You’ve got learners and you’ve got the information they need to know. All the right ingredients are there, but there’s no single recipe to put it all together. It’s no wonder organizations are moving to blended learning.

Creating the right learning program, like creating a delicious recipe, takes a variety of ingredients all working in balance with one another. You also have to cater to different tastes and have the right presentation to engage the diner. 

Most recipes use four main categories: salt, fat, acid and heat. With blended learning, you have many more approaches. Here are four of the main options for creating your perfect blended learning recipe.

Blended Learning Ingredient: Instructor-Led Training

Getting your learners into a room with an instructor has some real benefits. You can interact with new hires and evaluate them from day one. Your learners benefit from the presence, discussion, and social connection that the instructor-led session provides. Group discussions may even result in great ideas for your organization. You can also customize the content for each group if needed.

Of course, there are challenges with instructor-led training. Scheduling locations, equipment, learners and instructors can be… tricky. One learner misses a session and you have to figure out how to get them rescheduled and caught up. You may also sacrifice consistency each time you tailor the message for a group. Lastly, if your audience needs to retain and recall the information, don’t look to instructor-led sessions to do the job.

Blended Learning Ingredient: eLearning

Self-driven online learning creates independence that learners appreciate. eLearning provides your students with some flexibility and control over when and where they take their training. In an instructor-led session, everyone is at the same pace. They can’t rewind to listen to that last statement over again but in eLearning, they can pause, rewind and review material as they need. Plus, you have the added benefit of easily quizzing them and getting reports on completions and results.

The delivery of the courses will require investment in an LMS (check out SmarterU if you're in need of one). Creating courses also requires special software and skills. You may need SCORM creation software, instructional designers, graphic designers, project managers, and quality assurance specialists to make your vision a reality.

Blended Learning Ingredient: Microlearning

Giving learners small bits of daily training when and where they are is a great option. It makes training part of your organizational DNA and promotes retention. Done well, it will adapt to your learners’ needs and provide additional benefits, such as performance supports.

Microlearning may require a separate system as well as re-working your material to suit this delivery method. Looking for a solution? Check out OttoLearn Agile Microlearning!

Blended Learning Ingredient: Independent Study

Many organizations offer a training program where a learner can pick a course they’re interested in, get approvals, and then be reimbursed once they complete the course or program. Giving learners the option to pursue an independent study can benefit the organization. They give up their time, you get the benefit of their new knowledge and expertise!

It removes the cost, effort and time for you to develop the training from scratch and may be worth the investment. Keep in mind that independent study can be difficult to track if you bother to try, and the learner may simply not complete the training.

Need help creating the right recipe?

Getting the recipe just right and encouraging your learners to dive right into your course or program can be challenging. Start by considering what your objectives are for your various courses and build your blended learning strategy to support them. And with those goals in mind, you can create something that has your team feeling satisfied or even coming back for seconds!

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Developing a program for Onboarding? Read our post on Onboarding Without Overboarding.

Need more help? As your eLearning partner, we'd be happy to discuss your specific training goals and help you come up with a comprehensive approach that drives results. Book a meeting with an expert today!