Blended learning benefits

5 Big Benefits of Blended Learning Programs

With digital transformation sweeping through enterprises today, it’s never been more crucial for organizations to close skill gaps in emerging technologies. Hiring isn’t always the answer. The extreme shortage of candidates for roles in Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning, Data Science and other disciplines is one reason why training from within—and upskilling your existing employees—makes the smartest, fastest and most cost-effective solution.

If you’re more of a visual learner, check out Simplilearn’s webinar on blended learning. Here we’ll sum up the main points of the webinar, focusing on the benefits of blended learning. 

What is Blended Learning?

Blended learning, also called “flipped classroom,” “hybrid learning” or “mixed learning,” is an approach that mixes instructor-led classroom training with online content, usually in the form of on-demand videos that learners review outside of class. The live instruction can be face-to-face or online (via a live virtual classroom or even two-way video), or there might be no live lecture at all.

Blended learning can also combine other elements besides content and instructors. For example, in a blended learning study published in 2018, one university completely excluded lectures (face-to-face or virtual) but instead used a mix of videos, digitized reading materials, pre- and post-learning assessments, practice exercises with feedback and weekly surveys, with face-to-face elements in the form of study groups, presentations, formative assessments and other peer interactions.

Benefits of Blended Learning

Blended learning represents a fundamental shift in instruction methods. It has the potential to optimize outcomes for individual students in ways that traditional instruction can’t. Blended delivery modes allow for each aspect to be taught using the most appropriate medium for the topic at that particular stage in the training.

Extensively studied and practiced in K–12 and university education, blended learning also offers an ideal solution for improving corporate training, especially when it comes to upskilling employees for the quickly evolving digital economy. Here are five reasons why.

1. Different people learn different things in different ways

It’s pretty common knowledge that different people learn differently. In 1992, researchers Fleming and Mills developed a popular model of learning styles called VARK: Visual (when people learn best by sight), Aural or Auditory (when people learn by hearing or speaking), Read/Written (when people learn when things are displayed as words) and Kinesthetic (when people learn by physical use or practice). 

Other researchers have broken these modalities into even more distinct learning styles, adding Logical (when people prefer using logic or reasoning to understand concepts), Social (when people learn through interaction with other people) and Solitary (when people learn best alone through self-study).

With so many different learning styles to address, a blended learning solution makes sense. For people who learn visually or through reading and ideally alone, online self-paced video delivery would be the best mode. Social and aural learners would gain most from live instructor-led classrooms. Meanwhile, hands-on practice from engaging in applied learning projects would satisfy kinesthetic and logical learners.

2. Using multiple modalities dramatically reinforces engagement, learning and retention

Numerous studies show how for most people, learning is improved by combining different activities alongside more passive study. Ideally, these could include the “human” element of interaction, such as threaded discussions, video conferencing and internal social media forums to share and compare knowledge and to encourage and demonstrate the effective application of newly learned skills to the workplace.

By utilizing as many learning delivery methods as possible (video, live instructor, social and practical), you can fill in any knowledge gaps left by modes that were less than optimal for the specific topic or learner. 

3. Learners can control the pace of their learning

People learn best when they have some control over their learning. Choice reduces learner apathy, relieves some of the stress of the learning process and motivates people to engage with the material. Corporate learners differ from traditional students. Most employees deal with time constraints, as they have to balance heavy workloads and their personal lives. Also, their coworkers come to the table with a wide range of knowledge and experience with the course topic.

Blended learning enables employees to study online, as quickly as they can manage, instead of having the pace set by the fastest or slowest learner in the group. They can skip ahead past familiar information or pause, rewatch and seek additional resources. They can also access the content when they are most alert and even take breaks as necessary. This “flipped” blended approach enables learners to start with the knowledge they gained on their own and then supplement it with the personal attention of instructor-led classroom training (either virtual or on-premises), plus the group interaction of social learning and finally, the hands-on practice of applied learning projects.

As noted by Clifford Maxwell, an education researcher at the Clayton Christensen Institute, “some element of student control is critical; otherwise, blended learning is no different from a teacher beaming online curriculum to a classroom of students through an electronic whiteboard.”

