The Covid 19 pandemic has made sure everyone start working from home. But the companies had to still train employees during this time and blended learning was extremely useful.

Blended learning is about providing asynchronous and synchronous education to learners at different times.

Blended learning includes instructor-led training imparted to learners. This is of course done by learners being there for the classes. However, another facet of such learning includes online learning done virtually.

Blended learning is beneficial: While learners can benefit from in-person training, they can also check the notes taken down during such classes. It is because they can go through the elearning modules to simply revise the classroom training.

Increases revision: Blended learning can be used to make that training has the maximum impact. So, for example, if the learners have been given classroom training about how to use certain machinery like which button to press for a certain function, this can be complemented with digital simulations. But, somehow the learners could forget to note down something during the live presentation and in this case, they should be given a simulation. It’s a recording of screencasts with the machine for executing a certain machinery based function. They can watch the simulation repeatedly for carrying out actual tasks with the machine and to refrain from any errors.

Blended learning is useful for changing behavioural skills: Since blended learning provides online learning material to the learners they can benefit from scenarios and games. They can boost their learning awareness with such tests. Learners can be taught behaviour skills through scenario-based learning and it’s effective. For example, if there is a scenario in which a manager provides some positive feedback to his junior, but he responds negatively, so, you can teach learners how to behave in such a situation by asking their responses in a quiz. The same scenario can be used to teach managers also about how to deal with the negative reactions of their juniors. Since such scenarios are virtual, any response given by a learner to the post-scenario quizzes can’t have any real-life consequences for them. The learners are also given reasonable explanations in such quizzes why certain responses are wrong or right. So, through scenario-based learning, all the classroom-based training can be reinforced.

Elearning in blended learning answers all the queries

The best part about blended learning is that sometimes the instructor may have very little time on his hand. So, he will just leave after taking the class, but learners might have a lot of doubts. So, they can consult the elearning part of blended learning to clarify their doubts. They can also attempt the quizzes included in such eLearning solutions to know why a certain response is correct or wrong. There is perfect reasoning provided in such quizzes for wrong and right answers.

Moreover, due to the use of elearning in blended learning, learners can also clarify their doubts with instructors through chatrooms and discussion boards included in an LMS.

Microlearning to boost instructor-led training

Microlearning courses are also useful for learners to make sure that they can supplement their learning in instructor-led training. Such microlearning videos could be prepared by the instructor himself including important points or they can be provided by your elearning solutions vendor. In the latter case, they can include important multimedia animations. Since such courses provide relevant information on just one topic they can be sent to learners after every class.

Further advantages of blended learning

Blended learning makes sure that the learners can check their knowledge gained through classroom training. It’s because assessments in online learning can be accessed from any corner of the world. The students also get access to specialized elearning materials prepared by international level elearning solution providers.

Apart from that, it’s ideal for those learners who can’t focus in a classroom-based setting.

That is why blended learning is so much popular these days when learners can’t attend offices and schools very much due to the pandemic.

Blended learning has become an important part of elearning.

There are some advantages and disadvantages of this strategy which are listed below:

Blended learning is imparted depends on the situations. So, there is no simple definition of this kind of learning. It’s the approach that combines conventional classroom-based methods with online education. The classroom studying methods can also be substituted by webinars, so the learning completely becomes online. Following are the advantages of blended learning:

• Flexible teaching

Blended learning ensures that teachers can have freedom in the way that they teach students. So, they can instruct them in a class and through online methods. Since blended learning incorporates technology also, it implies that the teachers can get access to more students through webinars. Some of the students are taught through online learning, so the teachers can focus on the rest of them who are getting taught in a class. They can check how such students are performing.

Technology provides the gaps which the students are facing in online learning. Teachers can easily make sure those gaps are filled.

• Effective results

Since students have access to such a wide variety of teaching approaches, they get the best results from their education.

• Empowerment with Technology

Students also get empowered with technology since they are accustomed to using it in their daily lives. When technology is included in educational settings, students can enhance their technological skills.

• Suited to each individual’s needs

There are so many teaching approaches in blended learning. Whether it’s the online or the offline approach, it can be suited to make sure that the child is imbibing the maximum knowledge. The teachers also become aware of how capable he is to learn something. They provide instructions, activities and lesson materials accordingly.

There are also some essential requirements for blended learning:

Proper technology required

The schools have to be extra prepared to provide the necessary backup to teachers so that they can implement the blended learning methodology. This kind of backup is in terms of video conferencing software and tools. Also, the bandwidth needs to be good because any glitches will ensure that there the blended learning instructions are not imparted properly.

