Photo by: Annie Spratt via Unsplash
Instructional Designers are constantly faced with the challenge of putting together solid performance-based training that sets learners up for success on the job. Their real-world circumstances are often less than ideal as they are consistently asked to work their magic with tight and unrealistic constraints. As training professionals, we know there is no magic wand, but we do have choices. One of those choices is blended learning. It offers the instructional designer a variety of strategies to choose from to help solve the complexities of the work environment’s training needs. There is no perfect blend of strategies, but there is a 3-step process we explore in our Blended Learning workshop that helps simplify the decision-making process.
Step 1: Identify Constraints
Before you choose a core strategy, like traditional instructor-led training or e-learning, you must first identify the instructional design constraints you are facing (e.g. time, budget, organizational mandates/policies, technical, design, etc.). This is a critical first step.
Step 2: Select Strategy
Once you have identified your constraints, it is time to consider the best core strategy (or strategies) that is most feasible for the type of content you are designing for. Will it be a traditional strategy, an e-learning strategy, or a combination? Not only do you need to assess the type of content, you will also need to consider other key factors such as the location of the learners, available resources, and deadlines, along with their implications.
Step 3: Consider Performance Support Activities
Unfortunately, we don’t live in an ideal world. Due to tight constraints, the instructional designer may need to incorporate Performance Support Activities (PSA’s) to support the core training strategy solution. While there’s a wide variety of PSA’s, some of the most common are coaching sessions, assigned reading, and group discussions and assessments.
Remember, there is no perfect blend. If you would like to explore best practices and dig a little deeper into the available strategies and options, I encourage you to register for our Blended Learning workshop. You may discover the ideal blend for you!
Note: This post is part of a workshop intersession activity. As such, it is monitored in a slightly different manner than the other blog posts on our website. If you are not a participant in the applicable workshop, but have a question you would like answered, please feel free to contact us.
64 Responses to “A 3-Step Decision-Making Process for Blended Learning”
I am really enjoying this course so far, lots of great and useful content. I am looking forward to learning more about PSA’s today.
The variety of PSAs that can be “blended” with core training methods opens up tons of opportunities for creative, innovative, and engaging courses. I am excited about taking the course.
Great article that makes me think, think, think!
Having the list of constraints is a huge benefit. I have recently seen training developed by new instructional designers that could have really used the checklist to help them narrow down their initial scope of work. They were tasked with designing a five-day training for new hires within 2-3 months of joining the company. Just learning the language of the organization takes time. By using this, they could have realistically gotten additional help and support at the beginning.
As someone who is in a facilitation role with my company, I’m just starting to learn about the design process and how the blended learning approach is applied. I was surprised that the first step is identifying constraints, but that makes sense, as it prevents wasting time on developing a course that is not practical to deliver.
I am currently taking the Blended Learning workshop and it has been very insightful. From Day 1, I took away that determining constraints first will help drive and help you select the best training strategies. I appreciate having the 39 questions to help determine constraints and will be using this in the training program I work on.
Blended learning provides the Training Team with the ability to reach audiences who are geographically not able to attend live in-person instruction. We are a community bank, however we are spread across 3 states. We have a diverse audience with various learning preferences and varying levels of experience. Blended learning allows us to cater the training to meet the needs of our learners.
I agree that it is important to consider constraints first. However, sometimes Performance Support Activities, like job aids, need to be developed to give staff a reliable source of information to refer to, especially with job related activities that are not performed very often.
I am currently in the Blended Learning Workshop and have already taken away so much. I look forward to taking back task prioritization to my organization and seeing how it will improve the development process.
Blended Learning is a well-rounded approach to designing learning solutions. It appropriately factors in constraints and offers a wide variety of strategies and activities that can be prioritized to support a training program.