F, A Study on Blended Teaching-Learning Approach at Secondary Level during Pandemic Situation

Abstract

Since 17 March 2020, schools in Bangladesh were closed due to the pandemic. There are around one million teachers in primary, secondary, madrasah, and vocational education institutions in Bangladesh. With the technical support of a2i, the Government of Bangladesh introduced alternative distance education through different channels, including offline and online platforms and television, so that students could continue learning while staying at home.

The teachers at the secondary level were the population of this study. The study explored access to digital technology, teachers’ current capacity to use educational technology (EdTech), and the challenges and possibilities of blended learning for future expansion. Both qualitative and quantitative approaches were integrated. Data collection tools included survey questionnaires for secondary-level teachers who were active and inactive in online teaching and learning, semi-structured interviews with head teachers, focus group discussions (FGDs) with teachers and students, key informant interviews (KIIs) with policymakers, and secondary document reviews. Participatory approaches were emphasized throughout the study.

The findings revealed that access to television was 82%, feature phones 75%, smartphones 100%, tablets 13%, laptops 57%, desktops 38%, mobile data 100%, and personal Wi-Fi 24%. Most respondents (88%) used ICT devices to conduct classes during the pandemic. Of the respondents, 81% were self-trained in conducting classes using ICT devices, while 19% did not use ICT devices. Half of the respondents considered their class quality good, while almost half considered it average. Twenty-five percent identified willingness and training as problems. More than half of the respondents (55%) reported using devices and connectivity for educational purposes, one-third for professional work, and 12% for entertainment during the pandemic. Nine respondents had average knowledge of the TPACK model, three reported a high level of understanding, and three had never heard of the model.