We asked TrainingZONE members what they made of this year's hot training topic, "blended learning". This is how you cast your votes:
15% Just another method of delivery
14% This year's buzzword
55% Essential for making the most of e-learning
9% Not proven but worth trying
7% Just a way to cover up the inadequacies of e-learning
There has been some cynicism about the spread of the term this year, but it's clear that to TrainingZONE members blended learning means something tangible and effective. This commitment to blended learning has also been reflected by the interest shown in our features on the subject in Topical Briefings.
Has blended learning made a real difference to your training? Post your comments below.
5 Responses
What’s all the fuss about?
When I first got involved in CBT (as it was called) 10 years ago, we began to promote e-learning (as it is now called) to run alongside and inside classroom based courses.
I know not of one company who has abandoned the classroom in favour of ‘e’ and hope not to meet one in the near future.
Providing training by using a variation of delivery methods is nothing new or different to what has been going on for years, the only thing that has changed is someone gave it the term ‘blended’.
Since then the bandwagoneers have tried to sell it as something new, presumably with a high price tag.
Neil Lasher
MD Trainer1 Ltd
Purveyors of Fine Learning
Integrated Learning
I agree…many of us having been integrating different learning methods for years!
I think what the current “movement” will do is make us pause, rethink what we’re doing and as I mentioned at the recent WOLCE 2002 Conference, give us the time to return to the basics of our work and develop new and innovative ways of learning that truly offer personalised learning paths for our staff.
Blended – Fills the Gaps
Searching for a solution to cut cost’s while at the same time increasing the overall training provided, many companies realize that the blended learning approach works best. Most e-Learning vendors can only provide a portion of what is neeeded. IT-Training.com http://www.it-training.com provides both the instructors and the off the shelf e-Learning content to fill the gaps and provide a total solution. I think we’ll see many more vendors in the future focus on this blended learning approach.
Bandwagon
I could not agree more with Neils’s comments. I have had very similar experiences of using CBT with classroom training etc.
I speak with a number of providers out there and, yes, they all mention the word ‘blended’ as if they invented the term and look at you with initial condescention if you, with straight face, say that what’s the point of doing e-learning and continuing doing traditional training at the same time. I find it interesting to note how quickly at times, they agree with that observation and ‘blended’ goes out of the equation.
The medium depends ……
The majority has it. As a designer and provider of computer simulations for management development for some thirty plus years, I believe that the delivery medium depends on the development objectives and learning needs. For some e-learning is right, for others classroom, for others on the job etc. Most training/development needs and objectives are sufficiently wide to require a mixture of delivery media. And, anyone suggesting a panacea is just plain daft! Certainly my area (computer simulations) are fine for developing understanding, skills and meta thinking competancies but rubbish for building basic knowledge.