Employees Learn More with a Blended Approach

Trainers without experience in online education may not be proficient in the new environment without additional skill building.  Educators who are used to a traditional lecture format, supplemented by printed handouts, may initially feel overwhelmed by the choices available to them in the form of online and off-line learning tools. 

All of these challenges can be overcome.  To assure a smooth transition, employees who are expected to learn in a blended environment should be introduced ahead of time to the blended learning concept and, if necessary, receive training in online skills prior to beginning a course.  Assisting managers to understand the benefits of the new blended environment can decrease anxiety around their perceived loss of control.  Trainers who have been training with a fully developed system of binders, handouts, and off-line tools will need preparation time and, quite likely, technical support to create a fully realized blended environment.  Making sure that corporate trainers have the technical support and time to prepare for the new blended learning environment can reduce their stress and resistance to change.

The Payoff Can Be Huge: Blended learning offers the benefit of working with top instructors and a global network of classroom colleagues without ever leaving the office.  Multiple delivery vehicles for content minimize scheduled group time, which in turn minimizes the time that employees are away from their jobs.  Learners are able to complete assignments, meet with other group members for collaboration, and post to forums at their own pace as their schedules permit.  High residual value can be created through the collaborative networks formed among students in blended classes, networks that continue to help with knowledge transfer long after the class is over.

Blended learning offers companies of all sizes a chance to make the most of their resources.  Employees gain and retain new concepts and skills efficiently, while benefiting from participation in growing personal networks.  In today’s training environments, blended learning is gaining a reputation as the high-performance, low-cost option of choice.