, with unique learning traits and needs. Adult learning being more goal-oriented or purpose driven, relies on a readiness to learn. Furthermore, adult learning retention spans differently than those of younger learners. A successful adult learning experience can stem from a collaborative and cooperative learning environment where synergy is created and the teacher acts as a facilitator or mediator.
The role of the learner is to bring into the learning environment what has already formed their makeup, their repertoire(s), and their already acquired knowledge. Pairing that with the readiness to learn new material, acquire new skills, and reach new heights while navigating through the responsibilities that already come with the life stage called adulthood, can appear to be an arduous task. An emerging approach in the world of education and training today, as well as a response to the above described scenario, is Blended Learning, a teaching and learning methodology which responds to the needs of adult learners.
What is Blended Learning?
Blended Learning is a form of hybrid learning, a pedagogical approach which involves learning and engagement on the part of the learner and the instructor. According to the Sloan Consortium, Blended Learning is to “integrate online with traditional face-to-face class activities in a planned, pedagogically valuable manner”.
Blended Learning is an approach that is centered around the learning experience of the learner and is beneficial to the learner’s adaptation and flexibility. As there is a growing demand and push towards implementing more and more use of technology in the workplace and in daily life, Blended Learning also brings forth the following benefits for adult learners:
Learning available to suit your busy schedules
Learning that follows you where you go
Adaptability, Flexibility, Accessibility
Collaboration, Communication, Connection
Agility and Responsiveness
Encourages Self-Governance and Self-Management
Cuts costs (travel time, resources)
How does Blended Learning help with French as a Second Language acquisition?
A Blended Learning model caters to a more agile and inclusive second language learning environment, one that leaves room for the building of linguistic competencies, modernization of second language and pragmatic skill development, more autonomous learning and ability to use the target language, and leads to a sustainable organizational development that fosters independent and collective learning.
With the ability to interact with a teacher online and offline, the learner is motivated and positioned to enhance their learning goals by going above and beyond the traditional classroom methods of language instruction. Increasing the ability to put language competency into use, learners are given the tools they need to communicate, collaborate, and reflect on their learning while provided the chance to participate in more authentic situations of language acquisition.
Such a model presents opportunities for the learner to practice their second language skills in all four areas: Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking. Furthermore, it allows for efficient assessment and evaluation of these skills, on the part of the instructor, which leads to authentic and ongoing feedback for the learner and their learning trajectory.
Along with catering to the diversified needs of adult learners, Blended Learning fosters learner motivation through the process of a personalized learning model as well as a sustainable one in 2020.
