Thinking Blended Learning for Training? Implement Through Your LMS!

Do you wish to get the best out of the classroom and online training media? Are you looking for ways to implement blended learning in your organization to maximize the ROI on training?

Consider blending the traditional instructor-led methodology of training with eLearning. A well-formulated, effective blend of training formats helps companies provide a high degree of flexibility to learners. It helps firms reap the advantages of the online learning medium, while retaining the “human touch” in their training programs.

But, what does it take to implement blended learning efficiently? Well, you can make use of your Learning Management System (LMS) to deliver first-rate training through blended learning. According to a study by Capterra, 53% of organizations around the world believe an LMS is useful not only for e-learning program delivery but also for managing classroom training programs. Let us see how.

You can harness the power of your LMS to impart top-notch blended learning effectively. Read this blog to know the steps that need to be considered before the implementation and how an LMS can be utilized to successfully launch blended learning.

Steps to Launch a Blended Program:

• Creating an effective plan (learning needs, formats of training), ensuring your training reaches a wider audience, with varied learning styles, in a quick and cost-effective manner.
• Evaluating the existing IT infrastructure to make sure learning proceeds in a hassle-free manner.
• Convincing all concerned people (top management, IT staff, trainers, and employees) so that they are aware of how this initiative can benefit them and the organization. Give a patient hearing to their demands and expectations.
• Analyzing the capabilities of the LMS to understand how it can be utilized to implement blended learning.

Let’s now delve into the various ways an LMS can be effectively used to deliver blended learning.

1. Use the LMS to keep learners informed

You can use your LMS to notify your learners of upcoming classroom sessions using the training calendar feature and to record attendance. Learners can be informed of online programs also through the LMS.

2. Conduct pre-ILT session activities

It’s a good idea to conduct an online pre-test to evaluate the knowledge levels of your employees, prior to the ILT training. You can also assign e-learning courses before the instructor-led training (ILT) program to bridge knowledge gaps and ensure all employees are at the “same level”, when they attend the classroom session.

For instance, one of our clients in the pharmaceutical space uses its LMS to deliver e-learning courses to its sales reps before an ILT session. This helps bridge the gaps in the knowledge of the salespeople before they attend the session.

3. Use the LMS as a knowledge repository

You can use your LMS to share learning material. It’s a best practice to host ILT resources such as course material, handouts, and how-to guides in the digital format, so that employee scan use them anytime, anywhere.

4. Harness the power of the LMS to reinforce learning

It’s important to remember that human memory is short and effective learning cannot take place through a one-time training event. Learning has to be reinforced at periodic intervals to ensure it sticks. You can use your LMS to deliver microlearning modules to reinforce learning. You can also use the LMS to provide access to online job-aids to enhance the performance of your staff.

5. Conduct online assessments

We all know that assessments play a key role in the evaluation of your employees’ comprehension of the subject matter delivered. It’s advisable to use an LMS to conduct a test online after the ILT program, to evaluate them. This is because LMSs help you track the performance of your learners in the online assessment and generate reports which will enable you analyze their learning.

6. Facilitate effective social learning

Many companies are integrating social learning into their training programs, and your LMS can be a very useful tool to facilitate good social learning. You can use the LMS to track learning interactions through blogs, discussion forums, podcasts, social media, offline messaging, and email communications.

A large number of companies are using blended learning solutions to train their employees, and LMSs are widely used for this purpose. Looking at the various ways you can utilize your LMS for blended learning, you have an effective option to raise the quality of your training. Hope you find the blog interesting. Do share your views.

Editor’s note: This post was originally published in October 2018 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.