The Pandemic and change in office culture has seen an increased interest in implementing a blended learning program due to the benefits it provides. Gone are the days of insisting that hundreds of people gather in a room for a workshop or seminar to discuss health and safety, a new product offering, or how to be a better leader in front of a keynote speaker.
Instead, today’s learners in the corporate space appreciate that they have the flexibility to attend trainings in-person and virtually with the added component of online training modules. How’s that for a win-win in a remote-work world?
Below, we’ll take a look at some of the key challenges and benefits of a blended learning program, as well as Training Orchestra’s top tips for getting it right.
Challenges of Blended Learning
In a blended learning program, training managers aren’t debating to find the answer to whether online or in-person training is more effective. Instead they’re using both for the benefit of achieving learning objectives — both for the organization and the learner as a professional.
When it comes to your blended learning programs there are unique challenges that only L&D would know of. However, the main challenge organizations will face are the new complexities that come along with managing training operations within a blended learning program.
Some notable challenges for blended learning programs include:
- Reallocation of learning resources: L&D teams must rebalance how learning resources are used for blended learning. For example, a course that was once purely instructor-led training (ILT) must now remove parts of training that involve equipment or meeting rooms.
- Developing cohesiveness: training managers must ensure that online learning components and ILT sessions are connected both in the context of training and the facilitation of learning by trainers. This means, asynchronous and synchronous learning material are covered during learning sessions and vice-versa.
- Shift in responsibilities for the training team: between training managers, instructors, and subject-matter experts, using a blended learning program can act as a bit of culture shock as trainers may find their workload scattered and fractured while training managers may find it hard to find the right sessions for learners.
- Urge to replace ILT with pure online training: Online learning tools like games, virtual reality, and even mobile learning can seem efficient but will only dilute a proper training experience that returns results. Use online, self-paced learning tools only to supplement, not replace, the blended learning experience as a whole.
Benefits of Blended Learning
The benefits of blended learning have received considerable praise from L&D professionals alike for a variety of reasons.
One NIH study by Tong, Uyen, and Ngan (2022) that blended learning increased interactions with training facilitators, increased comprehension, and increased learners’ confidence in self-study as opposed to their purely online learning counter parts.
To make blended learning a success, trainers must make the learner the center of attention. In a study by Mitchell and Honore (2007), blended learning’s primary criteria for “successful blended learning” was increased face-to-face interaction between learners and trainers more so than online content or tools used.
But that’s not all!
Implementing a blended learning strategy also gives L&D teams a variety of benefits including:
- Cost efficient and training efficient: by utilizing blended learning strategies, training teams can save on the high training costs needed for pure instructor-led training without sacrificing Training ROI.
- Multi-modality L&D approach: allows training managers to use online learning components for asynchronous or self-paced learning portions and utilize instructor-led training for hands-on learning.
- Higher learner attendance: due to the busy nature of professionals, blended learning strategies allow learners to learn at their own pace and attend in-person training sessions both online and in-person.
What does this mean for the future of corporate training? Blended learning provides a whole new avenue both for internal learning departments and extension training programs such as customer training and extended enterprise training to future-proof their L&D programs.
By adapting the efficiency of online-learning modules with the effectivies of instructor-led training, enterprise learning programs can upskill and reskill at scale!
5 Key Requirements When Building a Blended Learning Program
#1: Cater to both online and in-person training preferences
As we saw above, one of the main challenges of blended learning is the fact that the online version can often feel like a poor substitute for the in-person training experience.
Vitally, you must ensure that both the online and in-person training experiences are equally as valuable and engaging. Dell Technologies’ Director of Digital Learning Technology, Edward Bell, recommends “treating the camera as a participant.”
Dell hosts blended learning sessions for its staff, where some learners attend in-person classroom sessions (traditional ILT) and while others attend live training sessions online (VILT). Something as simple as ensuring the trainer makes “eye contact” with the camera from time to time ensures that virtual attendees feel more involved.
Despite doubts on its feasibility, vILT remains a trusted training delivery method for a majority of mid-market and enterprise organizations for its scalability and consistency to quality.
Another tip from Dell is to make attendees feel like they’re in the room with specialist hybrid classrooms fully equipped for virtual training. For instance, they use automated cameras that track the trainer and offer wider views of the classroom so that remote learners can get a feel for what’s going on in the room, as they would if they were there in person.
#2: Manage the cost of training between ILT and online experiences
Pricing is an important consideration for blended learning programs, especially if they are designed for an extended enterprise audience. If you charge a flat fee across all your learners, virtual learners may feel short-changed, as they won’t have access to the catering or physical resources available in the training venue.
If you are providing catering, refreshments, or additional in-person experiences (such as gifts or networking drinks) at your venue, ensure this is reflected in the price of your hybrid training. Offering tickets at a lower price for virtual learners will help prevent them from feeling like they’re missing out or getting inferior value for money, and the hybrid approach means that all learners can choose to prioritize the lower price or the additional in-person experiences.
#3: Maintain engagement and interaction between ILT and VILT sessions
Ultimately, your blended learning program is delivering for one audience, so they should feel part of the full conversation. Pre- and post-event online chats, whether they are live networking sessions or asynchronous forum conversations, will help create a sense of cohesiveness and community across your entire audience of hybrid learners, supporting networking opportunities for all participants. On the day of your blended learning program, be sure to involve your remote attendees.
This could be done by video link or by typed chat, with a facilitator on hand to manage the virtual participants. This ties into Edward’s tip above about treating the camera as a participant – when the trainer asks questions or finishes a topic, make sure that they check in with virtual participants to get them involved too.
#4: Reduce technical issues to zero for online learning and VILT components
When you’re planning your blended learning program, consider whether or not you’ll need different speakers for in-person and online sessions. Not all trainers will be comfortable with the technology required for attending to virtual audiences, so you may need multiple trainers for the same session.
Dell Technology’s solution to this is to minimize the barriers to virtual training for trainers themselves. They have created a series of hybrid classrooms with cameras, microphones, and speakers built into the ceiling and walls, with foolproof controls in a preconfigured “technology box” in each room. This way, trainers simply press a button to start the hybrid session and press it again to end it, avoiding the need for trainers with complex audio-visual skills.
If you do decide to opt for multiple speakers, Training Orchestra can help you find the best available experts with the skills and experience needed with our Instructor Engagement Portal. For instance, in just a couple of clicks, you can filter your trainers to find those with the necessary skills for the training session and online presenting experience. Alternatively, you may opt for a facilitator to assist the trainer, either in the classroom or online, who can better attend to the needs of the audience and keep the session running smoothly.
#5: Measure the impact of your blended learning program and optimize when needed
After the training, conduct a survey to find out which components of your blended learning program worked and which didn’t. For instance, perhaps your remote participants were more satisfied with the experience than your in-person participants, or vice versa. Training Orchestra’s measurement, analytics, and reporting capabilities will also help you discover which sessions were most profitable.
This will give you an invaluable insight into your program, answering questions such as “Did we undercharge for our online components?” or “Was the uptake lower for our in-person session?”.
Blended Learning in Action: The Dell Technologies Success Story
At Dell Technologies, Training Orchestra is used to track the cost of delivery of their blended learning programs, including venues, trainers and travel costs. This data is then analyzed within their data warehouse, and the training department can better understand how to improve the efficiency and profitability of their hybrid training over time.
Curious to know more about how Dell Technologies and other organizations made instructor-led training (ILT) work for them in a new working and learning culture?
View our free webinar to learn more about how you can make blended learning programs work for your organization!
