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Blended learning can be defined as an approach to organizational development that recognizes the diverse ways in which people and organizations learn, and offers appropriate vehicles for providing that learning. It is unlikely that any one method will fully close the learning gap, and blended learning takes this into account to ensure a rounded approach to employee development.
With this in mind, we believe that a blended learning strategy should be focused on delivering organizational excellence through aligning learning with excellent performance at every level of the organization. A blended learning strategy should contain the following six elements:
- alignment of business objectives with learning required to meet these
- awareness of the organization’s learning profile
- recognition of individuals’ learning profiles
- explicit performance measures for investment in learning
- deployment of a range of appropriate media for learning
- evaluation of impact based on clear performance measures
Many organizations may already have developed some of these elements, either as part of the journey to become a learning organization, or as part of the process of investing wisely in their people. Increasingly though, we believe that the key elements in a successful blended learning strategy are a sound knowledge of the range of media available for learning, and an appreciation of what represents real value and impact in your organization.
Practical Ways to Take it Forward
It is worth considering the following practical suggestions when embarking upon a blended learning program:
