Blended learning is a term used in education theory to cover a learning method that involves different forms of delivery. Usually the delivery methods are online learning, face-to-face learning, classroom or multimedia (video, images, etc).
The changes that are taking place in educational institutions and in the workplace have naturally given rise to a blended approach to teaching in the past decade. The efficiencies and additional data capture associated with online learning is such that it has quickly come to complement more traditional methods. The question in the coming decade is how far exactly the online teaching model will go in replacing classroom or whether the face-to-face system will always be a necessary component?
In workplace training, there is a real move to blended learning as workplace technologies and SaaS solutions have improved. It also provides a number of key benefits for business:
- Online learning is very quick to set up compared to face-to-face learning. Large numbers of staff members or new staff can be trained without the need to book conference rooms, set up PowerPoint displays and organise catering.
- Online training modules can be easily amended or made more specific depending on the audience. This flexibility is critical in responding to different locations, staff groupings or even languages.
- Online learning is an ideal way to train and test in the one operation. Most learning platforms have a testing component for the end user that allows the trainer to know if the information has been fully absorbed. Even face-to-face learning does not always give a trainer the clearest picture of how the materials have been understood.
- Recording of test results, recording of trainees and a clear record of training materials can be stored securely using online learning systems and this is of huge benefit to companies as it provides accurate data in the case of a later incident, insurance claim, regulatory compliance query or any other issue. More than anything it is accountability that most recommend the online learning model to businesses.
- Most business people are trying very hard to achieve cost efficiencies and online learning provides major gains, particularly for larger companies. Per trainee costs are radically altered using online training as now, for the first time ever, people can use their mobile or home laptop devices to engage online. Up until now the coverage of broadband services and hardware devices simply were not there to justify a ‘company-wide’ online learning approach.
Of course, not everything can be achieved through online learning. The face-to-face and classroom models also have their advantages. Many trainers will use the online training to cover the majority of the content and fulfil testing and compliance requirements but then also engage face-to-face. This is the beauty of blended learning, where different styles of address come together to give a better rounded and clearer delivery of the subject material but also provide the more focused and detailed techniques of a face-to-face trainer.