Expertise of teachers

Teachers must have the proper training to ensure that they can use technology properly. Apart from that, although teaching students through technology implies teachers have got a lot of spare time on their hands, they still have to teach children in classroom sessions. Whatever is the implementation of the digital education program, it informs teachers about the learning skills of students and how there can be personal teaching plans for weaker students.

This is how blended learning methods can be accustomed to different kinds of students.

The coronavirus has paved new methods of education. Parents have to decide the delivery method of education for their wards. The teachers can send the modules to students offline methods(through physical copies). Apart from that, the teachers should also meet students once a week to ensure that they understand everything in the module. This meeting between teachers and students can be arranged through a video conferencing tool. The teachers can also send physical copies of assessments to students and collect them later. The Department of Education has specified different learning methods suited to the needs of children who can’t commute to school in these critical times. It is upto the parents to decide which method they want for students.

The increased role of parents in blended learning

Parents have an important role to play when it comes to blended learning. The children have to be explained what is contained in the physical copies of the learning modules. Although there are online classes conducted for students by teachers, they may still find it hard to understand the online modules. Since the parents have to make the children understand how to study the online modules, it becomes an additional responsibility for them. Before submitting the assessments back to the teachers, children have to complete them which is also the responsibility of parents. On the other hand, they also have to supervise whether the children are studying the hard copies of their learning modules.

Other problems faced by parents

Parents also face another set of problems apart from guiding their wards. These problems are when there are errors in assessments printed by schools. Sometimes, schools are not able to get the learning modules printed on time. The parents have to make sure that the students work on the prior modules in the meantime. It’s also not possible for parents to make sure that the schools can get back the assessments distributed to children. Moreover, the parents also might not be educated enough to guide their children on how to go through the learning modules and assessments respectively. So, working parents might not have time to guide the children through learning modules and assessments.

So, parents who don’t have time on their hands, take the help of neighbours in teaching their children. They also take help from other family members in doing so.

How to measure the academic performance of learners?

The teachers can measure the academic performance of students through various measures. These include written work, portfolio assessments. Written work refers to an essay submitted by students. On the other hand, portfolio assessment imply, assessments given to students based on what they have learnt. The teachers have to ensure that these assessments are as per the given calibre of students. Moreover, the students should also be able to complete them on time. This is how blended learning needs to be imparted.

Things have changed vastly this year. It’s because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Now, training methods have also changed.

Earlier, trainers felt challenges because it was difficult to get the attention of learners in a classroom. But now it is not so. Getting their attention is tough when they are working from a room on a PC and a webcam. There can be many problems like technical issues, over-enthusiastic children and noisy pets. Someone must be there to handle them.

But with the use of blended learning, you can make sure that you get the best of your learner’s attention.

Blended learning is a new approach to education, in which classroom methods are integrated with online education. There are virtual classrooms also long with brick and mortar classrooms. So, students are a part of computer meditated instructional methodology and traditional methods.

It has been discovered that student learning is higher in blended learning as compared to online learning and offline learning.

After the pandemic hit the world, there has been a rethinking of priorities. Earlier, cost-cutting was the main focus of companies, now the main focus is to get some kind of social interaction in learning to boost the learning level.

The companies need to arrive at a mixture of asynchronous learning and synchronous learning.

Since blended learning also involves asynchronous learning, there have to be ways to ensure that there are more ways for this kind of learning to become more interactive. There has to be a measurement of results derived from this kind of learning. The learners can use such reference material such as CDs given to them for long term use. Asynchronous blended learning can also include learning kits or ebooks integrated with the website.

Code cards

Tangible materials can be given to the learners to ensure that they apply what they have learnt in the training. For example, code cards can be given to learners if they have been given the training. Code cards have serial numbers which imply that whoever gets them gets a serial number.

The trainer needs to give these code cards to specific individuals in a region where he is imparting training. So, whosoever reimburses those codes to get more information, has understood the training pitch and believes in it.

When those who have used the code cards, enter their numbers in a website, they can be led to a new quiz or a landing page. They can receive an immediate prize when they complete the quiz. This is how you get to know that your learners are interested in coming to the website and hence the trainer has been successful. The learners can get access to more elearning material through the website. The code cards can also include messages making sure that participants act on them like entering the code, being a part of the quiz and then earning an instant reward.

So, these cards are a way for the learners to take part in an elearning program on the website.

Flashcards

Flashcards can also be used during training sessions. They are to be used as reference pieces. They make sure trainers don’t forget anything during the training sessions.

These cards can be used during presentations. So, the salesperson can use it to pose a question to learners. They can also pose an important point during the presentation. Different cards can be used for training in different products and concepts. They can also be used for role-playing among different learners. When a certain role is given to a learner through the card, he can act upon the information mentioned on the card to make it more interesting.

So, these are how you can make blended learning, including both synchronous and asynchronous more interesting.