Decision-makers in the field of Learning & Development are increasingly facing the question of how useful E-Learning is for their company. However, pure E-Learning will never replace traditional training! Find out now what typical forms of E-Learning are and why companies are on the safe side with Blended Learning.
What do you understand by E-Learning?
Digital processes are continuously changing how we live and work. Accordingly, corporate training is also changing: E-Learning is no longer just a buzzword in the Learning & Development community since 2018. In discussions, I often hear a certain skepticism alongside the impression that digital learning "somehow belongs" here: To what extent can people learn from and with machines?
There are two fundamental misunderstandings in this question.
Even in E-Learning, the content is fundamentally developed by people.
“The E-Learning” does not exist: Digital learning formats have many faces.
Regarding the first point: The "E" in E-Learning is not as relevant as you might think! The digital learning platform is merely a medium, like a book or a lecture. The content and the pedagogical preparation still depend on people who must empathize with their training participants.
Regarding the second point: When specialized media talk about "E-Learning," they usually refer very broadly to a learning format in which participants learn with digital devices. It can be a pure online course, a webinar with a presentation by an expert, or a mix of traditional face-to-face training and digital learning impulses. All the methods mentioned fall under the category of "E-Learning" – but they differ completely in process and effect.
Typical forms of E-Learning: Primarily self-directed
Let’s approach E-Learning in this article completely unbiased and first clarify how typical forms of E-Learning differ. Take a look at the following graphic:
On the right side of the graphic, you will find typical primarily externally directed learning forms. A seminar is a classic face-to-face event. A webinar is a seminar in the web and only differs in the learning environment: Just like the seminar, the learning process here primarily takes place under external guidance.
Both seminar and webinar do not fall under the term E-Learning due to this external control and the requirement of presence!
On the left side, you see typical E-Learning methods. A pure online course is usually available to the participant pre-packaged. Learning with online courses is therefore very self-directed. In learning formats with Learning Management Systems (LMS), communication among participants usually occurs. However, even in a typical LMS, the participant is mostly on their own and primarily learns in a self-directed manner.
In the center of the graphic is the Blended Learning method: Here, you connect self-directed and externally directed learning forms. Depending on the needs of the participants and the framework conditions in your company, you as a decision-maker in Learning & Development can choose how high the (primarily self-directed) share of E-Learning should be!
Blended Learning is a method where traditional face-to-face learning is combined with E-Learning components.
Find out in the next section why the Blended Learning method is the future of corporate training!
The future of Learning & Development is called Blended Learning
We at blink.it are convinced that pure E-Learning will not prevail. Although our software is 100% suitable for creating standalone online courses, we rather recommend the Blended Learning method to companies. Why is that?
As you can see in the graphic above, Blended Learning includes both externally directed and self-directed components. Thus, Blended Learning is comparable to a flexible material that also fills the smallest gaps:
With Blended Learning as a learning method for your corporate training…
the trainer is flexible in shifting content from the face-to-face component to the online support as needed – and vice versa
your company benefits from relatively little work disruption
the employees achieve a higher transfer performance than with pure E-Learning or pure face-to-face learning
These are just three of many reasons why Blended Learning will prevail in the long term. The numbers have spoken for this flexible learning method for several years: Blended Learning has been ranked as the top learning form in the annual Trend Monitor of the mmb Institute since 2013.
Why pure E-Learning has no future, I have elaborated in the article E-Learning seeks partners.
Overview: E-Learning versus face-to-face learning
If you decide to go for the Blended Learning method, the question remains how high the share of E-Learning should be and how high that of traditional seminars, workshops, and other face-to-face events:
For what is E-Learning suitable, and what is more suitable for face-to-face learning? What are typical methods? I present the answers to these and other questions in the following table:
| E-Learning | | Face-to-Face Learning || ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------ | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- || Declarative knowledge: e.g. fire safety measures | Suitable content | Procedural knowledge: e.g., typical soft skills like communication or leadership || self-directed methods, e.g., quiz questions or explanatory videos | Typical methods | more externally directed methods such as presentations or tandem learning || a virtual platform, e.g., a Learning Management System (LMS) | Learning location | a physically present room, e.g., a seminar room in the company || Support and assistance | Role of the trainer/coach | Direct knowledge transfer as an expert, personal connection (face-to-face) || perform pre-packaged exercises; the participant usually determines time and place | Role of the participant | performing pre-packaged exercises (often together with others) – time and place are set |
Of course, any training depends on many factors – the learning form is just one of them. The trainer should be pedagogically trained, the learning environment and technical aids (e.g., the LMS) should function flawlessly and be easy to operate.
Now choose the right model for Blended Learning
Studies show that Blended Learning as a mix of E-Learning and face-to-face learning tends to achieve the greatest learning effect. Provided that the supervising trainer or coach adapts the appropriate Blended Learning model to the needs of the participants! How high the online component is and how high the face-to-face component is, or how much time is between individual impulses – this varies in every Blended Learning model.
We have summarized the most common models for Blended Learning in an infographic and made them available for download. How well do you know the needs of your company's employees? Take a look at the infographic and get an impression of which model is suitable for your company!
