Blended learning is a concept that has gained popularity in the last few years, with its benefits and advantages being praised by learning professionals and learners. Despite its rising popularity and effectiveness, there continues to be some confusion and unclarity around its definition. SO what is blended learning? In this article, we’ll discuss what blended learning is and stress on some benefits it offers to both organizations and learners. We’ll also highlight some drawbacks to avoid and explore how you can use blended learning as part of your elearning strategy.

What is blended learning?

Blended learning combines the best of the training environment- traditional face-to-face classroom training and high-tech eLearning. It is an approach to education that blends online educational materials and opportunities for interaction online with traditional place-based classroom methods. It requires the physical attendance or presence of both the instructor and learner, with some elements of student control over their learning process.

• A portion of the learning occurring online, with the students being able to manage the pace at which they learn Blended learning encourages the personalization of the learning journey. It widens the learner’s experience by supporting anytime and anywhere learning while reshaping the role of the instructor. This is because it usually involves:

• The other portion of the learning process is instructor-led, usually conducted through webinars, allowing remote learners to engage easily

Benefits of Blended Learning:

1. Increase learning engagement: blended learning allows learning professionals to tailor their learning journey according to their learners. By combining elearning content with face-to-face or classroom-based learning, makes it more likely that learners will be engaged in the learning process as you provide them with multiple ways to access the information they need.

2. Improves flexibility: using a blended learning approach to learning encourages flexibility. This is because learners access information on their own terms at their own convenience and time. By encouraging flexibility you improve completion rates and learners’ engagement.

3. Encourages collaborative learning: providing a combination of learning styles encourages a more collaborative learning environment. Combining technology with face-to-face learning techniques creates a dynamic learning environment perfect for collaborating with colleagues.

4. Boosts morale and productivity: giving learners the freedom of choice during their learning process goes a long way to improving morale and productivity. Using a blended approach to learning means that you place trust on your learners that they will be in charge of their own learning in a way that works for them.

5. Meets the needs of more learners: a blended learning approach allows you to adapt your training to the needs of as many learners as possible. This approach makes the material accessible and adaptable in many ways, thus, meeting the needs of more learners.

Models for blended learning:

Learning professionals have developed 3 models for blended learning. These 3 models of blended learning are summarized below:

1. The flipped model: this model reverses the traditional face-to-face approach to learning into online learning. The learners are introduced to online content, prior to their class, and the face-to-face is introduced afterward to discuss the content and complete activities like projects and group work. This model works best for learning material that lend themselves to group and project work.

2. Face-to-face driver model: in this model, a remarkable amount of classroom time is replaced with online courses or activities. The model is situated around classroom instructions by learning professionals, with pre- and post-activities carried out online based on the learners’ time and pace. The model suits diverse classrooms that include learners with different professional backgrounds and competencies. The online activities offer learners the opportunity to learn at their own pace, while the instructor-led sessions provide learners with a more traditional approach.

3. Flex model: online learning is the cornerstone of this model. Learners complete the course mostly online, with some required in-person activities such as project or group work. A difference in this model is that learners have access to the course material online, however, instructors could provide support when needed through individual tutoring rather than scheduled lectures.

So how can learning professionals use the best model? To identify the best blended learning model, learning professionals must:

1. Identify the audience, goals, and learning objectives of the training

2. Create appropriate learning content or material that is suitable for the blended learning

3. Decide which of the 3 blended learning model applies best to your learning material and target audience

4. Choose the virtual component for your training program (eLearning course, learning video, infographic, microlearning, simulations)

5. Choose the human interaction elements (project work, instructor-led training, virtual instructor-led training)

6. Space out the learning. This is an essential step in order to improve learners’ retention and reinforce behavior change

To sum up, “traditional” learning professionals may resist this blended learning approach, however, this trend is not going away anytime soon as learners are becoming increasingly digital-oriented. Learners are aware of the benefits and advantages this new approach to learning is offering them and so they are becoming increasingly motivated to continue their learning journey.