New Council Recommendation on blended learning

On the 5th of August, the European Commission published a proposal for a Council Recommendation on blended learning to support high-quality and inclusive primary and secondary education.

“Blended learning” in formal education and training is the term used to describe when a school, educator or student takes more than one approach to the learning process.

The recommendations

The Commission proposes shorter-term measures to address the most pressing gaps exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes, for example, additional support to pupils with learning difficulties, and a renewed focus on the well-being of learners and their families, and on their digital competences.

It also proposes a way forward for blending learning environments and tools in primary and secondary education and training, with an eye to more resilient education and training systems.

Statement by the Commissioner

Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, said:

“Striving for a vision of better quality and inclusive education and training is by no means limited to the COVID-19 context. … Today’s proposal maps a vision of the education we want to see in Europe. One that supports the overall goals of the European Education Area and Digital Education Action Plan to promote quality and inclusion, green and digital education across Europe.”

The goals

Blended learning can help to improve the inclusiveness of education, particularly due to its flexibility. It can mean better education provision for people residing in remote and rural areas or hospitals and care centres, for those who are part of Traveller communities, and those engaged in high-performance training. All environments and tools should be equally accessible to minority groups, children with disabilities, or children from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds, and should not lead to discrimination or segregation.