The Challenges of Blended Learning

One challenge is how those responsible for training will deal with the complexity of these new learning forms that combine various media.  The diagram below shows some of the variations between the different learning media and within the specific media types themselves.

Figure 1; Strategies for Building Blended Learning (Rossett, Douglis Frazee)

With a larger assortment of learning media, comes increased complexity and greater pressure on trainers and designers to develop a good training plan.  Often, this kind of innovative development is based on relatively few guidelines, since there has been little research on what combinations are practical and, not the least, whether they actually result in improved learning.
When testing new learning forms, living up to participants’ expectations can be a challenge.

When using and mastering any kind of new technology, there are always some innovators and some stragglers.  Stragglers can be experienced as difficult students, but innovators and overeager students often present a greater challenge.  They can overrate the advantages, generating false expectations.  That’s why it is crucial to clearly explain the solution at an early stage, so course participants also understand the advantages of the chosen learning form and what is expected of them throughout the course.

Another challenge, perhaps particularly for combined learning forms, is to create a seamless learning experience.  Good communication between trainers and designers is essential, and everyone involved must plan extensively.

Another important topic and challenge is how to control costs and achieve a Return on Investment (ROI).  Blended learning offers great flexibility and efficiency, since we can use specific media adapted to specific training needs. The challenge is both to create a correct and effective blend, and to make that blend cost effective.  Cost controls related to quality controls and measured learning effect should be set up early in the planning/development phase.  One model that has proven to provide good answers is the Kirkpatrick model (1994).

Figure 2 Kirkpatrick’s Evaluation Method (1994)

This model provides information spanning subjective feedback from course participants in level 1, to more concrete information concerning ROI in level 4, measured after a predetermined period.

Criteria to Consider

Challenges closely linked to considerations particular to blended learning include:

Stability and Time Dependence

Will the content of the learning program last one year, two years, or several years?  Will there be running changes?  A good rule of thumb is that product information changes often, while management perspectives, HSE and customer service are more stable over time.  At the same time, we have to consider how much time is available for developing the learning program.  Are we talking about days or months?  These issues must be clarified to ensure appropriate expectations of quality.

The next question we must consider is whether human interaction during the learning process is crucial, or whether technology is sufficient.  Is the learning program controversial, abstract, or complex?  Is it reasonable to invest in human interaction through, for example, classroom training, coaching, mentoring, synchronised electronic presentations, and informal face-to-face meetings?  A greater degree of human interaction will lead to increased cost.

Learning resources that are often used as reference works/aids after the course has been completed are important for course participants. How will these resources be used, and how extensive do they need to be? The most significant value of most documentation, support tools, and online competency databases is that they are available over time and provide immediate assistance.  Course participants make extensive use of these types of resources when they feel overwhelmed with information, when the content of the learning program changes often, or when certain topics are seldom addressed.

Research Shows…

A Norwegian research group has complied a report, “Profit Analysis of E-learning”, demonstrating that blended learning can contribute to increased sales competence and skills, which again leads to increased measureable sales (Solheim, Bernard, Storrøsten, 2007).  Read the report here [only in Norwegian]. The results are based on several different evaluation methods, based on Kirkpatrick’s model. The companies that participated in the study were:  Notar [a real estate group], Byggmakker [a building supplies chain], Innovation Norway, and the Gresvig sports chain.

IDC, a global market analysis agency, has also conducted several studies showing that blended learning is a success. These studies aim to find out how to ensure that blended learning provides continued success over time. They discovered that the following factors must be present:

• The target group and the subject for the training must produce profits on the organisational level.
• Establish goals and competency requirements and identify competency gaps.
• Select strategic learning methods and content providers.
• Use feedback from course participants and others who are involved.
• Invest in technology that can handle current needs and can grow with the company.
• Ensure there are routines in place for updating and maintaining content.

Blended Learning of the Future

Young people today are competent and confident consumers of technology, and they will soon become part of the labour force, where they will be trained in applications, routines, products, etc. According to trend researchers, those under thirty are less concerned with finding a job that provides them with a feeling of identity. This must also be considered in light of the fact that there are more jobs available now than ever before. It is not necessarily a given that social priorities influence expectations for e-learning, but when we examine the characteristics of the most visited web sites, we get a much clearer picture of the significance of user participation and developing a social identity. We can clearly see this in the development of Second Life (SL), a web-based virtual 3D world, developed by Linden Lab, where users are responsible for building and developing the virtual world. In all, there are over 20 million registered SL accounts (wikipedia.org). A department at the University of Southern Denmark has recently launched its own virtual campus. Molde University College and Bergen University College have done the same for higher education in Norway.

Learning methods must develop continuously, in line with purchasers’ and participants’ demands and expectations. “Mobile Learning” is expanding rapidly and provides increased competence through a medium that is, for most of us, as necessary as air.  Learning through games, blogging, and podcasting are other methods currently being tested by several companies, and will most likely increase in significance in the near future.

In this context, it is interesting to look at the opportunities afforded by blended learning, where myriads of technological opportunities are fused with traditional learning forms, coordinated to shape, and take advantage of, a new kind of flexible learning world.

Article by: Randi Sekkeseter