Traditional vs. Blended Learning and Emergency Remote Learning, the Ontario Context

I checked out the Remote Teaching resource, & I like how it keeps things really practical, like tips for setting up Google Classroom or building community online. It reminded me that during the pandemic a lot of what we were doing wasn’t polished online learning, it was more like emergency remote teaching, which researchers say is a temporary, crisis-driven approach rather than the carefully designed online programs that usually take months to plan.

From my own teaching & chatting with colleagues, I think composite learning solutions (mixing onsite, online, and blended models) can be great because they give us flexibility and open doors for students who need different types of access. For example, blended learning lets students control things like pace & timing while still keeping the face-to-face relationships that matter most. The drawback is that not all schools or families have the same access to tech, internet, or even quiet spaces, so equity can become a big issue.

Personally, I’ve found that blended approaches work best when the focus stays on learning goals, not just the tech. One of my colleagues always says: “Don’t add tools just to add tools, make sure they serve the pedagogy,” & I think that sums it up well.

Yours in education,

Mike

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