How do we make blending learning effective?

Business owners, managers and L&D professionals are often looking for the wholly grail of effective learning. Knowing where and what to invest in can be a dauting task, how do we know what’s really going to be effective learning for our people?

Blended learning is not a new concept, but it can mean different things to different people, whatever the definition, we are seeing organisations embracing various methods of learning and the training landscape changing and evolving.
The general consensus is that blended learning is made up of face-to-face learning which is facilitator led, digital learning and structured self-study.

Programmes that offer this blend of learning mediums tend to be far more effective than using each in isolation. The aim is that each enhances the other and that’s what makes the learning effective.

We are also far more aware of meeting individuals learning needs, we appreciate that people learn in different ways. Utilising a combination of learning methods improves the learner experiences and in turn the outcomes. Empowering learners through self-study along with the support and feedback from facilitator led learning means that this wholistic approach strengthens the learning experience overall.

I would always recommend that any training programme incorporates a blended learning approach to yield the most effective results and that most importantly it is an engaging experience with tangible learning outcomes so that we can really see the value of the learning back in the workplace.

Natalie Leaf – Director