4. Blended learning saves money

Organizations of any size can optimize return on investment by saving costs while increasing engagement and retention by integrating eLearning into instructor-led programs. Blended learning reduces instructor fees, company travel expenses and training materials; enables distance learning at a global scale; and can greatly soften the impact training has on daily operations and the employees themselves. For example, “Ernst & Young cut its training costs by 35 percent while improving consistency and scalability with eLearning,” says Mark Rose, director and founder of Creativedge Training and Development. “They condensed about 2,900 hours of classroom training into 700 hours of web-based learning, 200 hours of distance learning and 500 hours of classroom instruction, a cut of 53 percent. ” 

5. Blended learning is modular and scalable

Especially useful for large, global enterprises, blended learning is modular and scalable, both upward and downward. Dedicated classroom training takes a lot of time to set up and participate in, making it not economical on an ad hoc basis.

However, online learning libraries alone lack the engagement, practical exercise and personal feedback that optimize learning. In contrast, by providing easily accessible training content backed by opportunities for live virtual-instructor interaction and applied projects, a blended learning program enables employees to upskill quickly in a specific technology or subject. As eLearning designer Troy Foster says, “Modular courses increase agility and thereby the organization’s capacity to capitalize on new business opportunities as they arise."

It’s ideal for training a dispersed workforce. According to Upwork’s Future Workforce Report, 63 percent of companies have remote employees. By complementing anytime online content with localized instructors, blended learning enables both scalability and the cultural personalization required to achieve training globally. Boeing, the world’s largest aerospace company with 330,000 employees in 28 countries, successfully uses a mix of learning and development methodologies, from online modules to “lunch-and-learns,” one-on-one training and live virtual classrooms. 

A Final Big Advantage of Blended Learning

With a blended learning approach, you don’t have to invent anything or depend on ad hoc fixes to increase the effectiveness of your employee training program. Proven solutions are already available from third-party vendors, like Simplilearn, who can supply and guide you in the best customized blended learning solution for digital upskilling. Jane Hart, Editor of Modern Workplace Learning magazine, says, “For real transformation to take place, it’s not a matter of having a ‘bolt-on’ strategy to existing training practices (‘typically social and mobile’), but rather ‘a full-on, meaningful re-conception’ of what it means to support all ways of learning in the modern digital workplace. ”

For more information on blended learning, download our white paper  “Why Blended Learning Is the Fastest Way to Close Digital Skill Gaps” now.

8 Advantages Of Blended Learning Programs

Published January 11, 2021By Alex Weitzel

Categorized as Blended Learning Tagged blended learning

January 11, 2021

Through the advancement of digital education tools like web conferencing, eBooks, simulations, videos, games, and more, blended learning has become a truly effective and valuable approach to learning that many career institutions have started utilizing. By combining aspects of online and in-person methodologies, blended learning provides career college students and instructors with benefits of both. Below are seven advantages of blended learning programs.

Read How CourseKey Helped DeHart Implement Hybrid Learning, Increasing On-Time Graduation and Placement Rates

1.

By having students complete much of their coursework at home and only requiring in-person attendance a few times per week, institutions can create a learning environment to keep staff and students safe. With fewer students on campus at a time, institutions can realistically practice social distancing and ensure common areas are cleaned and disinfected properly between classes.

Blended learning also allows institutions to be prepared in case a COVID-19 outbreak happens in their area. With a blended learning framework in place, institutions can temporarily provide fully online courses until it’s safe to return to campus.

2. Blended learning increases student engagement

Studies have shown that blended learning increases engagement by providing different opportunities for student engagement using digital engagement tools, like those available through CourseKey Engage. By providing digital opportunities for engagement, educators may see more engagement online from those students who aren’t as comfortable sharing in front of their peers in-person.

When it comes to keeping students engaged, variety in delivery and reinforcement of course material is key. Through digital learning and engagement tools, educators can create a more fun and engaging learning environment rather than simply reading text off a slide over video software.

3. Flipping the classroom improves comprehension

When students are more engaged in the class session, their comprehension naturally increases. Blended learning calls for what many call a “flipped classroom” approach, where students learn theory remotely and practice what they learned at home during in-person class sessions with instructors present to assist. Instead of spending the time students and instructors have together listening to a lesson, the in-person portion of blended learning is spent actively practicing skills and getting hands-on training from instructors.

4. Students have more autonomy over their learning

In a blended learning model, students can partake in the online portion of class and look over class materials anywhere they have internet access, allowing them to choose where they work. In addition, students can complete the online portion when it fits their schedule, enabling them to more effectively balance schoolwork and external obligations. For adult learners especially, a sense of autonomy and control over their learning experience is essential for success.

