Formal education programs integrate various forms of educational technology with face-to-face classroom methods. This may include flipped classrooms, hybrid learning models, or other EdTech-assisted models.
Extending classroom discussions: Are there topics that would benefit from further exploration, but you don’t have the time in class?
What is Blended Learning?
The blended learning model integrates face-to-face instruction with online resources to give students an enhanced educational experience. It can be used to teach specific subjects or allow learners to explore at their own pace; additionally, it may supplement traditional classroom activities or offer extra support when necessary. Popular blended learning models include the flipped classroom, rotational model, and flex model.
Blended learning offers many advantages, yet educators must keep in mind the inherent challenges associated with its combination of in-person and online components. When selecting a blended learning model for their environment, educators must carefully consider teaching style and student needs in order to choose an effective model. It is also crucial that all stakeholders get behind it – educators should work towards building buy-in among peers and administrators and communicating its value to students and parents alike.
Implementing a blended learning program requires creating a framework to outline its different elements. A well-structured framework can help identify which learning activities work best for your audience online or onsite, which materials belong in blended courses, how best to present them online, etc. Ideally, this should include eight dimensions such as institutional, pedagogical, technological, interface design, evaluation, management support, and resource support.
One of the hallmarks of blended learning programs is their ability to provide learners with personalized learning experiences. While traditional lectures may involve simply sitting through, listening, and taking notes, interactive activities like clicking buttons, dialogue simulation, or game-like courses provide new ways for them to retain information while making it enjoyable to learn.
Blended learning offers students and employees a great deal of flexibility, making it more manageable in everyday life. By having access to learning materials online at any time of day or night, blended learning enables individuals to fit learning into their schedule even when on the go.
Blended Learning Benefits
Experts agree that blended learning is a powerful approach that offers many benefits for educators and learners, including enhanced engagement and more efficient teaching. Blended learning allows educators to meet learners where they are, respecting individual learning styles and needs while offering them the chance to collaborate at their own pace and learning environment. Furthermore, this format provides flexibility for busy schedules, such as students or employees who need learning to fit easily into their plans.
The flipped classroom model, for example, has proven its efficacy by enabling learners to study theoretical materials at home before applying what they have learned during in-person sessions. Furthermore, pairing face-to-face sessions with online modules provides the perfect opportunity to discuss any queries or difficulties students or employees might have had when working independently on learning, thus dispelling confusion and increasing retention of knowledge.
Blended learning can also boost motivation and engagement when combined with dynamic training methods. This approach builds upon the idea that making learning enjoyable, relevant, and fun is more likely to stick than simply listening to lectures for hours at a time. Online tools such as interactive videos, gamification, simulations, or dialogue simulations offer great ways to make it enjoyable: simply clicking buttons can unlock knowledge while dialog simulations provide further engagement opportunities, or taking immersive virtual courses can make acquiring knowledge much more fun than sitting through hours-long lectures.
Blended learning’s flexible nature enables instructors and trainers to tailor it specifically to the circumstances and challenges encountered in teaching or training work. When used in large classrooms with many learners, online modules may prove especially helpful, decreasing in-person lessons while giving learners a chance to interact both with each other as well as with the teacher.
Blended learning offers another key benefit – cost reduction. This is particularly apparent when using an LMS to host and deliver training content, such as iSpring Learn, which supports various blended learning models to make creating and managing combined learning strategies easy.
Blended Learning Strategies
Finding the optimal blend between classroom learning and online eLearning is at the core of successful blended learning, but this delicate task may seem intimidating at times. Yet its success depends on finding that balance, so taking the time to develop an integrated approach that meets learner’s needs is of the utmost importance to ensure its success.
Start small: To help get you going with blended learning strategies, try some popular ones out, like “flipped classroom.” This strategy enables students to cover course content on their own time before spending class time on discussions, projects, and practice, thus making learning more engaging and interactive for everyone involved.
Blended learning strategies worth considering include employing social and collaborative learning techniques, which can assist students in thinking critically, solving creatively, becoming independent learners, and engaging more with both their classmates and teachers.
Implementing a flexible schedule may also be helpful as part of a blended learning strategy, particularly for learners who have busy lives or prefer learning at their own pace. This strategy may allow learners to access all courses quickly without delay.
When creating a blended learning program, you must gain an in-depth knowledge of your learners’ needs and objectives. Doing this will ensure the program will be meaningful and impactful, as well as help identify suitable resources such as the pedagogical dimension of the Octagonal Framework.
Additionally, it would be best if you utilized an accessible authoring tool in order to create engaging eLearning materials quickly and easily online. iSpring Suite is an excellent option as a PowerPoint add-in that requires no special training to use; plus, they offer a free trial so that you can test it before purchasing! So give iSpring Suite a try now – you won’t regret it.
Blended Learning Technology
Blended learning is founded on the notion that it takes both online and offline teaching methods to provide a complete educational experience for its participants. Students often work on assignments from home or elsewhere before meeting up with their teacher at school to review progress, discuss ideas, or obtain assistance with complex concepts.
Implementing blended learning requires considering several aspects. It is of particular note to ensure students and employees alike have access to resources and technology; additionally, it’s crucial that learners can balance personal obligations with educational goals flexibly.
One factor to keep in mind when creating course content and modes of delivery is lecture content versus method of delivery and readings. Both ways may be suitable in different circumstances. Therefore, we must differentiate between them to determine which delivery method will be most appropriate.
Last but not least is the accessibility and organization of digital resources. It’s essential that students and employees can easily access these digital assets while keeping them organized for easy reference – this means ensuring servers remain up and accessible 24/7/365, as well as offering in-person and phone support as needed, creating a directory to make resources easy to find, etc.
Provide engaging digital resources. This could include interactive lessons, games, video recordings, and more to engage students and employees and drive higher achievement. Providing multiple learning methods keeps students and employees engaged and can cause more remarkable achievement.
When selecting a tool for creating blended learning resources, look for one with an intuitive user interface and flexible features. For example, iSpring Suite’s user-friendly interface makes creating content easy even without prior experience; plus, it is compatible with various standards, including SIF and IMS LTI interoperability standards, allowing you to start producing blended learning materials immediately! Start creating materials now by downloading a free trial of iSpring Suite today and starting your blended learning program right away!
