Tips for Using Blended Learning to Enrich Classroom Training (Pt 1)

• 3 min read

How to Start Using Online Training to Supplement the Traditional Classroom Experience

Corporate training can now take place in a physical or online environment, thanks to the power of modern technology. Of course, there are benefits and drawbacks to both approaches. Traditional classroom training still has much to offer, including the opportunity to interact with and learn from peers while receiving feedback from instructors in real time.

However, a recent survey found that only 14% of employees would grade their company an “A” for the availability of training resources. One way to address this concern is to make training materials available online. In the first four steps to achieving a successful blended learning strategy, we talk about how to take advantage of the best of both worlds to meet your learners’ needs.

1. Set Clear Goals, Objectives And Expectations

Every effective blended learning strategy starts with clear goals and objectives. These serve as the foundation for your corporate training program, as they frame all of your activities and assessments. You must also be completely transparent about your expectations. Both trainers and employees need to know the desired outcomes and how to achieve them. This gives everyone the opportunity to focus their efforts and set their sights on the goal. It also provides purpose for everything that they do, from participating in group discussions to assessing learners’ skills.

2. Enable Online Collaboration And Social Media Integration

One of the perks of classroom corporate training is social interaction. Employees have the ability to work with their peers and share their insights. However, online collaboration tools and social media sites can expand the training experience. Your staff can provide feedback and problem-solve in group settings 24/7!

It’s wise to prepare a list of online collaboration resources so that learners know which tools are available and how to use them properly. Survey your employees in advance to find out which social platforms they’re using and how you may be able to incorporate them. For instance, if a majority of your staff already has a Facebook profile, they are likely to take advantage of a Facebook group where they can interact with colleagues and share their opinions.

3. Design Online Training Material That Reinforces Key Concepts

Online tutorials, simulations and branching scenarios can tie your classroom discussions to their real-world applications. They also give employees the chance to put their knowledge and skills into practice, reinforcing key concepts and improve retention. As a result, learners can actually use what they’ve learned in the workplace. This improves your training ROI and boosts employee confidence, which increases overall productivity.

4. Frequent Knowledge Checks

Before you fill performance and skill gaps you must first identify them. This is one of the primary reasons why frequent knowledge checks are essential. They give you the ability to determine what your employees know now and where they need to focus their attention.

Assessments also allow you to provide the right additional online resources to each individual. Many corporate training programs incorporate knowledge checks before and after the corporate training course. However, this doesn’t give employees enough time to make improvements. As such, you should assess your corporate learners after each classroom online training session or module.

As you launch online training to support the traditional learning environment, keeping these tips in mind will help you to realize all the benefits that a blended learning strategy has to offer. Don’t miss part two of this post, where we’ll delve into some of the more advanced actions you can take to increase the effectiveness of your blended training initiatives.

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