E-Learning - Blended Learning

Contents 1 E-learning - Blended Learning 1.1 Blended Learning - Benefits 1.2 Blended Learning - Drawbacks 1.3 Blending in Practices 1.3.1 Call centres 1.3.2 Canon USA – Imaging Systems Group 1.3.3 Open University 1.4 Future Developments 2 Further Information 2.1 External Links 2.2 See Also: 2.3 References 2.4 Contributors to This Entry Include:

E-learning - Blended Learning

Blended learning, which is also known as “hybrid learning�? and “combined resource�? teaching, is the learning and development solutions to tailor different people's needs. It combines all various “media�?: technologies, activities, and types of events to fit to the person’s needs (Bershin cited in Alvarez 2005).

Blended leaning is a mix of:

• Online technologies
  • Multimedia technology;
  • Web-pages;
  • Multimedia e-learning;
  • Email and voicemail (or VoIP);
  • Computer, audio and video conferencing and web casts.
  • Virtual Classrooms
• Face-to-face
  • Presentations and instruction;
  • Wokshops, discussions, and action-learning;
  • One-to-one coaching and mentoring.
• Other resources, activities and media
  • Books and other printed materials;
  • Audio tapes/files and Videos/DVDs
  • Telephone conferencing
  • Computer-aided learning (CBT) or video streaming on CD-ROM
  • Mobile learning (m-learning) with Personal Data Assistancts (PDAs) (Flood and Paton 2005; Galpin 2005; Thorne 2003).

All these are combination of E-Learning, traditional forms of classroom training and one-to-one coaching (Flood and Paton 2005).

Blended Learning - Benefits

There are several advantages when incorporating online learning into various forms of blended solution, such as:

• learning can be more focused, delivered bite-size, anytime, anywhere;
• learners can interact with the tutor and their peers;
• learning materials are easily accessible;
• different techniques can be utilized by maximizing different technologies.
• cost expenses decrease
• unlimited distance reached
• flexible time

(Alvarez 2005; Thorne 2003).

Blended Learning - Drawbacks

According to Thorne (2003), the drawbacks of blended learning are:

• No clear definition or interest in its potential – people do not know anything or not much about blended learning and therefore, the blended learning potential is not being well-known;
• Lack of information – The blended learning is a new concept combining with e-learning, the information is still being developed. If people are interested in blended learning, they need to know where to get the right information.

Blending in Practices

Call centres

Call centres have been very successful in blended learning; by providing computer-based training (CBT) and assessments with some face-to-face sessions. There are different packages of training offered according to the learners’ needs that related to discussion groups, workplace-based assignments, and group projects. The on-going learning process keeps the staff updated and having improvements (Flood and Paton 2005).

Canon USA – Imaging Systems Group

Canon U.S.A.’s Imaging Systems Group launches blended learning in January 2002 with the aims to provide well-informed sales force and improve the performance of the extended sales force as well as to better control instructor time in the classroom. Mitch Bardwell, director of the sales training division in the Imaging Systems Group of Canon, USA, acted as mediator of Intellinex and Learn.com to create a learning management system and e-learning portal – Learning Zone. The solution is now recognized to help to meet all objectives of Canon Company (Harris 2004; Hartley 2002; Intellinex. 2005).

Open University

The Open University (OU) has started to integrate blended learning since 1970s. The students use various media to conduct tutorials and paper workbooks. As the technology advance, the courses now involve contacting tutor through face-to-face tutorials or online, course materials in printed materials, CD-ROMS, audio and video materials, course websites, face-to-face and online networking opportunities with peers and etc (Galpin 2005).

Future Developments

As technology is improving, blended learning has opened to wider options to choose from in order to suit them. Mobile devices such as iPod and PDAs could be utilized at their full potential. Blogging can also be integrated into blended learning (Thorne 2003).

Further Information

External Links

• Blended Learning wikispaces

• The Open University UK

See Also:

• E-Learning
• E-Learning - Case Studies: QUT
• E-Learning - Learning Management System (LMS)
• E-Learning - Higher Education and Social Interaction
• Distance Education - The Open University in the UK

References

• Alvarez, S. 2005. Blended learning solutions. In Encyclopedia of Education Technology, ed. B. Hoffman. http://coe.sdsu.edu/eet/articles/blendedlearning/index.htm (accessed September 10, 2005).
  
  

• Bershin, J. quoted in S. Alvarez 2005. Blended learning solutions. In Encyclopedia of Education Technology, ed. B. Hoffman. http://coe.sdsu.edu/eet/articles/blendedlearning/index.htm (accessed September 10, 2005).
  
  

• Flood, J. and R. Paton. 2005. Chapter 14: Designing for Blended Learning. In Handbook of Corporate University Development: Managing Strategic Learning Initiatives, ed. R. Paton, G. Peters, J. Storey and S. Taylor, 169-180. England: Gower Publishing Limited. ISBN 0556085836.
  
  

• Galpin, F. 2005. A longstanding concept. E.learning Age, Jul/Aug 2005: 26-28.
  
  

• Harris, P. 2004. Case Study: ‘Walter’ Makes E-learning a Breeze. ASTD’s Source for E-Learning. http://www.learn.com/files/pdf/LearningAgentsASTD.pdf (accessed September 10, 2005).
  
  

• Hartley, D. E. 2002. What to do when instructors can’t be copied Canon sales training. T+D, 56 (6): 44-50.
  
  

• Intellinex. 2005. Blended Learning Increase Sales Effectiveness: Canon U.S.A. Launches Extended Enterprise System. http://www.intellinex.com/m2/m2a.asp (accessed September 10, 2005).
  
  

• Thorne, K. 2003. Blended Learning: How to Integrate Online and Traditional Learning. London: Kogan Page Limited. ISBN 0749439017.

Contributors to This Entry Include:

Rebecca Ngok 09:00, 6 Oct 2005 (EST)