5. Efficient use of instructor time

Traditional in-person courses require instructors to spend time outside of class completing administrative tasks like printing out handouts, uploading attendance data, hand-grading assignments, etc. Through the use of technology in blended learning, many of those tasks can be automated, allowing instructors to spend more time helping students comprehend material and develop their skills, in addition to creating more bandwidth to prepare strong lessons.

6. Gather learner data for better insights

By using digital tools to gather data such as comprehension, engagement, and attendance, administrators can analyze trends and use their findings to help students succeed. Whether it’s reaching out to individual students that may need extra assistance or a reminder of their standing, or making course-wide adjustments to review class material a majority of the students missed, admins can leverage the data collected to support students.

7. Access and enroll more students with blended learning programs

Many career college students have obligations outside of school that make it difficult for them to commute to campus every day. Prospective students interested in enrolling will look for programs with flexibility, giving schools that can offer blended learning the ability to attract a wider variety of students. 

8. Improve outcomes with blended learning

When DeHart Technical School implemented blended learning, it improved attendance rates by 11% and on-time graduation rates by 23%. Damon Fugett, Director of DeHart, credits the ease of logging on to online classes. 

Even when students don’t feel like getting out of their house in the morning, they can still log on to a Zoom call and engage with instructors. Physically going to class becomes more exciting and special rather than something they have to do every day. 

Implementing blended learning with CourseKey

The widespread adoption of blended learning brought on by the pandemic last year proved to many institutions the value of combining aspects of both online and in-person courses. As education methodologies continue to evolve this year, blended learning will play a significant role in career education.

Through digital attendance and engagement modules, CourseKey makes it easy for your institution to set up effective blended learning programs quickly. To learn more about how CourseKey can help your institution achieve its goals or to learn more about blended learning, request a demo today.

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Blended learning: pros and cons

• News
• News archive
• 2020
• October

Blended learning is an educational approach that combines face-to-face and online education. In the new material, we will analyze the pros and cons of this option for organizing work.

The blended learning system consists of interaction with the teacher and work with the help of digital technologies. In this approach, as in conventional teaching, the task of the teacher is not only to convey to students the material, the meaning of a particular chapter and the main idea of ​​the work, but also to develop non-specialized skills (soft skills), which include critical thinking, the ability to work in teamwork, creativity, etc. Virtual space is organized using computer technology based on a digital platform. Similar work is expected in the classroom, when in the classroom form of classes, training is carried out using online resources. For example, students take math tests in a computer lab.

1. Benefits of blended learning.

Undoubtedly, such a system has significant advantages:

• more information. It becomes possible, with the help of computer technology, to expand the curriculum and put more data into a certain course: additional literature, special blocks for those who have mastered the basic ones, and so on. Those children who are particularly interested in a particular topic can study it in depth. In addition, online platforms reduce the amount of resources spent on routine activities, such as giving and checking homework, so there is more time to work with students.
• Multisensory. Thanks to the use of different types of information - verbal (text), auditory (sound), visual (video recordings and pictures) - it is possible to explain the material more clearly and quickly.
• Interactivity. With the help of new technologies, it is possible to achieve greater involvement of the student (for example, games and simulators, tools for creating their own projects). This, in turn, develops an interest in knowledge in general and a specific subject in particular.
• Different requirements are taken into account. This means that such training is suitable for those who need contact with a teacher, and for those who prefer to study on their own, and also helps in working with children with disabilities.
• Gaps in knowledge are being eliminated. Often, in classical education, a problematic situation arises: a child, due to absence from the lesson or due to thoughtfulness, cannot concentrate and misses important information, therefore, does not learn it properly. Specially designed online programs help to avoid consequences: the student can easily go through the topic on his own or re-read the summary of the lesson. There is also the opportunity to re-learn the material or do several similar tasks, which allows you to consolidate your success.
• Continuity. Blended learning involves constant access to educational resources. The child can work out in the evening, on weekends or at any time convenient for him. Thus, he is less limited by traditional teaching.
• Visible progress. With the help of online platforms, you can easily track the results and progress of students, which is not only convenient for teachers and parents, but also useful for the children themselves. So they can plan their time more efficiently, knowing exactly how many tasks are left. It also helps students feel more confident as they see their progress.
• Suitable for different levels. When working in a classroom, a teacher usually focuses on "average" students, which is why both lagging behind and gifted children suffer, as the former do not keep up with the others, and the latter, on the contrary, become bored. This gap can be leveled through the use of computer technology and self-study, because the first group can repeat the same type of material many times, and the second can go ahead without waiting for classmates.
• Individuality. The use of electronic resources allows the child to independently choose an educational trajectory and follow his own interests during learning, studying in depth the subjects that he likes.
• Cost reduction. Blended learning is a more cost-effective option for an educational organization as it reduces classroom hours, often eliminating the need for classrooms, as well as printed resources. In addition, electronic courses can be upgraded in the shortest possible time, which is simply impossible for classical training programs or requires large financial investments.

