If we look back in time—specifically to February 2020—it might not seem that long ago, but it feels like a lifetime has passed since then. At that time, many people didn’t fully understand what online learning was, and terms like 'blended learning' were unfamiliar to most. Then March 2020 arrived, and the world changed drastically. The pandemic placed a spotlight on online learning as much of the world transitioned to working from home. Schools closed, sending children home, and suddenly, we faced the challenge of teaching our children, training new employees, and helping existing employees adapt to an entirely new work environment.
While teachers and companies did their best to provide the necessary training, the experience revealed significant flaws in the current system of online learning.
One of my own learning experiences with online education—both from a parent's perspective with my children and as an employee—was that while the topics often sounded interesting, the actual online experience frequently delivered a different outcome. I would anticipate learning both skills and their practical application, but instead, I often walked away with a wealth of knowledge and very little practical application of those skills. This left me feeling shortchanged (Conceição & Howles, 2020).
I reflect on this through my hobby of woodworking. When I watch a YouTube video on woodworking, it may teach me the steps to complete a project. However, it’s not until I pick up a piece of wood and place it on the router table that I truly apply the techniques. It’s through this hands-on process that I determine whether I’ve mastered the skill or need to rewatch the video and try again.
I view online and blended learning in the same way. If all I gain is theoretical knowledge without the opportunity to apply it in the real world, I feel like I’ve wasted my time. A well-balanced online or blended learning experience should provide learners with opportunities to test their knowledge through methods such as gamification, knowledge checks, hands-on experiences, role-playing, and more.
Since online learning is designed to take place entirely online, it is essential to intentionally incorporate opportunities for interaction with other learners. As Dutton and Heaphy (2016) noted, “We rarely grow alone. In fact, some psychologists have made a compelling case that we only grow in connection with others.”
The advantages of blended learning, I find that, as an instructor, you have the ability to leverage the best aspects of online learning—such as efficiency, accessibility, and accommodating different learning styles (Gautam, P., 2020)—while also providing opportunities for face-to-face interaction to apply knowledge in ways that might be challenging in an online-only setting.
As a parent with children in school during the pandemic, I observed firsthand how different learning styles impacted their experiences. My daughter as a Junior in High School thrived in an online learning environment because she enjoyed the self-paced structure and the ability to review materials repeatedly. My son, a 8th grader at the time, on the other hand, struggled due to the lack of structure and the unpreparedness (not their fault) of teachers to create a differentiated learning environment that met his needs. When my son returned to school after the pandemic, every student now had a Chromebook, which was a game changer. I noticed that teachers began to find advantages in online learning while still recognizing the benefits of traditional classroom instruction. Without knowing the terminology at the time, I realized my son’s education had shifted to blended learning. The outcomes varied, depending on the teacher's skill set and how effectively they applied the concepts.
Now, let's shift our focus to the future of online and blended learning from the perspective of the business community. Back in 2000, when I started with my organization, every aspect of new hire training was conducted in person, in a classroom setting, for eight weeks, followed by eight weeks of on-the-job training. This model remained the standard until the pandemic.
Fast forward to 2021–2022, and all new hire training was being conducted online. However, the training materials were not designed for this environment, which led to some negative outcomes. I believe organizations—including mine—have started to realize that blended learning strikes the right balance for training both new hires and existing colleagues.
Unfortunately, compliance-based learning, at least in my organization, seems likely to remain fully online for the foreseeable future. Since it is “mandatory,” there appears to be little incentive to improve it, as Dr. Salik has often pointed out.
Recently, I’ve noticed a new term gaining traction within my organization: “peer-to-peer learning.” The instructional design team is being encouraged to incorporate this approach into new training modules. As Gupta (2022) describes:
“Peer-to-peer learning is a mutual learning and training strategy in which participants of the same level engage in collaborative learning. This type of learning allows employees to work through new concepts and share ideas with their peers working on the same project. The opportunity to teach and be taught by one another is an effective way for organizations to grow stronger employees who work together productively.”
I believe the most successful blended learning environments in a business setting will take a holistic approach. Such environments should recognize that colleagues have diverse needs, which online learning can address, while also acknowledging that learning happens more effectively with active engagement. Leveraging the benefits of collaborative learning will not only enhance individual development but also drive productive outcomes for the organization.
References
Conceição, S. C. O., & Howles, L. (2020). Designing the online learning experience: Evidence-based principles and strategies. Taylor & Francis Group.
Dutton, J., & Heaphy, E. (2016, January 12). We learn more when we learn together. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2016/01/we-learn-more-when-we-learn-together
Gautam, P. (2020, October 10). Advantages and disadvantages of online learning. ELearning Industry. https://elearningindustry.com/advantages-and-disadvantages-online-learning
Gupta, D. (2022, September 14). What Is Peer-to-Peer Learning in the Workplace? (+Examples) | Whatfix. The Whatfix Blog | Drive Digital Adoption. https://whatfix.com/blog/peer-to-peer-learning/
Comments
Post a Comment