With Blended Learning, you reach the next level of training and coaching. The method: Link traditional face-to-face learning with e-learning and reap the benefits of both forms of learning. In this blog post, you will learn the definition of Blended Learning and which other terms you should also know.
Definition: Blended Learning
“In Blended Learning, the very different forms of learning are so interlinked and merged into a single entity that it is possible to bring in the advantages of the respective form of learning and to compensate for the disadvantages of the other form of learning.”
This is the definition of Blended Learning formulated by the Association of European Blended Learning Actors e.V. (blended-learning-network.eu). This makes the complexity and sophistication of the method clear: with Blended Learning, you work like an inventor who links two already existing things in such a way that the errors on both sides are removed and something new is created.
The exact way in which the two forms of learning are interlinked looks very different in practical implementation. You can find more about the most popular Blended Learning models and their use in coaching, further training, and other forms of learning on our detailed info page about Blended Learning in Practice.
Blended Learning vs. Integrated Learning
If you search Google for a definition of Blended Learning, the first thing you will find is a Wikipedia entry for “Integrated Learning”. We prefer the English term “Blended Learning” for our definition for two reasons:
The term “Blended Learning” is more common in professional circles than “Integrated Learning”.
With “Integrated Learning”, it is easy to confuse it with “integrative learning concepts”, which have more to do with social inclusion.
Furthermore, the Wikipedia entry in question has a note at the very top stating that this page is incomplete. We can see: The search for a clear definition of Blended Learning is not that simple.
Addendum: The Wikipedia article has not been completed further to this day. The note about missing information can still be found in the article. (As of February 2021)
Face-to-Face Learning + E-Learning = Blended Learning?
In the definition of Blended Learning quoted above, only “very different forms of learning” are mentioned. In the education industry, this is understood as the integration of e-learning and traditional face-to-face learning. However, for this classification, you in turn need clear definitions of e-learning and face-to-face learning – further down on this page you will find an overview of short definitions of these terms.
The problem with the term “e-learning”: Not every learning-related event that takes place online is automatically e-learning! For example, webinars are online on the one hand, but on the other hand, they are also bound to the presence of the participants – they usually take place at fixed times.
Dividing Blended Learning into online and offline phases does not hit the core of the method. It is better to divide it into presence and non-presence, because presence basically only means being present. We therefore include all synchronously occurring events under the term face-to-face learning.
The formula “Face-to-face learning + E-Learning = Blended Learning” therefore works on the condition that you do not equate e-learning with “everything that takes place online”. Because e-learning here is usually a phase that takes place independently of time, in which the participant learns self-directed with online resources. The following formula-definition for Blended Learning would therefore be clearer:
Blended Learning = Face-to-Face Learning + online-supported self-learning phase
Overview: Event Formats in Blended Learning
We have already seen that the event format “webinar” is sometimes difficult to classify into the categories “e-learning” and “face-to-face learning”. So, according to the definition, which terms belong in one category or the other? The following table gives a rough overview:
Typical Presence | Typical E-Learning |
Workshop | Online-supported self-learning phase |
Seminar | Online courses |
Webinar | Webcast |
Live Coaching | Online support |
Face-to-Face | Learning platform |
live | independent of time |
Definition: Other Terms around Blended Learning
With the definition of Blended Learning, you already have a good basic understanding of the method of linking face-to-face learning and e-learning. As soon as you delve deeper into this topic, you will come across other technical terms that are frequently mentioned in connection with Blended Learning.
Below, I will give you a brief overview of the essential terms – each with a short definition and a typical example:
Definition Face-to-Face Learning
By face-to-face learning, we mean a form of learning in which the participants are present together at a certain time. In the definition of Blended Learning, face-to-face learning is an essential component alongside e-learning.
Example: Twelve participants and one trainer participate in the seminar “Competency Development” on May 24th from 8 am to 4 pm and meet face-to-face in Darmstadt.
Definition E-Learning
By e-learning, we mean a form of learning in which the participants determine the time and place of their learning in a highly self-directed manner and access online content using digital devices. In the definition of Blended Learning, e-learning is usually a core component alongside face-to-face learning.
Example: Forty-two participants each work through online content on the topic of “Competency Development” at their own pace, which the trainer has previously created once for everyone using learning software.
Definition Microlearning
By microlearning, we mean a form of learning in which the big picture is divided into the smallest possible learning units.
Example: On his online platform, the competency development trainer uploads fifteen short learning units, for each of which the participant needs no longer than five minutes. These learning units are, for example, explanatory videos or quiz questions. In the definition of Blended Learning, microlearning is a highly recommended concept for successful e-learning components.
Definition Webinar
By webinar, we mean a seminar that takes place online (web seminar). Like a typical seminar, a webinar should be designed to be interactive and take place live. Attention: In the definition of Blended Learning, the webinar falls into the “face-to-face learning” category. The pure broadcast of a presentation, where no presence takes place, is called a webcast.
Example: Thirty participants and two trainers meet online on May 24th from 8 am to 4 pm in the webinar “Competency Development for Advanced Users” and talk to each other via chat and webcam.
Definition Just-in-Time Learning
By Just-in-Time Learning, we mean a form of learning in which the classic teaching-learning sequence is reversed: First, the participants acquire basic knowledge in a self-directed manner, and then the trainer can continue with building-on content with the whole group at the same level.
Example: The thirty participants of the “Competency Development” training prepare themselves independently and at their own pace two months before the face-to-face seminar. For this, they use an online platform that the trainer has previously filled with short content. At the end of this online phase, all thirty participants have internalized the basics and begin the face-to-face phase with concrete questions and ideas.
Your Benefit and Your Start in Blended Learning
Now you have learned some definitions of the most important terms around Blended Learning. As a trainer, you draw the following advantages from this method of interlinking face-to-face learning and e-learning:
You gain a unique selling proposition
You gain a new source of income
You gain new customer groups
You gain measurability
You gain reusability
You gain flexibility
You gain media diversity
Conclusion
Blended Learning is more than the combination of online and offline learning: The key is the targeted integration of joint and self-directed learning phases.
Terms like face-to-face learning, e-learning, microlearning, or webinar describe different forms and formats of learning that can assume different tasks within a Blended Learning concept. Anyone who knows these differences can select learning phases more purposefully and combine them into a matching overall concept.
Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
What is Blended Learning?
Blended Learning is a learning method in which different forms of learning are targetedly interlinked. Typically, joint face-to-face phases are combined with self-directed digital learning phases.
What is the difference between Blended Learning and E-Learning?
E-learning refers to digital learning with electronic media. In Blended Learning, on the other hand, e-learning is part of a more comprehensive learning concept that combines digital self-learning phases with synchronous learning phases.
Are webinars part of Blended Learning?
Webinars can be part of a Blended Learning concept. Since the trainer and participants are present at the same time and interact with each other, they count as synchronous learning phases.
Which forms of learning can be combined in Blended Learning?
In addition to face-to-face events and digital self-learning phases, webinars, online courses, microlearning, and other digital learning formats can be integrated into a Blended Learning concept, for example.
