Vanessa - 3.3 Hybrid learning

February 12th, 2025

Dear Diary,

The second letter made me feel even more uncertain, but part of me wonders if the stories in these envelopes are true. I am questioning the future of teaching and what it may look like for me. I hoped I would not have seen another letter, but then, right when I was not expecting it, he appeared. I was driving home from the school day when I saw a shadow from the corner of my eyes, they are sitting in my passenger seat. It startles me and I pull over, I try to speak to the figure, but no response, I try to ask what they are trying to tell me, and why they keep coming to me! With no answer, the arm reaches out and hands me another envelope. I begin to cry as I am unsure what these mean or what I am supposed to do with these various letters. Who is this figure?! Is it up to me to change the predictions of the future of teaching?! What is my role in this?!

I feel overwhelmed, but I slide my finger under the seal of the envelope with the letter H and begin reading.

Wish me luck!

Gemma

Letter H:

Gemma,

I know it may be difficult to conceptualize the messages I bring to you. You must have so many questions, but I bring this information to you as a warning to allow you to pass this message on to your fellow colleagues and try to prevent such significant challenges. I come to you yet again to deliver a message about the concept of hybrid learning. As I previously shared, education is no longer held within the walls of a school. The concept of a classroom is something we earn for as they are far from what they used to be.

Classrooms in 2024 were fun, inclusive, and collaborative environments for students and teachers to share experiences, ideas, knowledge and learn from one another. In 2040, teachers sit in empty classrooms as they open their computer screens to view the variety of boxes with various names displayed across the screen. Participation and collaboration is minute, exchange of knowledge and ideas is few and far between. Students have become robotic characters, with lack of creativity of their own. Cameras are turned off, volumes are lowered and answers are no longer original. Soft skills that students were once able to develop in classroom settings have faded. These skills were once an essential part of developing. From the wise words of (Harris, K., Rogers, G., 2008) “Soft skills have been defined by various authors as personal characteristics such as: work ethics, positive attitude, social grace, facility with language, friendliness, integrity, and the willingness to learn” (Bancino & Zevalkink, 2007; Coll & Zegwaard, 2006: Hmelo-Silver, 2007; Lewis, 2007; Lorenz, 2005; Lucci, 2005).

This model of learning was not always the ‘norm’. It began merely as a way of convenience. If the weather was poor, or if students were sick, they would be able to tune into the classroom from the comfort of their homes, through their computer screens. Slowly, this way of convenience became more popular and led to entirely virtual learning. You must be thinking, so what then has happened to the essential ‘soft skills’ that the classroom supports with students developing? They are lost. Students have no means to interact with one another and barely with the teacher any longer. The willingness to learn has decreased significantly as the forms of evaluations are inconsistent, social interaction is few and therefore building and recognizing personal characteristics has become a challenge for these young minds. Students have become accustomed to the controlled algorithms and digital softwares that determine their responses.

It is all so disappointing, the future students in 2040 appear to take the form of robots, hands-on learning, problem solving, adaptability and interaction no longer exists in the ways they once did. Students are clicking buttons and following digitized instructions rather than utilising human connection and personal experiences to guide their knowledge and understanding. So long as this virtual form of learning persists, what form of teaching teachers will assume? Will teachers also become robots who are forced to connect with students via algorithmic platforms and loose classroom settings or schools all together? It appears that we seem to be moving along this track, hence the reason I am bringing these warnings to you! We need to stop the persisting notions of technology & digital interfaces before they completely take over and human characters become obsolete!

Over and Out.

Messenger #346