Over the past few years, our world has become increasingly digital. This trend was kicked into overdrive as a result of the pandemic, accelerating the adoption of digital much faster than anticipated. Almost all schools and universities had their teaching methods changed overnight. In some cases, organizations had to leave their usual practices for the first time in a long time. Future Of Blended Learning-
Despite the disruption, there were opportunities, and educational institutions rushed to use different platforms, apps, and channels to maximize their teaching potential. All of a sudden, a wide array of video conferencing platforms became familiar names. Learning management systems like Thinkific, Litmos, and Absorb became even more important to educators. A sense of normalcy slowly started developing towards online digitalization as we moved further.
There was a question of how to combine the advantages of virtual teaching and classroom delivery, and different hybrid models were considered to do this.
The traditional training method has been face-to-face. A majority of professionals viewed corporate training as a break from their daily routine, rather than a chance to learn something new. Due to the introduction of new digital media, training is becoming more interactive and more responsive than ever before. And thus, came blended learning.
What is Blended Learning?
In the wake of eLearning, blended learning is gaining increasing popularity today. In a literal sense, blended learning involves online and face-to-face sessions conducted by instructors. In this method, there are a variety of platforms and delivery methods. With the help of videos, case studies, or articles, you can pique participants’ interests. After these online sessions, the students usually take part in a classroom setting that includes interactive methods such as discussion, role-playing games, experiments, gaming, problem-solving activities, and virtual team collaboration.
How to use Blended Learning?
In a world where new devices are introduced every single day, blended learning is not simply about incorporating technology. It’s about using technology to reach students most effectively.
Creating blended learning programs also involves taking into account the group of people that will receive training. What will be the most engaging method of delivery? Does the group have computer literacy? Can face-to-face training be effective for the group?
It has become the new normal to use multiple devices at the same time. Many professionals today rely on a variety of different devices to find information, whether they are reading articles or watching videos on their iPads, a podcast they can listen to later, or even using a mobile device to conduct interactive training exercises. With the strategic use of technology, blended learning may prove to be successful. The development of platform-independent applications is necessary. These include platforms, screen sizes, websites, formats, and operating systems compatible with many platforms.
The future of Blended Learning
Perhaps you’re wondering if blended learning is here to stay or if it is just another trend to fade away?
In a corporate setting, blended learning is a big advantage, especially for the mobile, tech-savvy professionals who are always on the move. Virtual methods will never completely replace instruction-led training, but combining the two is likely to produce the best results. Thus, the workplace is increasingly embracing blended learning. For blended learning to be successful, organizations need to:
- Stay on top of emerging technology, and make their employees aware of it.
- Understand how blended programs work and implement them strategically.
- Encourage participants to learn on their own
- Receive management support
- Make resources readily available
- Engage users with content
Using technology to complement classroom instruction will be key to the future of Blended Learning. The success of the program will also depend on the ability to create an interactive and responsive learning environment to debunk the stereotype that knowledge transfer in an office setting is like taking a break.
Conclusion
Educators can take advantage of blended learning to enhance flexibility and provide students with a more engaging educational experience. Supplementary materials are now easier to access than ever before. Thus, they should stay that way for quite some time. It would be unfair to say that blended learning systems are effortless, and it overlooks many of the challenges involved. But, by integrating cloud-based communication services with leading learning management systems, blended learning simplifies the learning process for both educators and students.
