What is Flexible and Blended Learning?
Flexible learning and blended learning are modern approaches to education that give learners more choice, control, and accessibility in how they learn.
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🌀 1. Flexible Learning
✅ Definition:
> Flexible learning is an approach to education that adapts to the needs of learners, giving them more control over when, where, how, and at what pace they learn.
🧩 Key Features:
Learn anytime and anywhere (e.g., online platforms).
Choose different formats (videos, reading, podcasts, activities).
Set your own learning pace.
Fit learning around work, family, or other responsibilities.
Can be online, in-person, or hybrid.
📌 Example:
A working parent takes an online course in the evenings, watching recorded lectures at their convenience and submitting assignments by weekly deadlines.
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🔄 2. Blended Learning
✅ Definition:
> Blended learning combines face-to-face (in-person) teaching with online learning activities and resources.
It aims to offer the best of both worlds — the interaction of a classroom with the flexibility of online tools.
🧩 Key Features:
Classroom learning + online learning
Students might attend in-person sessions and also complete assignments or watch lectures online.
Encourages both independent and collaborative learning.
A university course meets once a week on campus, but students also complete online quizzes, watch video lectures, and join discussions on a learning platform like Moodle or Google Classroom.
🆚 Flexible vs. Blended Learning – What’s the Difference?
Feature Flexible Learning Blended Learning
Delivery Mode Can be fully online, in-person, or hybrid Mix of online + in-person
Learner Control High — learner sets pace, schedule, format Moderate — fixed schedule for in-person
Focus Customization and access Integrating technology into teaching
Example Self-paced online diploma course Classroom + online homework
- Teacher: Admin User