2. Disadvantages of blended learning and how to overcome them.

However, there are certain drawbacks that accompany this innovative teaching method. Let's see how we can solve the problems.

• Problem: computer literacy is required. If a child does not understand how to use technology, he will not be able to learn, the most difficult thing is for younger students.
  Solution: from elementary school, it is necessary to teach children how to use a computer, the Internet, and also conduct special trainings where teachers will explain and show how to work on a particular platform. YaKlass has special tasks for younger students, developed on the basis of the drag-and-drop technology (literally, drag-and-drop) - with its help, voluntary attention is developed, which is necessary at all stages of learning.
• Problem: learning is impossible with low motivation. Some children simply do not like and do not want to learn, however, with the classical model of education, they are forced to attend classroom classes, so they learn at least part of the material.
  Solution: It is necessary to motivate students to study independently. You can come up with a special system of rewards for achievements. All the advantages of this method should be explained, for example, you can hold a seminar before the introduction of blended learning to show the guys how it works in a playful way. A good example of solving this problem is the system of TOPs. The student sees his progress, and this gives him an incentive to keep up with others.
• Problem: electronic resources need to be carefully considered. Online platform courses must be constantly updated. In addition to the text format, it is important to submit materials in other categories: video and audio recordings, presentations, games, emulators, films, etc.
  Solution: using the “subject editor” on YaKlass, you can create your own assignments, modules, and even entire training courses, including elective ones. We have already talked about this tool more than once in our webinars: the "subject editor" for school and free software, including your own tasks in the test paper. We also invite teachers to a new series of master classes "Subject Editor for Classroom Teachers".

Blended learning is a promising technology that, when used with integrity, can achieve amazing results and solve many of the challenges of face-to-face education. With it, you can achieve greater involvement of students, put more information into certain modules, develop independence in students and take into account the capabilities and desires of different types of children.

Solve problems

published: 15.10.2020

principles and methods for effective implementation

Blended learning is a combination of traditional forms of classroom learning with elements of e-learning, which uses special information technologies such as computer graphics, audio and video, interactive elements etc.

Blended learning is a sequence of phases of traditional and e-learning that alternate over time. An example of such an alternation is shown in Figure [2]:

Stages in the RWD Technologies blended learning system

Blended learning principles

• Sequence. To obtain the effect, consistency in teaching is important: first, the student must feel the material himself, then receive theoretical knowledge from the teacher and only then apply it in practice. In many ways, this principle intersects with the “flipped class” model.
• Visibility. Thanks to modern e-learning tools, you can create a knowledge base that the student will always have at hand. Unlike the classical model of learning, with blended learning, the student has access to methodological materials - video tutorials, books or simulators.
• Practical application. Practical lessons are obligatory for assimilation of the theory.
• Continuity. Blended learning is partly based on the principles of microlearning. Due to the availability of the material, the student can always go to the educational portal and get a "new portion" of the material.
• Support. In the distance learning system, a student can always ask a teacher a question and get an answer promptly, without waiting for the next in-person class.

The emergence and development of blended learning

There are several reasons for the transition from classical to blended learning. In higher education institutions, this is primarily due to the widespread trend at the end of the 20th century towards the optimization of business processes.

In the university educational process, the most ineffective and at the same time the most disliked by teachers types of work were the first to be optimized:

• face-to-face consultations: students often come with questions that they did not try to solve on their own. Methods for tracking student independent work in modern blended learning systems allow teachers to accept questions only from those who have conscientiously worked independently;
• verification of control tasks (in blended learning, verification can be automatically performed by testing systems).

Advances in information technology have themselves contributed to the development of blended learning, primarily through the ability to share information via the Internet. Questions for exams, samples of project assignments, study materials can simply be posted on the university intranet or sent to students by e-mail.

