The second article in our Blended Learning Myth-busting series is by Graham Skerritt. Graham currently teaches with blended learning at two universities in Japan and has worked with blended learning materials for several years. So he knows a thing or two when it comes to understanding the role of the teacher in the blended model!
Today’s myth: The teacher’s role is less central in the blended learning model
Is technology taking over the classroom? Are teachers becoming less important? Will teachers eventually be replaced by computers? Many teachers worry about how blended learning will affect their role in the classroom.
Blended learning does not mean a silent classroom full of students working independently on individual computers, while the teacher just watches and deals with technical problems. It means a combination of online work and classroom work. It means recognising that there are different benefits of studying online and studying in a classroom. In the words of Sharma and Barrett, it’s about taking advantage of the best of both worlds.
The role of the teacher
Although technology is a key part of blended learning, the teacher still has the central role in running the course and teaching the students. As Gordon Lewis, Vice President, Laureate Languages, observes – technology is nothing without a teacher and a plan. Just like in a traditional classroom-based course, the teacher is the one organising the course. They’re facilitating the activities, motivating and monitoring the students and assessing their work. The difference is that teachers can use technology as a tool to help them do these things. For example:
- The technology provides access to the online materials, while the teacher chooses which activities to do.
- The technology marks closed practice activities, while the teacher facilitates open activities and gives feedback on students’ language use.
- The technology records students’ progress and scores, while the teacher recognises their effort and encourages them to keep studying.
In other words, the technology is good at certain concrete tasks. These include providing a series of activities in sequence; checking student responses against an answer key; and calculating and displaying scores. However, only the teacher can get to know their students and tailor the class to suit their needs.
Working with technology
So, teaching with blended learning does not mean a less central role for teacher but it does mean learning to use the new tools to run the course. For example, teachers need to be able to assign online work, plan classroom work based on students’ progress online, and encourage students to engage with activities online. Learning these skills will give teachers more confidence with blended learning and a greater understanding of their role as a blended learning teacher.
In conclusion, teachers are key to the success of any course, so they should not fear that they will be sidelined or replaced by technology. As novelist Arthur C. Clarke wrote, “Any teacher that can be replaced by a machine should be.” In a blended learning course, technology is a tool to support the teacher, and it is the teacher that is right at the heart of the success of the course.
If you are thinking of implementing blended learning with your students, make sure to watch Graham’s talk at the IATEFL conference: Homework that works: getting the most from online practice activities.