The covid-19 pandemic has brought about significant changes in the wave education is being presented to the students. today the students do not have to go to a physical classroom to attend classes due to the severe restrictions imposed by the government to keep them safe from the covid-19 virus. It is through the online teaching process that the students are provided with the necessary teaching guidance and are able to stay connected with the teachers.  However, in the last few months there have been several reports claiming that schools and colleges want the students back in the classrooms. The reason being that we feel that online learning alone cannot provide them with sufficient exposure to the real learning process. Even though their light has some merit to the statement yet considering the current situation with the variant of the  virus running rampant around the world, there lies a lot of risks to expose the children to the same. Moreover, it is also important to know that the children have become accustomed to the process of online learning and had several benefits from its usage. One of those benefits is the use of modern learning techniques which has provided them with better ideas about the subjects being taught. This has increased the interest in the subjects making them ask questions and ponder over several theories being taught in the classrooms. Moreover the students have been provided with a flexible time schedule which enables them to find time for self study and also ensure that they are properly rested making it easier for them to retain maximum information. All of these factors have questioned whether bringing the students back to school immediately is a safe choice or not. It is in this context that the concept of hybrid learning comes into play.

What is hybrid learning?

Hybrid learning can be defined as a process where the teachers teach the students in two different methods at a single time. In hybrid learning, A certain section of the class are allowed to come back to their physical classroom and attend classes while the other section are to remain in their homes and attend online classes as usual. Using this procedure it becomes easier for the Teachers to manage a large classroom and also ensure that the government protocols regarding social distancing are adequately maintained.  The teachers are able to teach online as well as teach in the classroom simultaneously and ensure that all classes are present at a single time. The use of the system has many merits, as it will help the students have a taste of physical class again while also providing them with the benefits of online classes. Moreover, when it comes to the use of modern technological tools the students will also be provided with the chance to use these techniques when undergoing online classes. Hybrid learning has been used by several Institutions across the globe and has proven to be successful. Moreover, it has helped the teachers better concentrate on the students and assess their improvement in the past two years.

Will hybrid learning work in the Indian context?

However, it is also important to note that the procedure of hybrid learning may not be successful across all countries. Considering the context of India it is important to know that the country boasts of a large population, and with the variant of covid-19 still being very much active, starting this process may lead to serious complications. In such an event it is important that the educational institutions across the country maintain the use of online mediums to conduct the classes regularly. Moreover, with the wave of digitalisation procedures being rampant in the country, the current use of this online learning process has brought about significant changes to the students and helped them improve their technological knowledge along with providing them with adequate information about the world. Therefore, it can be stated that in the current context, it is better for the Indian educational institutions to continue using the online medium to teach their children and conduct classes regularly. in this way they will be able to keep the children safe and also well the benefits of online teaching.