Blended learning, a magical mix

Blended learning is an effective response to major challenges that the world of training must face with urgency and incisiveness. Such as:

• a radical reduction in terms of time and costs
• the need to increase the degree of involvement of the target audience differentiated by age, level of digitalisation and learning styles
• an increase in the effectiveness of teaching.

One of the ways of achieving these objectives is to aim the training plans towards blended learning. We need to think of all training projects as an alchemy, a magical mix of ingredients that have to be selected and carefully measured to generate maximum learning. Of course, we need to realise that the perfect recipe, one which always works, for each project or context, does not exist and that is why the planning of a blended learning approach must be precise and targeted. Let’s look at a few TIPS that can be used be to create truly effective training programmes.

1. Variety and balanceof methodologies it should always be remembered that there are many types of training methods, which can be seen as cards that can be played and combined to create the scaffolding of our project.
2. The classroom does not disappear, it is renewed! Imparting concepts, supported by e-learning, is not the exclusive preserve of the classroom, which becomes briefer, but more qualitative, by virtue of its coexistence with online training, turning into a training ground, a place for discussion and sharing experiences.
3. The role of the trainer is changing the trainer is no longer someone who delivers content and explains theories and concepts, but becomes the director of the learning process, guiding the classroom towards its full expression and the learners (the protagonists) towards the construction of concepts digital skills play an increasingly important role in the training of trainers, who have to know how to manage the tools provided by the web for the design, the delivery of courses and collaboration among learners, in a lean and effective manner.
4. Supporter network every project needs a network of internal supporters, selected from among the participants themselves, who sponsor the programme, acting as tutors for their colleagues, initiating a positive multiplier effect the criteria for selecting supporters are manifold: the level of digital skill, the motivation to act as a tutor, the understanding of the subject matter covered by the programme, etc.
5. Contamination searching for contamination in the content and language, in other words “shuffling the cards”, can increase the effectiveness of training. A few examples: behavioural and technical training can coexist within the same programme multimedia languages ??can be used in the classroom and so on.
6. Communication campaigns we recommend creating targeted campaigns to support each project, to highlight the training agreement and provide a clearer view of the objectives, phases and persons involved, providing a simple and complete map of the training process.

This topic was discussed in posterLab no. 8: “true blended training” Alessandra Scapati