While more than 9 in 10 Indian students (91 per cent) feel that online learning is supplementing traditional classroom approach, over 8 in 10 (83 per cent) of them say that hybrid learning model is giving them extra time to pursue hobbies, a new report showed on Thursday.

Better understanding through a blended online and classroom learning approach, more personal free time to pursue hobbies and a longer memory retention emerged as the key reasons why students prefer hybrid learning.

Hybrid learning has also reduced learning disruptions due to extreme weather conditions or other law and order issues that hinder movement of people.

“Alarming pollution levels, heat waves, floods, and many other natural calamities have often resulted in unscheduled shutdowns of the schools. However, with the adoption of hybrid learning, learning can continue uninterrupted,” according to the HP ‘India Future of Learning Study 2022’.

Along with students, 98 per cent parents and 99 per cent of teachers attribute learning continuity to online education, and they want to stay with online learning in some form even after traditional classrooms resume.

“The shift towards digital learning has enriched the student-teacher interactions while also ensuring the safety and comfort of everyone involved. During this transition, students and teachers have also discovered better work-life balance, increased efficiency, and more insight-based instruction delivery,” said Ketan Patel, MD, HP India.

While teachers point out work-life balance as one of the key benefits of online learning, 82 per cent of them surveyed said they need more tools to facilitate better online learning.

Nearly 74 per cent feel that they require more training to use technology-based tools that could enhance their pedagogical skills.

Limited social interaction has been one of the most salient impacts of Covid-19.

“Students are keen to go back to school to interact with their peers and participate in sports and co-curricular activities,” the report said.

Student respondents believe that they could make more friends during classroom learning and that the physical presence of teachers around them enabled them to learn better, it added.