Also contributing to the development of blended learning is research in the field of information processing by the brain, which has become very popular in recent years due to the development of robotics. Thus, after the scientific publications of Professor Suzanne Dikelman in 2008-2010, indirectly indicating the important role of sleep in the process of remembering information, American university libraries promptly revised their attitude towards students dozing over books and began to create special rooms for short sleep.

In 2014, direct evidence of this hypothesis was obtained. New York University professor Wenbiao Gan observed changes in the rat brain that occur during sleep: as it turned out, it is during sleep that new neuron connections are formed that are responsible for remembering the information received before sleep.

Commissioned by the US Federal Department of Education, Stanford University experts analyzed more than a thousand empirical studies that compared traditional, online and blended learning [3]. The results of the analysis allowed the authors to assert that in the period from 1996 to 2008, online learning did not have a significant advantage over traditional forms of learning. However, blended learning has proven to be significantly more effective than learning entirely online. This study significantly strengthened the position of blended learning and gave even more momentum to its development.

The above factors have led to the emergence of a separate sector in the field of e-learning with its own range of tasks and specialists in the creation and use of blended learning systems:

Specialization of activities in the BL ITyStudio system

The main task of LMS for blended learning

Obviously, the effectiveness of blended learning primarily depends on the correct setting of e-learning goals and on the ability to achieve these goals with the help of a specific LMS. Clearly set goals can be based on learning theory. However, the number of such theories is so large that it can significantly complicate the process.

Of course, with the accumulation of knowledge about the work of the brain, the number of alternative theories will decrease. In the meantime, the most popular among teachers and developers of LMS is the behavioral (behavioral) theory of learning, in which the student is expected to have a clearly defined reaction to a particular situation, and in the event that it deviates from the “norm”, the student is given additional conditions (reinforcement ), which should lead to the expected result. Despite almost a century of successful development of this technology, it has many critics (suffice it to recall how many copies were broken in discussions about the Unified State Examination), who pointed out the difficulty of creating tests that check not so much the presence of facts, definitions and rules in the student’s memory, but the ability to build on their basis a plan for solving the proposed problem.

Within the framework of blended learning, this contradiction is resolved simply: in the phase of e-learning, a knowledge test is taken out, leaving the teacher with more interesting work for him to measure the level of the student's creative potential. In order to fully implement the main formula of the behavioral theory of S-R-P (Situation → Response → Reinforcement) in the e-learning phase, a “Reinforcement” must be added to each test of the phase, consisting of “Situations”, as well as the rules for providing it in case of unsatisfactory results testing (i.e. "Reactions").

It is important to start with the development of tests, and then move on to the creation of the learning materials themselves. With this approach, already at the very beginning of the development of the e-learning phase, it will be clearly defined what the trainee should know after passing it. This will allow you to build the educational material in the most effective way.

Thus, the creation of Situation→Reaction→Reinforcement modules is the main task of LMS within blended learning.

How the main task of LMS is solved in iSpring

Creating an eLearning course with iSpring does not require the command shown in the figure at all; the effort of one teacher is enough. If he already has ready-made presentations, audio and video, they can be uploaded to the iSpring Suite course creation tool with one click. From individual materials, you can easily assemble a ready-made electronic course and place it in the LMS.

To create tests, there is a tool iSpring QuizMaker, which allows you to create audio and video questions, add links, images and formulas to both questions and answer options. Thus, with iSpring QuizMaker, you can create full-fledged Situation→Reaction→Reinforcement modules.

23 built-in question types provide a wide variety of test presentations. For a single question or the entire test, you can set up multimedia and text messages that carry background or "backup" information.

The testing process can be controlled using custom scripts that specify:

• branch by question;
• branching by group of questions;
• slide branching;
• branch by response.

The finished test can be published in Flash format for passing on a computer, and without installing a flash player, or in HTML5 format for posting on a website or viewing on mobile devices.

A PowerPoint presentation can serve as the basis for the instruction and support materials for the test. When converting these materials to Flash, iSpring provides excellent support for all PowerPoint effects: animations, transition effects, SmartArt shapes, and even trigger animations and hyperlinks. Full support for trigger animations is a unique feature of iSpring products. In addition, LMS iSpring Online saves detailed statistics on the passage of each student's training modules.

Watch a selection of blended learning videos.

The use of blended and flipped learning methods in one of the Moscow schools:

Professor Natalia Lubomirskaya analyzes the experience of introducing blended learning in Russia and abroad: