Blended Learning on a large scale: Sabine Lopp from the North-East German Savings Bank Academy (NOSA) reveals in this interview how the combination of face-to-face and online learning has become a great alternative to previous training methods for her employees – and why fun is so important!
Note: This article was published in July 2019 and last updated in November 2020.
About the person: Sabine Lopp is the head of the educational services team at the North-East German Savings Bank Academy and is responsible for the blink.it platform as a tool for media education as well as blended learning at NOSA.
Since 2016, NOSA has been using blink.it. What is the platform primarily used for?
Our main goal is training within the framework of blended learning concepts. A flagship example is our “Digital Driving License”. This teaches employees the basic know-how on digital topics. These are also our largest courses with up to 600 participants simultaneously.
In addition, we offer additional support for many events, which are woven around the face-to-face appointments in the blended learning approach.
An insight into the “Digital Driving License” of the North-East German Savings Bank Academy. Source: NOSA
W hy did you choose blended learning instead of pure e-learning?
We were originally a successful face-to-face academy. We wanted to transfer the successes from this area from the presence to the new digital world – but not just simply put everything online. We want to really utilize the advantages of online training, especially the repeatability of content and learning at one’s own pace.
However, we are also strongly oriented towards our participants: there is still a lot of face-to-face contact expected, with a trainer or a seminar group. So we try to connect these two concepts in such a way that we can utilize all advantages.
Why did you choose blink.it as a platform for this?
We have always been looking for a learning platform that serves both learners and content creators in the context of blended learning. We never really warmed up to classic WBTs because these large systems are not flexible enough and do not adapt well to our needs.
With blink.it, we had a good feeling right away: it is easy to use and you can see a success immediately! This is very important when starting out.
How do you connect the face-to-face events and online courses with each other, for example with the “Digital Driving License”?
We first try to get all employees on board with the Digital Driving License and then offer specific, target-group-specific seminars that usually run in person.
The driving license is the online basic training for all employees – directly at the workplace or also from home. Afterward, the trainer can focus on special topics in more detail, depending on the target group, the savings bank specification, or the individual needs of each employee.
How do you communicate the “new digital learning” to the learners?
Preparatory and supportive discussions take place with the HR department, where expectations and goals are communicated. The introduction of the digital driving license in the savings banks is usually accompanied by an in-house fair. At this in-house fair, the board speaks, announces the courses, and personally encourages participation.
We want to give a face to this whole thing so that colleagues on-site are informed and can engage in conversation with the employees. This in-house fair is our first blended learning touchpoint. The communication works best in person. And I also notice: if something doesn’t work out during the preparation, it later takes a lot of work to get all employees on board.
The blended learning concept of NOSA with blink.it
How do the courses resonate with your learners?
We have a very productive, critical atmosphere in the courses, where serious online discussions take place: from the board to the newest employee, contributions are made in comments. When we allow the participants to engage, it is well received.
Specifically, with the digital driving license, the expectations are high: the online course consists of about 150 blinks with content, a final quiz, and a certificate. This is very well received by our participants: they have proven their success and are then also directly rewarded for their work and learning engagement. There is also fun involved!
Learning motivation is also maintained when the media content speaks to the learner in its form and there’s sometimes a “laugh” involved. We focus on conciseness, active engagement, and practical lightness.
What tips would you give to another company that wants to start with blended learning and blink.it?
The first tip: Get your own people on board and do something that they enjoy! And this applies not only to the employees! It is indeed a possibility to take care of your own trainers and speakers with relatively little effort while effectively positioning the platform. For example, we also filmed our own learning videos together during a retreat day and had a lot of fun doing it!
The second tip: Think small first! You often find that you have a lot to say, especially with trainers who have a lot of expertise. The art is then to reflect on the various steps and break this knowledge down into small parts. It’s best to start with smaller, simpler topics.
The third tip: Use the medium of video! – Videos are easy to create and can be easily uploaded and distributed via blink.it. We record both videos with professional equipment and also very simply and quickly with a smartphone. Both variants are always very well received. This way, the learning content is always up to date, and it’s a fresh way to present the content to the participants.
Thank you for the interview, Ms. Lopp!
Conclusion: Through clear communication, modern media like videos, and fun for employees and trainers, blended learning concepts can also succeed in large companies!
