Blended learning boosts adult education success

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This article was published 22/05/2021 (1627 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A pandemic pilot project of blended learning at an adult education centre in Winnipeg has created what the director calls a “COVID miracle.”

Last year, 70 students graduated with high school diplomas from Seven Oaks Adult Learning Centre.

“We’re going to have 100 straight-up (2021) grads, it looks like — and that’s really unusual,” said Fran Taylor, director of the alternative education program in northwest Winnipeg. “We’re calling it a bit of a COVID miracle.”

Not only is Taylor projecting more diplomas, but she said the school has also recorded an unexpected drop in course withdrawals.

Students drop courses for a variety of reasons, including when time-intensive coursework and commuting to class gets in the way of work and family responsibilities.

However, a new option to study in-class, online or by doing a blended model has provided mature students more flexibility to achieve credits, said Taylor, adding the school plans to continue offering a range of options post-pandemic.

Rodney Hope, a member of the class of 2021, has been finishing his final math and English credits by attending in-person lessons and watching videos his teachers stream and record from the comfort of his home.

The 52-year-old left school to enter the workforce as a teenager; since then, he has worked as a carpenter, logger, and elected leader of Hollow Water First Nation. He enrolled in Seven Oaks in February to check off a longtime bucket-list item and work towards becoming a teacher.

“The thought of going back to school was overwhelming,” Hope said. “I’m comfortable at home with the Zoom meetings, and it just made it a lot easier.”

Hope’s job requires he travel often, so he said the ability to watch class from afar has made finishing Grade 12 possible.

Adult learning facilities across the province have adjusted programs to accommodate public health orders and provide flexibility to mature students.

The Winnipeg Adult Education Centre, which had already been providing blended instruction for some courses before COVID-19, sped up the rollout of a full blended roster. Synchronous and asynchronous lessons are here to stay, said principal Aaron Benarroch.

“(Adults) sometimes have their kids at home or they’re juggling part-time work. By having that online component that’s live and recorded, they’re able to stay connected with their learning and their teachers,” said Benarroch, noting students enrolled in blended learning have generally had higher success rates than those only doing e-learning.

At the same time, remote shifts have not been ideal for students with high needs, who need in-person support to boost their basic literacy and numeracy skills, he said.

“One kind of engagement simply does not fit all students,” said Donna Marion, education director at the St. Norbert Adult Education Centre.

Whether or not students will be able to return to class next month will have a ripple effect on lives and credit attainment, Marion said.

maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @macintoshmaggie