Blended
learning is making its presence felt as a training tool, with more than half of
readers using it and more than a quarter planning to do so.
This
is the finding of a major survey into the method, conducted by Training
Magazine and provider Balance Learning in our June edition.
Blended
Learning : The Here and Now provides an insight into the use of blended
learning and its impact on the UK training industry. More than 170
questionnaires were completed by Training Magazine readers, representing
organisations with 1.95 million employees between them.
More
than half the respondents (55 per cent) are currently using blended learning
within their organisations and more than a quarter, while not currently using
it, have plans to do so.
The
main driver for the growth of blended learning, defined by respondents as a
combination of complementary learning content, is the recognition of different
learning styles and to meet individuals’ needs through a combination of
resources.
Key
skills will have to be developed further to keep up, the survey forecasts, most
typically the need to understand the learning styles of the target audience as
well as how different components can be blended for maximum effect.
A
potential barrier to the growth of blended learning could come from an
identified shortfall in evaluation. Although 95 per cent of organisations
evaluate their blended learning, the survey showed that only 34 per cent check
if business objectives have been met through learning and just 27 per cent look
for a return on investment. This is despite respondents admitting that they
need to continually win support from within their organisations.
Programme
quality is currently used to evaluate blended learning by 73 per cent of
organisations.
“Analysing
course quality and other soft measures is certainly easier than analysing
‘hard’ criteria such as business performance,” said managing director of
Balance Learning Chris Horseman, “however HR and training specialists must
develop more incisive ways of demonstrating blended learning’s effectiveness to
the business.”
Chris
Horseman and Stephanie Sparrow will be presenting the survey findings at this
year’s WOLCE show from from 1.30-2.00pm in the seminar presentation theatre at
Birmingham’s NEC.
By
Stephanie Sparrow
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