Take Five - Brandon Hall

Published September 2007

Five Innovative Examples of Blended Learning

Brandon Hall

Blended learning is becoming the standard model for instruction. Many organizations blend face-to-face instruction with online learning, and others implement creative, unique methods for their audience and business objectives. Check out these examples and see whether one sparks ideas for your needs:

Ticketmaster
Ticketmaster is enhancing classroom training with job aids, synchronous live training and electronic support tools to merge work and learning. Chris Stewart, instructional technology manager, uses knowledge banks, mentoring and shadowing as additional components.

“We want to provide the knowledge in the classroom through a webinar or a self-paced class and complement that with a real-world opportunity to demonstrate and practice those skills with a mentor or explore that knowledge through a shadowing opportunity,” Stewart said. “You can’t truly replicate the workplace in the classroom or virtually, so the blended learning pieces that are outside of the normal training scope become powerful development tools.”

Jones International University
Jim Bertelsen, instructional design manager, uses online communities of practice, group blogs and wikis to “extend the conversation long beyond the duration of the course, retain only those who are interested and bring in others who may not have been in the course to begin with. You could never have as much focused discussion in a room as you can in an online environment.”

Target
Target works to be on the cutting edge of retail, fashion trends and pop culture, and its approach to learning is also cutting-edge. Target is experimenting with new collaboration tools such as blogs, wikis and podcasting while maintaining a balance with traditional forms of teaching and facilitation.

“Evaluating our current training programs often involves re-engineering current courseware and traditional instructor-led training (ILT) to include more blended learning solutions,” said Michael Sunnarborg, senior training specialist. “These solutions may range from providing coaching workshops, facilitated e-learning or opportunities for learners to attend an open lab.”

Accenture
Chief Learning Officer Don Vanthournout has implemented a blended learning program for senior executives that includes a high-fidelity simulation of senior executive experience.

“To be successful, our most senior executives need to bring together a variety of skills — both people skills to negotiate with clients and manage others, as well as business skills,” he said. “Their blended learning solution combines face-to-face role-plays of client meetings with an online business simulation that models a large client engagement. Whatever happens in the meetings affects the business simulation and vice versa. Our senior executives have a chance to practice the most difficult parts of their job and get candid and rich feedback on their performance.”

1 2 Next Page »

blog comments powered by Disqus

Executive Search

ESI International Director, eContent Strategy
01/14/2010
The Director, eContent Strategy is responsible for providing ESI�s executive team with strategic-level direction to implement alternative blended learning delivery formats to our worldwide client base.

Senior Manager, Global Learning & Talent Development
11/19/2009
Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu (DTT) is an organization of member firms devoted to excellence in providing professional services and advice. We are focused on client service through a global strategy executed locally in nearly 150 countries.

Director, Leadership & Organizational Development Parkland Health & Hospital System
10/26/2009
Parkland Health & Hospital System (www.parklandhospital.com) located in Dallas, Texas has been voted one of "America's Best Hospitals" by U.S. News & World Report for 16 consecutive years and recently named one of the "Top 100 Hospitals to Work For" by Nursing Professionals Magazine.