What Is Meant by Blended Learning?

Originally published on sunrisenews.co

You’ve heard of traditional learning and eLearning, but what is meant by blended learning? Blended learning is simply a combination of eLearning and face-to-face learning. It is also called hybrid learning, the two terms used interchangeably. In this article, eLearning Partners will explain what blended learning is and why you should care about it. 

Blended Learning Gives You the Advantages of Both Types of Learning

Blended learning gives you the advantages of online learning and face-to-face learning. You don’t have to worry about any disadvantages, as the advantages of one compensate for the cons of the other. As such, you just get the benefits. 

Explore some of the benefits from each type of learning that you get with blended learning. 

Advantage #1. Save Time and Money (From Online Learning)

One of the biggest benefits of online learning that you get with blended learning is the ability to save time and money. A great deal of the money-saving aspects comes from the fact that you save time. 

For example, consider internal eLearning programs to replace part of training. With the online course, you don’t need members of your team to be present and spend time explaining processes to new employees. Or, for external programs, the ability to sell online lets you sell as many copies as you want without having to worry about scalability. This contrasts with selling a service with one-on-one interactions. 

Advantage #2. No Downtime (From Online Learning)

Another significant advantage of online learning you get with hybrid learning is the lack of downtime. With face-to-face training, your learning schedule depends on when trainers or SMEs are available. If the learner has a question and they aren’t available, time is wasted. The same is true if the trainer or SME goes on vacation or is sick. By contrast, with eLearning, learners can always access the content or course, regardless of what the SME is doing. They can fit their own schedule. More importantly, they don’t have to wait for answers. 

Advantage #3. Learn Anywhere (From Online Learning)

Blended learning lets your learners learn no matter where they are. This is especially true with mobile-friendly courses and learning management systems. This connects strongly to the idea of no downtime, as learners don’t have to set up a meeting or go to a specific location for answers to questions. 

Advantage #4. Human Interaction (From Face-to-face Learning)

The biggest advantage of face-to-face learning is human interactions. This is the one big lack in eLearning, as it can be hard to form that connection. The human connection is crucial for a few different reasons. 

Necessary for Learning Certain Concepts

Some concepts are just easier to learn face-to-face than online. There are still ways to teach these online, but many feel most comfortable with face-to-face interactions. This is especially true for more technical lessons. 

Promotes Trust 

Blended learning promotes trust, especially for external programs. Your students need to trust you to be willing to pay for a course. But without face-to-face interaction, they may not feel that way. 

Conclusion

If you’ve been wondering what is meant by blended learning, it’s a combination of face-to-face and online learning. If you are currently fully face-to-face, slowly increase the amount of eLearning until you find the right balance for your learners.