Blended Learning on a large scale: Sabine Lopp from the North-East German Savings Bank Academy (NOSA) reveals in the interview how the combination of in-person and online learning became a great alternative to previous training methods for her employees – and why having 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 Education Service 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 Driver’s License”. Here, employees learn the basic know-how on digital topics. These are also our largest courses with up to 600 participants at the same time.
Additionally, we offer extra support for many events, which are woven around the in-person dates in a blended learning approach.
Insight into the “Digital Driver’s 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 in-person academy. We wanted to transfer the successes from this area out of the in-person setting into the new digital world – but not just simply put everything online. We want to properly utilize the advantages of online training, especially the repeatability of content and learning at one's own pace.
However, we also strongly orient ourselves according to our participants: There is still a lot of expectation for face-to-face contact, with a trainer or a seminar group. So we try to connect these two concepts in such a way as to utilize all advantages.
Why did you choose blink.it as a platform for this?
We have always looked for a learning platform, also in the context of “blended learning”, that meets the needs of both learners and content creators. We never quite got warm with traditional WBTs because these large systems are not flexible enough and do not adapt well to our needs.
And with blink.it, we immediately had a good feeling: It is easy to use and you see success right away! This is very important when starting out.
How do you connect the in-person events and the online courses with each other, for example, with the “Digital Driver’s License”?
We first try to get all employees on board with the Digital Driver’s License, and then offer specific, target-group-oriented seminars that usually take place in person.
The driver's license is the online foundational training for the entire employee spectrum – directly at the workplace or also in the home office. After that, the trainer can address specific needs in specialized topics, depending on the target group, the savings bank specifics, or the individual needs of each employee.
How do you communicate the “new digital learning” to the learners?
Preparatory and accompanying conversations take place with the HR department, where expectations and goals are communicated. The introduction of the digital driver’s license in the savings banks is usually accompanied by a house fair. At this house fair, the board speaks, announces the courses, and personally encourages participation.
We want to give the whole thing a face, so that colleagues on-site are also informed and can engage in conversation with the employees. Thus, this house fair is our first blended learning touchpoint. Communication works best in person. And I also notice: When something doesn't go well in preparation, it makes it very difficult later to get all employees on board.
The blended learning concept of NOSA with blink.it
How are the courses received by your learners?
We have a very productive, critical atmosphere in the courses, where serious online discussions take place: contributions are made in comments from the board to the newest employee. When we allow the participants to engage, it is well received.
Especially with the digital driver’s 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 accepted by our participants: They have demonstrated their success and are then directly rewarded for their work and learning engagement. There is also fun involved!
Learning motivation is also maintained when the media content appeals to the learner in its form and there is sometimes a “laugh” involved. We pay attention to conciseness, active inclusion, and practical lightness.
What tips would you give to another company looking to start with blended learning and blink.it?
The first tip: Bring your own people on board and do something that they enjoy! And this doesn't just concern the employees! It is indeed an opportunity to take care of one's own trainers and presenters with relatively little effort while effectively placing the platform. For example, we also filmed our own learning videos together during a strategy day and had a lot of fun!
The second tip: Start small! One often finds that one has a lot to say, especially with trainers who have an immense amount of expertise. The art is then to reflect on the various steps and break this vast amount of knowledge into small parts. It is 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 simply and quickly with a smartphone. Both variants are always very well received. Thus, the learning content is definitely always current and offers a fresh way to bring the content to the participants.
Thank you for the interview, Ms. Lopp!
Conclusion: Through clear communication, modern media such as videos, and fun for employees and trainers, blended learning concepts can succeed even in large companies!
