Pros and Cons of Blended Learning
The pros and cons of blended learning depend on whether you are a learning ‘giver’ or a learning ‘receiver’; each group has its own “view” of the pros and cons, of course, since the groups approach the subject from a very different point of view.
The main beneficiaries are:
1. The student: the end user of the learning process
2. The employer – the one who provides the apprenticeship, either personally or through another, such as a training professional
Let’s look at the pros and cons of each group…
1 Advantages for me as a student
- I can study some of the content when I want
- I can work at my own pace
- I can experience different learning tools
- I can use the Internet, which I use a lot at work and at home anyway.
- I like the balance between face-to-face and individual work.
- I like the variety of approaches.
- I like to have time to explore a topic, do some research and reflect on the results before I have to give a response to the trainer.
- I can work on my training when it suits me
- It focuses on solutions instead of focusing on problems.
- I can build a network of allies through group forums
- It keeps me flexible and agile, which is useful for modeling in my management role.
OBJECTIVE
- I need to be more motivated than if I were in a classroom.
- I need to make sure I don’t let distractions in the office interfere with the results of my training program.
- I need to meet deadlines set by myself or my guardians and not let other things get in the way.
As a byproduct, we could almost say that blended learning gives the learner the opportunity to learn new technical skills or develop self-motivation, time management, and focus skills (all important in other roles and other jobs, as these are key transferable skills) .
2 advantages for me as an employer
- I can get my message across the company easily and quickly if I use a blended approach
- I can save money on coaches and training days
- I can save money by keeping people in their workplaces and not in training
- I can encourage staff to take their development seriously.
- Motivated and fully developed staff will be more effective
- I can offer and encourage much more accessible ways of learning.
- It’s just a one-time investment for reusable content.
- I have a resource that is easily updated
- I can get tailored training content to meet changing business needs
- There is a greater strategic alignment
- The most proactive teams can better deal with changing environments
- I can finally build a complete learning organization!
OBJECTIVE
- I should not focus solely on savings; what is the actual cost?
- You may have to make an investment in technology in the short term
- I will have to make sure we keep up with new developments as technology advances.
- I must ensure that I use the right people to design and deliver blended learning programs that may include upskilling of my training and development staff.
- Students may still need face-to-face contact to build relationships
- I must ensure that training still takes place within working hours as much as possible and that staff are not expected to work outside of normal hours just because they can.
- It could represent a very new learning path for our organization and I will have to sell it.
- It means taking training very seriously!
tip top
If you want to introduce blended learning approaches, clarify the pros and cons for you and your company, as well as for your learners.
