Blended Learning

Posted by Simone Pitt on January 30, 2013 at 3:09pm in Learning Design

Hi everyone,

I am interested to know your thoughts on blended learning and specifically the following:

What do you consider to be blended learning?
How do you currently use blended learning?
How you plan to implement a blended learning approach.

Thanks in advance

Simone

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Replies

Ady Howes February 28, 2014 at 11:19am

Hi All, Hi Simone,

It's been a year since this discussion was put up and I think it's a great one to get going again. I'm with Mike, a subject close to my heart. I love the 70:20:10 video...

To explain my thoughts on this, if we take very simply two approaches to learning. Face to face and online (such as eLearning, live learning etc). Typically, and this happens in many organisations, these two things sit in isolation. It's an us and them feel. People see them as totally different entities which they interact with for totally different reasons. Now I get why this may sometimes need to be the case. eLearning, for example, often delivers compliance type training that isn't really delivered in any other way. Whilst some face to face courses can only ever be face to face and there is no need for any eLearning to support them.

But that's where the problem begins for me. It's almost like organisations feel the need to pick either one or the other of these methods and that they can only pick one. But actually, is there any problem with selecting two (or more when you think of other learning methods)?

And for me, when you start selecting multiple learning methods, that's where you really get into the blended approach. Why not have a management development programme where a model that will be covered in training, is explained online in a short audio or video piece, that people not only can use to learn before the course, but also during the course and actually afterwards too when they need some useful reminder/reference material.

So I see all these different learning methods as "channels" to learn through. My view, is that the more channels you use for each strand of learning, the more likely you are to have a truly blended approach that is varied and interesting.
- Alison Simmons > Ady Howes February 28, 2014 at 7:32pm
  
  I "facilitate" certain e learning courses for our factory staff.
  i think of it as a blended learning experience as the key content is within the e module but we achieve so much more in our sessions, through discussion, using site specific examples and through my emphasis which varies depending upon the group members. I introduce the course and why it is important. This year i have chosen accredited City & guilds courses and i explain why. I also explain why i have chosen e learning instead of the instructor led course that they have previously had.
  Then i make sure we are all logged on and we get going with the narrated slides.
  As we go through each slide (keeping all together - we have one speaker set and all other pcs muted) i wait for opportunities to stop and to engage the group in discussion about the principles and how they apply at our place. I love it. The groups comprise a max of 10 delegates from anywhere in the factory, so we all learn from each other about what goes on in our area and how it differs to others.
  As a qualified and experienced facilitator i can encourage the discussion and capture any issues that are important to the delegates. I can follow these up and ensure the correct managers are informed and that feedback is provided. It is great opportunity to really listen to our staff and let them know their experience is valued. I can also add things that are site specific and that are important to us, if they are not raised by others.
  the e learning includes interactive exercises which we do together as well, and everyone helps their neighbour. The feedback i have had since introducing this new approach has been brilliant.
  It has exceeded my expectation and enabled our site to achieve full compliance with the site mandatories.
  another bonus is that staff who have lacked confidence with computers learn a lot of pc skills and many are now keen to learn more. I have also got to know personally every member of staff which is a real privilege and they make me feel very much part of the factory which has a long and proud history.
  All good.
  - Alison Simmons > Alison Simmons March 6, 2014 at 9:11pm
    
    Have just watched the video above (70:20:10). It is brilliant isn't it, so well presented. Thanks Mike for sharing that ( and thank you Kristina)
    
    I love coming here because there is so much of interest and so much that helps me with my job.
Mike Collins January 31, 2013 at 12:14pm

Hi Simone,

Great to meet you this week and thanks for adding this discussion. It's a subject very close to my heart and how you can articulate this in an L&D strategy document has been tricky. I've read the post by Purple Learning before and I find vendors can be the problem here as much as anything else and how things can become tagged and labeled. E.g. Come and check out our blended learning solutions, come and check out our social learning platforms etc etc. They are quick to pick up on the latest buzzword and then monetize it somehow.

Let's be honest here blended learning solutions (whatever that is) or social learning platforms don't make people learn. Learning is an on-going process and not a time driven event, it's not a solution and its not a technology platform. It's the interactions, the environments and conditions that we can we can create that can support people to learn whether this is in a classroom or in some other guise. Learning is about being exposed to new things, to new ideas and to be able to try new things and often fail but then learn through this failure and continually improve what we do and how we do it.

Whatever this is called this is where we need to spend our energies as Learning Professionals and move people away from this idea that we create and hold the cards of workplace learning. We need to facilitate learning within the workplace and have a range of approaches that support the 70/20/10 framework. This is the framework that I've used to help explain informal learning to people and understand it myself - this network is a great example of using a community to support learning in an informal way but supporting a formal qualification. I believe organisational networks have a big part to play in supporting learning in organisations.

Here's a video on 70/20/10 that was added by Krystyna Gadd yesterday.

I've also included a slide that Jay Cross and Jane Hart created about the blend from top down (formal) learning and bottom up (informal learning). I've added the things that we can do or support as a learning function in each of these areas.

Let me know what you think and if this helps, would be interested in hearing what you think?

Mike
Simone Pitt January 30, 2013 at 9:24pm

Thanks Helen. I will take a look.
Helen Bailey January 30, 2013 at 6:24pm

Hello Simone,

Hope you are well.

I remembered reading a blog regarding this a while back from Purple Learning which I have attached a link to below for you

http://www.purplelearning.co.uk/blended-learning-2/why-we-shouldnt-...

which I thought you might find interesting.

Hope this is all useful...

Kind regards

Helen