7 Ways Blended Learning Will Inspire You

Micro-learning, eLearning, or blended learning – You’ve heard all of these buzzwords before, but do you
know the difference between them? And most importantly, do you know which one is the most
effective?

Blended learning is a fancy way of saying that an educational program combines online digital media
with traditional classroom teaching methods. Therefore, blended learning is a broader, more
comprehensive approach that includes eLearning and might also incorporate elements of micro-
learning.

Since blended learning draws on the strengths of each kind of learning, it is also much more powerful
than one kind alone. A survey revealed that 72% of Europe’s leading companies were planning to make
more frequent use of blended learning in the next two years, making it the most preferred learning
method in European workplaces. But why is it the most powerful training method?

Why Blended Learning?

To answer that question, let’s first imagine that you are an individual employee and you have identified
a personal need for training. If no internal training has been planned for the near future, you will seek
out a training program that fits your exact needs. As virtual training is now trendy, you are most likely to
take some webinars, eLearning, or virtual live classes (VLCs). Studies have shown that—no matter if you
choose webinars, eLearning, or VLCs—the results will be the same: In a matter of weeks, half of that
newly gained knowledge will be lost. “With little practical follow-up or meaningful assessments, some
90% of new skills are lost within a year,” according to a study by Eduardo Salas, a professor of
organizational psychology at the University of Central Florida. Inevitably, you—as most participants who
have done such training—will find out that your training was a gigantic waste of time. Often you might
feel that there are no real tangible benefits for you or your company in the long run.

Blended Learning: A Powerful Enablement Tool

Don’t despair. Powerful blended learning approaches, if properly designed, can avoid the common
pitfalls that result in knowledge being lost. Here's what is unique about blended learning which makes it
more effective than conventional learning methods.

A blended learning approach ensures that the learner remains engaged and in control of their own
individual learning experience.

As this is not just learning by listening, blended learning follows an interactive approach by mixing
traditional classroom training with online sessions. Many more senses and skills are engaged in the
process.

Face-to-face interactions follow online self-studies, or vice versa, thus optimizing and reinforcing the
unique benefits of each.

Knowledge gained in the real and digital worlds allows you to develop your critical thinking and
problem-solving skills in the specialized subject area.

Incorporating multiple learning channels and multimedia allow you to access large amounts of
information in a variety of ways, such as videos, podcasts, and more—and you can dive deeper into a
topic or review a difficult one on your own time whenever you wish.

Knowledge retention is significantly improved with a variety of interactive elements in the learning
process, built-in assessment and feedback, and real-world implementation.

The blended learning approach delivers a much richer training experience and helps you to immediately
begin to use what you have learned in the sessions while receiving valuable feedback from an expert
instructor so that you can focus on improvement in your weaker areas.

Thus, individuals are given everything they need to satisfy their own learning needs successfully. Often
learners feel much more motivated and inspired when they take part in such a learning program.
A Little Something For Everyone
A very powerful model of a blended learning program, like the one used at
PDAgroup, consists of a set of various elements including face-to-face
training, virtual classroom training, webinars, links, videos, simulations,
assessment, and one-on-one coaching.

Some Things Never Change

Of course, blended learning is not perfect. IT resources and tools need to be
reliable, easy to use, and up to date. You’ll need a certain level of IT
knowledge, self-discipline and motivation as well. You will also have to
dedicate some time and effort. But once these hurdles have been overcome,
there is nothing left to prevent you from having an engaging, enjoyable, and
highly-effective learning experience!