Focus Magazine - Summer 2015 - 5

FROM THE PRESIDENT
John Sjovall

Learning Delivery:
What's Your Blend?
With the boom in
technology comes
a plethora of
new options.

hen it comes to education, we're
fortunate enough to live in a time of
abundance. On the other hand, it's
arguable that we're cursed with too many
choices. Welcome to 21st century learning.
I remember when learning was largely a
simpler event, involving the two most stable
foundations of education - a classroom and a
teacher. For years, workforce development
followed in the same tradition.
With the boom in technology comes a
plethora of new options, including eLearning
and mobile learning (Oops, I mean mLearning!), which are two separate-but-related
oﬀerings oen used interchangeably. e two
diﬀer in style and format and capabilities, even
though both are designed for asynchronous,
rapid and global learning delivery. Mobile
training, for instance, is designed for small
devices and formats, which lends itself more
as a reinforcement tool or a job aid than a
medium for learning new content.
en there's the virtual classroom, which
combines the best of both worlds. Virtual
instructor-led classrooms oﬀer the speed of
information and the powerful tools of the
Internet, while bringing the classroom
approach to colleagues across the hall and
across the planet with minimal logistics and
cost. Sound like a good idea? It is.
Both traditional and technology-enabled
learning have strong proponents. Mobile and
tech-enabled solutions certainly have a
"coolness" that's appealing, and the in-person
assistance of a good teacher is priceless.
Of course, there are downsides for each as
well. Classroom training has many associated
costs, can require more administration and
may have limited reach. Tech-enabled training

can be more impersonal, can put the burden of
performance more strongly on learners and
may be less engaging.
ere's also the issue of collaboration and
support. Learning with and from fellow
students is another foundation of education,
not to mention the professional bonds and
network growth that springs from the shared
experience. Mobile and eLearning solutions
have options to help mimic classroom support,
which is admirable, but that's still a work in
progress, and virtual classroom collaboration
has it's challenges as well.
Weighing these styles of learning begins,
aer a while, to have a sort of see-saw eﬀect, an
exhilarating dizziness. Having too many
options for the delivery of information is
certainly a good problem to have ... but it's still
a problem. What solution best fits your need?
e balance of all styles, or "blended"
learning, is in my opinion the best course of
action. A little virtual and a little live instructorled, supported with e- and m-learning are my
favorite combinations and a prime example of
blended learning.
So, what's the right mix? How much
technology? How much teacher?
In my viewpoint, the blended curriculum
should start with eLearning mixed with virtual
class to provide the knowledge transfer and
reinforcement of new content. Follow that up
with live classroom with simulations to practice
and hone skills; using mLearning along the way
to provide quick references and job aids to help
students reinforce the learning.
Will that view have detractors? Yes, as it
should ... only your data and company culture
can set the course for your blend of learning.
What do you think? I

John Sjovall is president of LTEN. Email John at jsjovalljr@gmail.com.

FOCUS | SUMMER 2015 | www.L-TEN.org

http://www.L-TEN.org

Focus Magazine - Summer 2015

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