To improve learning outcomes, a 21st Century skilled teacher, who works with the Lagos State Ministry of Education, Marta Jesulake, has called on public and private schools in the country to adopt blended learning as an alternative learning method for students.
Blended learning, also known as hybrid learning, is an approach to education that combines online educational materials and opportunities for interaction online with traditional place-based classroom methods.
This position was expressed during the June edition of EdTech Mondays, an initiative of the Mastercard Foundation in partnership with Co-Creation Hub.
Speaking at a roundtable session themed: “Strategies required to accelerate blended learning in Nigeria,” Jesulake noted that the need to make learning exciting and interactive with students informed the decision to explore and adopt a blended learning methodology.
While acknowledging some of the challenges faced in deploying blended learning, she explained that the creative ingenuity brought to bear had helped a great deal in improving learning outcomes among the students.
She stated that with blended learning, barriers such as high cost of expansion and infrastructure maintenance, among others, would become shattered, thus enabling students to learn quickly and conveniently.
“With blended learning, we are creating spaces for teachers to dedicate more time to their learners. Besides, it also reduces barrier to access education, as students can continue learning virtually during emergencies.
She however identified access to technological devices and Internet connectivity as some of the challenges that may hinder blended learning.
While admitting that blended learning is growing in Nigeria, Jesulake said the COVID-19 pandemic altered the mode of teaching and learning considerably, as schools became more receptive to the alternative learning approach.
She appealed to government to support teachers by offering them training opportunities to make them globally competitive.
“Well, you know, with the COVID-19 pandemic, we began to see that it’s possible to learn outside the four walls of the classroom. So, I want to believe that our teachers can be supported with requisite training if we are ready to embrace this new shift. For example, the Lagos State government is doing a good job training teachers. However, I think a lot still needs to be done,” she said.
