Embracing blended learning: Lessons from Pan Africa Christian University

The traditional classroom, as we know it, is slowly going through a tremendous metamorphosis giving way to a new efficient system of blended learning. This is the integration of online and in-person (face-to-face) modes of learning.

Over the years, in-person learning has greatly dominated the education sector, with online learning being relegated to the periphery. Online learning has been wrongly perceived by some people as inferior compared to in-person learning. To them, it plays second fiddle, and they hold the view that the quality of online classes is low, but nothing can be further from the truth.

Most leading universities in Europe and America embraced online learning several years ago for what it is worth. Closer home, for example, a close analysis of courses offered fully online at PAC University such as Bachelor of Arts in Transformational Church Leadership, Master of Arts in Leadership, and PhD in Organizational Leadership Development reveals that graduates of these courses have become reputable and influential industry leaders in both public and private sectors.

The quality of online learning is equally good (if not better) when well executed. To demonstrate this further, take a look at what happened when the Covid-19 pandemic struck the world. University students in Kenya were faced with an unfamiliar choice of either joining online classes or halting their studies all-together until the situation normalizes.  Just like their peers, PAC University’s students had to make this choice too. Those who chose the former went on to finish their studies and even graduated on 23rd October 2020 when the University held its virtual graduation ceremony.

Online learning has democratized education in the sense that students can have access to university education regardless of their geographical locations. In a way, the whole world becomes the catchment for potential students. According to Prof. Kiambi, DVC-Academic Affairs at PAC University, the University has a significant number of international students drawn from countries such as Rwanda, USA, South Sudan, Uganda, Nigeria, Tanzania, and many more, thanks to a versatile Learning Management System that has made online learning at PAC University cheaper, more flexible, and super convenient for students. “The rigours of online learning truly sharpen our students’ capability for the independent pursuit of knowledge and understanding”, avers Prof Kiambi.

Having said that, it is also important to note that the place of in-person learning, popularly known as face-to-face learning, still holds a significant place within the realms of the higher education sector. For practical purposes, it is utterly impossible to completely do away with this mode of learning. While there has been tremendous growth in technology over the last few years, not everyone has full access to the infrastructure needed to optimally enjoy the benefits of online learning. Among those who lack such access are individuals who are genuinely hungry for university education, and therefore in-person learning comes in handy for them. Furthermore, there are courses that require the use of physical facilities such as communication studios and laboratories as part of the formative and summative assessments.

The big question is, which one among the two is better than the other?

According to Prof Kiambi, the two modes of learning have unique features and great advantages that play more of a complementary role than a competing one. He says that the mode of learning to be preferred largely depends on the nature and content of the course syllabus. However, the blended model provides better opportunities for creating a, ‘learning community-of-practice’, as students also gather together in a physical class. Some scholars have come to refer to blended learning as the “new traditional model”. Simply put, it is the “new normal” in the higher education sector.

Prof Kiambi says PAC University appreciates the importance of blended learning in holistically shaping the student of today’s and future world. The University has uniquely designed its online and in-person teaching modes to ensure that students benefit maximally from both. “Through in-person learning, students learn invaluable social skills that help them to relate better with others in the community and at the workplace.

Through online learning, students can acquire high-quality education from anywhere in the world and also acquire the all-important technological skills and knowledge that help them to better engage the dynamic world of technology which is inevitably part of our everyday lives”, he opines.

Having led the institution through the process of integrating online and in-person learning by use of contemporary technologies, Prof. Margaret Muthwii, the Vice-Chancellor of PAC University, says that the use of blended learning by universities gives an invaluable skill-set to students that help them to come up with creative solutions for the unique challenges facing the world today.

“Some challenges will require that we use traditional approaches to sort them out, while others will demand the use of new technologies. A student must be equipped both ways. Blended learning, therefore, opens up a student’s mind to both worlds, and they become more valuable in the market place”, avers Prof. Muthwii.

Indeed, according to Rebecca Stromeyer who is the co-founder and CEO of eLearning Africa, “technology-supported learning and training is not just an opportunity, it’s a necessity. The Covid-19 pandemic has taught us that the whole world now needs to embrace blended learning in one form or another. We can no longer rely exclusively on the classroom. Technology and blended learning have to be a part of every learner’s experience as a matter of priority”.

Going by these remarks, it is clear that universities need to invest in blended learning. For those without adequate capacities for well-structured online teaching (which lacks in many universities), it’s time to borrow a leaf from their peers who are already there, and PAC University would be a good benchmark.

The Covid-19 pandemic is still here with us, and it is hard to predict how things will play out in the education sector in the coming year. However, it is encouraging to know that some universities are well prepared for any scenario that plays out.

“We pray that God brings an end to this devastating pandemic, but regardless of how the situation will be in 2021, PAC University is well prepared for online and blended learning during January 2021 intake”, says Prof. Muthwii.