Blended pedagogy for more efficient learning in Afghanistan

"I didn't know what blended pedagogy meant when I first joined the training. It sounded interesting and I was excited to learn about it." Ms. Anwari, a teacher based in Kabul, said. Her understanding of the topic increased significantly after actively participating in the workshop held by UNESCO in November 2023.

Blended pedagogy, also known as blended teaching, is an educational approach that combines face-to-face instruction with digital learning components. By integrating technology, active learning strategies, and personalized instruction, blended teaching improves the learning experience and fosters a flexible learning environment.

"I'm most impressed by how blended pedagogy improves teaching and learning efficiency. In the training, we had an exercise to create a lesson plan that involves both in-person and online interactions. We learnt how to adjust the plan according to the class content to make it more engaging." Ms. Anwari shared.

After the training, she planned a lesson on a poem called Nee Nameh by Rumi. Applying what she learnt, Ms. Anwari made use of WhatsApp to share videos and audios about the poem, so that her students could familiarize themselves with the teaching materials before class. The in-person class would then focus on the analysis and discussions of the poem contents, maximizing the efficiency of the one-hour class time.

"Having the online modality as a supplement to in-person class is very helpful, as both the students and teacher can have an additional channel to discuss class contents. It makes teaching and learning more flexible and accessible." Ms. Anwari said. She added that her students were initially hesitant to join the WhatsApp group because it was a new method. However, they came around very quickly as they realized this opened another line of communication and inquiry with the teacher, which helped with their offline study.

As much as Ms. Anwari and her students appreciate the benefits of blended pedagogy, barriers remain for them to fully adopt this modality. "Many teachers and students do not have good internet connection and smart phones or computers. In class, I would divide them in groups so a few students can share one device; but at home, it can be challenging for them to get a device to access the online materials." She said.

When asked about which areas of support could be helpful, Ms. Anwari suggested having more regular training and workshops on blended pedagogy for teachers in Afghanistan.

Ms. Anwari is one of the 297 teachers who received training on blended pedagogy in November 2023. The training was organized by UNESCO, with support from the Swedish International Development Agency (Sida).

To commemorate the first International Day of Digital Learning on 19 March 2024, UNESCO reaffirms its commitment to promote and utilize education technology, so that more children and youth in Afghanistan can access education services that meet minimum quality standards.

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