The A-Z of training: B is for Blended Learning

Blended learning has been talked about for a long time amongst the e-learning and training communities. Many of you are probably already delivering blended learning even if you've never heard of the term!

There are many definitions of blended learning, but the idea that is central is that training is delivered through multiple channels, for example some training is classroom based, while other training is delivered online. The hope is that trainees are more receptive to training when it is delivered in a variety of ways.

This also presents challenges for the trainer. Consideration must be given as to which training best suits a given medium. Online training can be great for a wide variety of training requirements, however is a super whizzy 3D tour a replacement for walking new starters round the office? Of course not! Some training is still best delivered in person.

When I think about training which I've conducted previously I can generally break it down into two categories:

• Knowledge based training; and
• Skills based training

All jobs have some knowledge based components, it's the knowing what should be done and how to do it. I have found that this type of training is a good candidate for online training, as it can be written as a process which must be followed.

Skill based training on the other hand, requires discussion and interaction in a way that can be lost online. Even the dreaded role-play can be a useful tool to practice common scenarios, which cannot be stated as simple processes. Leading a training session in the classroom can also give you time to identify and deal with the concerns of your trainees as they arise. This empathy and understanding could not be replaced by a computer.

Because of this, we developed Prodeceo. We think of it as the perfect tool for delivering your online training and also managing your classroom based learning. You can try Prodeceo free for 30 days by clicking here..

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