Universities could focus on blended learning post-pandemic, says report

HOSTING seminars and lectures exclusively on university campuses could become a thing of the past, a report suggests.

The majority of universities across the UK have been offering a blended approach of face-to-face and online classes amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Blended learning is now the preferred model of study for many students and lecturers, rather than solely in-person lessons, according to research by a coalition of higher education organisations.

Universities should embrace blended learning in their curriculums in the long term, the sector-led report suggests.

The paper, from education technology not-for-profit organisation Jisc, Universities UK (UUK), Advance HE and Emerge Education, also calls on universities to expand the digital skills and confidence of students and staff.

It comes as the Department for Education (DFE) issued guidance saying that face-to-face teaching should continue at universities in England during the second lockdown.

Paul Feldman, chief executive of Jisc, said: “The world has changed and we’re seeing sector-wide agreement that we need to not just make the best of the situation but build on it.

“Students, lecturers and leaders are all saying that they wouldn’t want to return to purely in-person teaching, they see what’s happening now as the path to something bigger and better.”

The report engaged more than 1,000 university leaders, staff and students through webinars, roundtables, focus groups, surveys and interviews.

Chris Hale, director of policy at UUK, said: “Many university leaders are facing similar challenges, so it has been hugely beneficial to come together to think about them collectively.

“Those conversations are invaluable in determining how we, as a sector, chart our way forward.”