Do we need face-to-face education in theoretical subjects?

Blended learning is all about optimizing learning environments and creating the best conditions for learners in their educational processes. And because we are humans, we cannot do without face-to-face teaching.

Even though the idea blended learning existed long before the covid-19, the pandemic has forced many teachers to teach in new ways and thus reflect on effects of various teaching styles. Not least, students have experienced online teaching and many have enjoyed not being forced to commute to campus only to sit and listen to a lecturer for 8 hours. Now, as many institutions are going back to f2f teaching it’s important to design courses optimally to retain students (Weller, 2018). The question is; do we need blended learning in theoretical subjects or could we just have online modes as default when designing courses?

To answer this question, we first need to recognize the fact that we humans are biological beings and everything we do, including learning, are influenced by physiological processes (Merleau-Ponty, 1999). Learning includes cognitive, psychological, social and cultural factors that all are affected by how our bodies are used, positioned, and experienced in relation to the environment. 

Further, learning is takes time and requires endurance, patience, and grit. Student’s need a large portion of motivation in order to engage in learning activities five days a week. Such motivation is created from social relationships, accomplishments, feelings of autonomy etc. Factors created through relations to other people (Deci & Ryan, 2012).

Knowing this, we need to recognize the holistic nature of learning in order to make learning able to learn over long periods. And in relation to this, I think blended learning has great potential. Blended learning allows flexibility when designing courses and, thus, make use of the various potentials of different modes of teaching.

Online courses certainly work well for students who have access to other physical contexts such as a workplace satisfying their basic psychological needs. For full-time programs, however, without synchronous face-to-face learning activities, students will miss out on motivational aspects such as getting to know new people, laughing together on the break, taking walks around campus etc. Only placing the body physically in a learning environment (a classroom) prepares us to learn. The commute on the way to university gives us time to mentally adjust to learning.

These activities are not banal side activities. They form the foundation of continuous learning. This said, we certainly don’t need to face-to-face education every day. Our bodies are fine spending some days at home sitting in front of the screen as well. But no matter how beautiful learning platforms or innovative applications are developed, the body will always be located in a physical space. And that is an essential part of the conditions for learning.

References

Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2012). Motivation, personality, and development

within embedded social contexts: An overview of self-determination

theory. I R. M. Ryan (Ed.), The Oxford handbook of human motivation

(pp. 85–107). Oxford University Press.

Merleau-Ponty, M. (2013). Phenomenology of Perception. Routledge

Weller, M., van Ameijde, J., och Cross, S. (2018). Learning Design for Student

Retention. Journal of Perspectives in Applied Academic Practice,

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