For many trainers, blended learning is still uncharted territory: combining face-to-face training and online learning sounds complicated and time-consuming. Here we show you the 3 classic mistakes in blended learning – and provide practical tips on how to avoid them. Because: blended learning doesn’t have to be difficult!
The topic of blended learning has been virtually omnipresent in the continuing education industry for years: blogs like ours, trade journals, and numerous studies report on the not-so-new method. The focus is mostly on the benefits and opportunities that the combination of face-to-face and online learning offers. Obviously: blended learning has countless advantages for trainers, participants, and companies!
But let’s be honest: no new method comes without a few stumbling blocks.
Basically, implementing blended learning in continuing education is not difficult: there are different models for practice, many methods for preparation, and our 10 golden rules that help beginners successfully implement their first blended learning experience.
The typical "three K" mistakes
In close exchange with trainers and continuing education experts, we repeatedly stumble upon typical mistakes that occur, especially during the first application of blended learning. These often happen in connection with the ‘three K’:
the Komplexity,
the Kommunication, and
the Korrection.
In the following, we will present these three points to you, explain the most common mistakes, and provide concrete tips on how to avoid them.
Mistake No.1 in blended learning: Too high complexity
Learning must be simple – the simpler, the better knowledge and behaviors can be conveyed and solidified. High complexity in blended learning can arise from two classic mistakes in planning: inappropriate content and an unsuitable platform.
Wrong: Online courses with too many or inappropriate contents
Just blindly cramming all content into an online course – this absolutely does not correspond to the fundamental idea of blended learning. This results in overly comprehensive courses with content that is not aligned with the method. Blended learning is not e-learning! The focus is not solely on the self-directed learning phase in the online course but also on face-to-face meetings. If the online course is too full, too long, and too confusing, participants will not stay motivated for long.
Solution: Consider before creating the online course what content works well in which format! Preparation and follow-up can best be implemented online. Practical exercises and participants' questions are more suited for face-to-face topics. And: a small course with short learning impulses is worth more in blended learning than huge courses with several hours of learning units!
Wrong: An unsuitable platform
The selection of learning management systems on the market is vast. However, the combination of online and face-to-face learning places particularly high demands on learning software. Classic LMS that offer a large pool of functions are often complicated to use. The focus is also on content delivery – a flexible connection with face-to-face training is often not provided.
Comprehensive information on selecting suitable software for blended learning can be found here: Why typical LMS are not good software for blended learning
Solution: Choose software that is geared towards blended learning! The focus should not be on the range of functions, but on ease of use. This applies to you as a trainer in content creation, as well as to the participants who will later view the content. Test how easy it is for participants to access and navigate through the course before the first live use.
Mistake No. 2: Poor communication
Communication is a central aspect of knowledge transfer. Therefore, this point is also prone to errors that significantly influence learning success. In blended learning, communication errors occur particularly in two areas: during communication with the participant and in connecting the formats.
Wrong: Lack of clarification for the participants
The combination of face-to-face and online learning is still relatively new. Therefore, you cannot assume that your participants can imagine what “blended learning” entails. If participants are not informed before the start of the training, there is a high risk that they will come unprepared to the face-to-face meeting or will not properly utilize the online support.
Solution: Inform your participants about the new method before starting! Particularly for the self-directed online phase, participants need to know what is required of them, how often they need to process content, and how to handle the software. It is helpful if you have chosen simple software and created clear courses (see mistake No.1).
Wrong: Lack of connection between face-to-face and online phases
The integration of the different phases is the heart of blended learning. Here, the most mistakes, which are rooted in planning, become evident: If no connections are established between online content and face-to-face exercises, the sense of integration is lost. The learning effect for participants suffers.
Solution: Always pay attention to the connection between online phases and face-to-face! Do not make yourself redundant by pushing everything into the online course – and always give your online content purpose! Create your content so that a reference can always be established. For example, announce in the course that questions from the online course will be discussed during the live session. Or test knowledge from the face-to-face meeting later in the online course.
Mistake No. 3: Missing correction
Correction does not mean that you should correct your participants – but that they should correct you! As explained above, blended learning thrives on mutual communication: knowledge and support from you and, afterwards, feedback from the participants. Mistakes also frequently occur here in two areas: in implementing feedback and in having (too) high expectations of yourself.
Wrong: Not incorporating feedback
Your online course and your face-to-face time can be planned perfectly: what matters is how they perform in practice. Without direct feedback, you cannot adjust your blended learning, address problems, and learn yourself. You may never find out why content was not understood or why changes were not adopted in everyday life.
Solution: Always ask your participants for feedback! A short questionnaire regarding participants' personal opinions can usually be easily integrated into the online course. Even better is if you ask not only the participants: also the client, HR managers, or other people involved in the measure can provide you with valuable feedback.
How interactions can also bring fun to training, you can find out here: Quiz, survey, exam: This is how interactive online support works.
Wrong: Being too impatient
When using new methods, small mistakes can creep in sometimes. However, the result should not be to give up (or not even start something new). If you change your entire methodology right after the first negative feedback, you cannot improve. Constant changes in the flow of ongoing training also confuse your participants.
Solution: Accept criticism and implement it at a suitable time! Make targeted changes based on feedback. However: Avoid major changes to content or flow during the ongoing training. Over time (and with patience), you can perfect your online course.
In the following, we summarize the classic mistakes in blended learning and the solutions for you as a simple checklist:
Checklist: Avoiding mistakes in blended learning
Simplify the complexity!
Create a compact online course with appropriate content!
Choose software that is easy to use for everyone involved!
Improve communication!
Inform your participants about their role in blended learning!
Clearly show the connection between online and face-to-face!
Make corrections!
Ask all participants for feedback on content and flow!
Continuously optimize your blended learning!
Do you want to improve your training with blended learning? We can help you with that: Download our free blended learning guide, which will lead you to your goal in nine simple steps! It includes various models, tips for content creation, and much more – in short: everything you need to get started with blended learning now!
