Learning at a distance is possible – the Corona pandemic clearly demonstrated this to us. Digital learning formats have even more advantages than just minimizing the risk of infection with a virus. Find out now what is behind distance learning and how this learning method can benefit your employees!

Whether it’s languages, lifestyle topics, or in-house training – you can find online learning offerings on a wide variety of topics. The digital framework allows employees to be significantly more flexible and participate in further training, even from home office. But how does learning at a distance actually work?

Distance Learning means Learning at a Distance

The term "Distance Learning" translates to learning at a distance and implies that learners no longer need to be physically present at a specific location to participate in further training. Instead, the learning process is facilitated through online media. With formats like webinars or online courses, you convey your content and motivate learners to achieve their learning goals! This way, learners can work on their goals independently of time and place. But distance learning offers you more advantages:

These Opportunities Distance Learning Offers You

Participating in training digitally – this benefits not only learners but also course instructors. Learners enjoy a high degree of flexibility as long commutes are eliminated and their own scheduling can be adjusted spontaneously. You as a course instructor can better monitor the learning goals of your participants using, for example, statistical functions in the online course! The following advantages distance learning offers you:

• Diversity: With online training, you have the opportunity to reach a much larger target group, as your participants are not tied to a specific location. This allows you to offer a wide range of topics – even for employees who do not work at your location!

• Own Learning Pace: If you create your content in online courses, your course participants can schedule their time flexibly and work on the chapters of your course at their own pace.

• Work-Life Balance: Private life requires a high degree of flexibility, as occasionally unexpected appointments may disrupt your planning. This allows for a better balance between work and personal life.

• Cost Savings: In-person training can often be very expensive. Additionally, only those employees who were present on the day benefit. Therefore, create online courses and ensure that future employees can quickly get up to speed with their colleagues.

• Adjustment of Learning Preferences: Your employees have different focuses and therefore need different training? No problem! With the blink.it learning platform, you can duplicate and adapt already created online courses. This way, you won’t need to plan a new training for other focuses, saving you time in creating your new course.

As you have seen above, online training formats have some advantages! However, there are certain aspects that can be better implemented in face-to-face events. We present these aspects to you and show you at the same time how you can solve these problems!

| Disadvantage | Description | Our Solution || ----------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- || Dry Training | Imagine sitting at home in front of your computer and having to follow an online seminar on data protection attentively. Does the thought make you feel unmotivated? No wonder – the lack of contact with colleagues can make a dry topic even more boring! | As a course creator, you can use gamification to wrap dry topics into a story, making your training popular with course participants! || Who is available for questions? | Questions often arise during training, as it’s about learning new topics and achieving learning goals. But how can your course participants contact you to ensure you can respond quickly and easily? | On the blink.it learning platform, your course participants have the opportunity to ask you questions via chat or write comments. This way, other participants can see your response too! || Lack of Exchange Among Each Other | Personal contact with colleagues contributes to knowledge exchange. This way, your course participants learn about new perspectives and viewpoints. But how is this possible with distance learning? | Interaction with colleagues is encouraged in shared chapters. Every course participant has access to these and can comment on personal experiences. |

Additionally, you have the option to complement your online training with blended learning formats. You will now learn which formats are pedagogically smart!

From Distance Learning to Blended Learning

Traditional lectures and rote learning are in the past – we now show you the three most popular models for combining online training and face-to-face events!

Do you want to achieve optimal learning outcomes? Then you should integrate face-to-face events with self-directed online learning phases. Depending on the model, you can align your training according to the needs of the participants or the framework conditions in the company. This way, you combine the advantages of both online and offline training and offer your course participants a pedagogically meaningful learning experience!

By the way, we have already written more about the topic of distance learning. Learn more now: Online, but personal! How training at a distance succeeds

High flexibility through online training offerings – does that sound good? Still, do you want to maintain personal contact with your course participants? Then connect the benefits of both worlds and choose one of the presented blended learning models! This way, your company benefits from training that is tailored to the needs and conditions of your employees!

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