Hybrid Schools of the Future?
Space – one of the most impossible challenges in life, whether it would be the number of seats on a plane, the number of places in a school or even with the first manned space flight with cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin in 1961.
On 2 July 2020, Secretary of State for Education Gavin Williamson announced that schools will have the “reintroduction of mandatory attendance” in September. Despite concerns from the National Education Union, it has been announced that students will be kept in separate ‘bubbles’.
Recent school reopenings and the months that have passed during lockdown have invited many to consider taking a ‘hybrid’ approach to education worldwide.
And what is this ‘hybrid’ approach and what are the benefits?
Revisiting the concept of space, taking such an approach could solve capacity problems in schools, allowing more people to virtually attend – as a result, schools can extend their communities, increasing their influence. Additionally, students from lower income countries would be able to attend, such as those from Mali, where, according to Our World in Data, only 11.5% of the population aged twenty-five and above completed lower secondary education in 2015. If we continue to use Mali as an example, we would be faced with an initial language barrier but thanks to the ongoing globalisation of schools, working together seems like a much less distant possibility.
When did distance learning begin?
Historically, the exact time is unknown, though the Florida National University has previously estimated as early as the 1700s. Considering the much different landscape, with the first telegraph message in 1844, distance learning took place in the form of mails.
Remote learning was, and still is commonly used to physical presence when the barrier of learner to master becomes impossible, as highlighted by the first major distance learning program in 1892, by the University of Chicago.
“Correspondence study, which was designed to provide educational opportunities for those who were not among the elite and who could not afford full-time residence at an educational institution, was looked down on as inferior education.”
Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT)
This invites us to answer the question: though remote learning has often been regarded as a substitute form of learning, has this approach changed over time?
In 1894, Wolsey Hall Oxford, a registered school of Cambridge Assessment International Education and remote learning provider, was founded with the learning process proved remarkably successful.
“We’re proud to say that one of our students was Nelson Mandela, who studied for his London University law degree with Wolsey Hall, whilst in Robben Island jail – an inspiration to home learners everywhere!”
Wolsey Hall Oxford
Some students find remote learning more beneficial to them, perhaps either due to being in the comfort of their own homes, or the impossibility to learn with physical presence, like the case of Mandela in prison. With such success, should the majority of people still prefer physical learning?
Sanctuary schools – Physical learning does serve as a sanctuary to those who are in an uncomfortable home environment and households with childcare issues, but for those where remote learning is a capability, can those student opt for remote learning as a permanent solution, post COVID?
Commitment – Remote learning may not be successful if students are not committed, but mindsets can be simple to change. Carol Dweck, Professor of Psychology at Stanford University, has researched the successful shift anyone can do from a ‘fixed mindset’ to a ‘growth mindset’, where students want to improve and learn rather than proving how intelligent they are.
This motivation for learning, as a result of the ‘growth mindset’, will be the best tool for any form of learning, especially for remote learning as students can work at their own pace rather than the collective pace of the class, and focus on their own weaknesses.
Flexibility – Remote learning also offers flexibility in time where students can also manage their own schedules, whether it would be sporting activities or extra-curricular ventures – with the central key skill required for higher education, independence. With the correct mindset, students can seize this opportunity and excel.
Will hybrid learning cause the end of social skills and increased inequality?
This is seemingly the biggest challenge of purely relying on remote learning. To see the social effects, a comparison can be made with home-schooling, which according to Family Education is surprisingly positive.
Home-schooling generally has a positive impact on social skills. Home-schooled kids are not subjected to the peer pressure, violence, drugs, and other negative influences found in today’s schools.”
Family Education
Not a guarantee – This should be taken with a pinch of salt, since family income, education and other factors can affect the child’s development if those are the only people they see. Remote learning can be positive for those who have the right home environment and mindset, but also much more negative for those who are disadvantaged. As a result, it is vital for the government to play a key part by providing everyone with the right facilities as a long-term solution – the government is currently distributing laptops and providing 4G routers to disadvantaged secondary school pupils.
Remote learning has clearly grown since its first recorded use in the 1700s. However, schools should always be an option – it provides advantages including meeting friends, coping with stress, preparing for employment, despite more jobs becoming available remotely. Schools also provide facilities, such as for science experiments, sports science, design and technology, and music.
A different way of learning has been highlighted – COVID-19 has exposed a different way of learning, the growing digital world, as well as the severe inequality and lack of support for the most vulnerable. For everyone to benefit from remote learning, it should be tailored to each person’s needs and have additional support for students, if needed.
Lately, the Black Lives Matter protests have highlighted a form of inequality stemming through education systems across the world. Therefore, remote learning, if scaffolded positively, can help everyone regardless of race, akin to the example of those in Mali.
Environment – One of the largest benefits of remote learning is seemingly, on the environment. Hybrid schools allow less paper to be used and the greater absence of transport, especially for those who need to commute from afar. However, more electricity will be used at home from increased computer usage, leading to more demand from powerplants. This further increases emissions of sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter from coal-fired stations, and gas-fired stations contribute with nitrogen oxides emissions.
Fortunately, UK’s renewable energy broke the all-time quarterly record of making 47% of UK’s electricity in the first three months of 2020.
This continuing trend towards greener energy is emphasised with the plan to close all coal-fired power stations by 2025. As a result, despite the greater use of screen time, the environmental impact should be minimal.
Conclusion: “Should be a mixture…”
With more tailored learning, those of disadvantaged backgrounds can be supported, with their individual learning carefully scaffolded through this ‘hybrid’ approach. I believe the future of schools should be a mixture of physical and virtual attendance, and since capacity can be a limiting factor, this has the opportunity to solve many existing problems and open more opportunities for students and schools alike.
Second image © by Johnson Martin from Pixabay