The time period “blended studying” definitely isn’t new. Nevertheless, as studying and growth (L&D) evolves, so has the definition of this time period. Whereas the true that means of “blended studying” has turn into extra nuanced, studying professionals agree that taking a contemporary, multi-modal strategy to studying could make a long-lasting affect on each studying and enterprise outcomes. On this weblog publish, we’ll unpack the up to date definition and core advantages of blended studying and supply three questions that your L&D staff can use to refine its blended studying technique.
What is mixed studying?
Is mixed studying actually simply so simple as combining in-person and on-line studying? Whereas a multi-modal studying strategy is definitely a core part of blended studying, the definition in 2024 is not so easy.
As expertise continues to evolve and supply new methods of delivering coaching content material, the idea of blended studying has additionally developed. It now encompasses a variety of strategies and techniques that mix conventional classroom instruction with on-line studying modalities akin to dwell digital instructor-led coaching (VILT), self-paced on-line studying, digital simulations, just-in-time coaching, and extra.
Brandon Corridor’s Studying and Improvement Framework Report argues that true blended studying is greater than the sum of its elements. True blended studying requires a holistic strategy, during which all studying – no matter supply technique – suits into a bigger theme and extends past the classroom or accomplished module.
“In a blended studying setting with combined modalities, the curriculum have to be rooted in a framework strategy, the place casual and on-the-job studying follows a constant theme past the originating studying occasion, akin to a classroom lecture or on-line course. Frameworks additionally present the learner with the chance to obtain help via efficiency assist mechanisms embedded within the curriculum that anticipate when learners might ‘get caught’ and have challenges in making use of what they discovered.”
Taking a contemporary strategy blended studying
Whereas we could also be tempted to label any mixture of studying modalities as “blended studying,” we should do not forget that a contemporary blended studying technique doesn’t merely imply combining an in-person coaching session with a number of on-line modules. A really trendy blended strategy permits for a cohesive, customized, and versatile studying expertise, giving members the chance to interact with related and well timed content material in quite a lot of methods, even after their official coaching is thru.
How can your group improve its blended studying technique? Use these three inquiries to measure the affect of your blended studying strategy:
1. Does your blended studying strategy deepen understanding and retention? When corporations undertake a framework strategy just like the one mentioned above, the outcomes could be highly effective. To reinforce blended studying, it’s good to reinforce the core ideas being taught and assist your staff lengthy after they’ve accomplished their coaching.
- Enhance retention via blended studying by utilizing your LMS to observe spaced repetition, automating quizzes to learners, days, weeks, or months after they’ve completed coaching.
- Empower staff to proceed constructing abilities on the job by centralizing just-in-time sources like playbooks, infographics, brief movies, and manuals in your LMS and making them simply accessible, on-line and offline.
- Present social studying alternatives and gamify studying with boards, leaderboards, badges and simulations, in order that staff can change information, ask questions, collaborate, and even compete!
2. Does your blended studying strategy enhance effectivity? In case your blended studying technique isn’t correctly built-in into the move of labor, isn’t simple to implement, and isn’t shortly getting your groups up to the mark, it’s not going to fulfill your learners wants or your enterprise objectives.
Conventional coaching prices typically embody journey and lodge bills, except your organization is one which has on-site amenities for giant in-person coaching classes; nonetheless, that is turning into much less frequent with the rise in distant and international employment. That’s why many corporations now depend on LMSs for blended studying. The perfect LMS must be easy-to-use, for each admins and learners and will supply APIs and integrations that assist HR and L&D groups seamlessly weave studying into your group’s present technological ecosystem. An LMS with built-in content material authoring capabilities and a library of pre-built coaching programs can reduce down on administrative labor, so to concentrate on getting your staff the abilities and competencies they should succeed.
3. Does your blended studying strategy cater to a various array of learners? L&D skilled is aware of that each learner is totally different. That’s what makes a blended studying strategy so interesting! Having the ability to present coaching content material in a number of codecs permits tutorial designers to fulfill extra learner wants by providing a variety of supply choices.
Conducting a wants evaluation may also help tutorial designers construct blended studying content material that offers learners what they want, when and the place they want it. Litmos Chief Studying Workplace Dr. Jill Stefaniak places it greatest: “Learners keep engaged with coaching supplies after they can to see the utility, relevance, and worth in what’s being shared with them. They want to have the ability to see why they’re studying and the way they will apply the content material to reinforce their abilities and their capability to finish work-related duties.”
Whereas the definition of blended studying has expanded, the core advantages stay the identical. A really blended studying strategy combines quite a lot of in-person and on-line studying modalities to create a cohesive and customized studying expertise. By maintaining your group’s desired studying outcomes in thoughts and leveraging technological options, tutorial designers can deepen understanding and retention, enhance prices and effectivity, and cater to a various array of learners.
Because the world of studying and growth continues to evolve, incorporating a blended studying strategy might be important to creating impactful and efficient coaching packages. So, what are you ready for? Improve your blended studying program. Begin with Litmos’ award-winning LMS!
