Blended learning combines the advantages of classroom learning, web based training,
live over-the-web seminars, mentoring and discussion groups.
There are many possibilities:
- You can blend a curriculum by having introductory courses in a program delivered over the web and more advanced courses addressing higher level skills done in classrooms.
- Individual courses can be blended by having a live seminar over the web for an initial meeting to get people started, doing pre-course work on the web, having classroom sessions for critical skills, and having follow-up work done via the web, mentoring and discussion groups.
- Technical courses often require a physical laboratory (hands-on) experience for students and web resources can be used for the fundamental information required prior to the laboratory.
The quality of simulations over the web is improving daily but, at the moment, the weakest link for web based material is real time face to face interactions and laboratory simulations.
There is another dynamic that happens in classroom settings which is hard to do on the web even with discussion groups – the opportunity for employees and managers from different parts of a company to get together to share notes and expertise.