With the method of Blended Learning, what remains a mere wishful thinking in many trainings becomes a reality: sustainable learning success. Today, we present to you our 10 golden rules of Blended Learning. Check your own learning concept now: How many points are you currently achieving?
Blended Learning is a learning method that not only we at blink.it keep reporting on. The combination of in-person events and accompanying online courses is a hot topic among learning specialists. In discussions, the question often arises: “What should I pay attention to?”
Therefore, today you will learn our top 10 tips – so to speak, the golden rules of Blended Learning.
Here are our 10 golden rules in Blended Learning
The technology must be as easy to use as possible.
All parties involved must agree on the goals of Blended Learning.
The creator should allocate enough time for concept and content creation.
Everything that does not require a direct exchange between participants and trainers is part of the online course.
Each learning unit should be understandable in 2 minutes.
Each learning unit must include a call to action.
The choice of media must be adapted to the target audience.
The participant must always know what they need to do next.
In the briefing, the participant must understand their role in Blended Learning.
The creator should regularly review their own course and adjust it as needed.
The rules in detail: Tips for you as the creator of Blended Learning
1. The technology must be as easy to use as possible.
That means: Choose an online platform that is easy to use!
Tip: You will spend a lot of time planning and creating your content – the operation of the technology should not pose any obstacles. If you can understand the principle of a platform in 5 minutes and create the first simple content in 10 minutes, you will likely be able to work well with it in the long term.
2. All parties involved must agree on the goals of Blended Learning.
That means: Clarify with participants, HR personnel, and all other stakeholders in advance what the participants should be able to do by the end of the Blended Learning!
Tip: Goal setting works best when you do it together. What this means, you will learn in this blog article.
3. Take enough time for concept and content creation.
That means: Block out time in your calendar to plan your Blended Learning!
Tip: Dennis Tröger is an expert in creating online courses. He advises trainers and coaches with little time: “Start with a small topic. If you take 15 minutes each day to record a video, you will already have a small course with five video content after a week.”
4. Everything that does not require direct exchange between participants and trainers is part of the online course.
That means: Consider with every learning unit: Is my presence necessary for this? If not – move the content to your online course!
Tip: For in-person units, interactive exercises are especially suitable – for example, role-plays, but also deeper coaching conversations.
5. Each learning unit should be understandable in 2 minutes.
That means: Reduce your content to the core message!
Tip: Two minutes of processing time per learning unit in the online course may sound little. However, this guideline helps you focus on what is most important: Your participant cannot process more than one “lesson” at a time. Learn more about the 2-minute concept in this article.
6. Each learning unit must include a call to action.
That means: Always prompt your participant to a small exercise after each content!
Tip: If you always think of a call to action, rule No. 5 will also be easier for you. In the learning unit, you convey your knowledge – but without a subsequent exercise, the new knowledge cannot be solidified. In this blog article, you will learn how to create a good call to action!
7. The choice of media must be adapted to the target audience.
That means: Choose the media for your online course that your participants prefer!
Tip: In general, a variety of different media is always beneficial. Additionally, you should always keep your participants in mind: Will they have difficulty staying engaged with longer texts? Then predominantly use videos, images, and interactive elements like quiz questions.
8. The participant must always know what they need to do next.
That means: Make the process of your Blended Learning transparent for your participants!
Tip: A good call to action is half the battle here. However, throughout the course of Blended Learning, your participant should always know: When should I work on the next learning unit? How much time should I plan for the next exercise? This keeps the participant motivated and “carries” them from learning unit to learning unit. The easiest way to do this is to provide information about the next learning unit at the end of the previous one.
9. In the briefing, the participant must learn how Blended Learning works and what their role is.
That means: Give your participant timely access to the online course and inform them thoroughly about the entire process!
Tip: For your participant, it is most important to know their own role. Therefore, make it clear to them at the beginning that their participation is essential for the success of the Blended Learning. Also give them tips on how they can organize their learning units and how much time they should approximately expect. You can do this at the beginning of an in-person event. However, even in the online course, you should clarify the purpose and process of Blended Learning at the beginning in a personal (video) message.
10. The trainer should regularly review their own course and adjust it as needed.
That means: Keep your courses content-wise up to date!
Tip: A great advantage of Blended Learning is that you can quickly adjust content as needed. Sometimes, the thematic focus shifts, or you might find a current video that you want to show to your participants. And here, we come back to rule 1: If you find the operation of your online platform easy and even enjoyable, you can easily exchange or supplement content – and your course will remain lively in the long run!
Now it's your turn! Blended Learning from the participant's perspective
You have some ideas for your own Blended Learning in mind, but you cannot visualize them properly yet? Then perhaps a change in perspective will help: First, look at an online course for Blended Learning from the participant's perspective. This way, you can experience how quickly you become impatient or when the choice of media might not suit your taste.
Take notes during this experience: Write down your own rules that you want to follow for your first online course on Blended Learning!
