What is Hybrid Learning? How can companies get it right?

Introduction

Assessing the unpredictable business environment, it is hard to name a single term that can be considered the origin of the new forms of learning, and yet the concept of Hybrid Learning fits this description perfectly. This is additional help in organizing a normal face-to-face approach to teaching with the other type of teaching known as online teaching to create a more expanded and focused teaching-learning process. According to educational expert Tony Bates, ‘’Hybrid learning is not just a blend which puts the two models in the middle but it is the best of two worlds, which takes the best from face-to-face and online.’’

However, when it comes to the integration of hybrid learning, there is a need for a lot of input, output, and feedback regarding the strategies of learning. As such, one has to acknowledge the current and future challenges and seek ways to address and assist in enhancing the company’s training and overall performance. Some of the findings from the research are that 85% of employers believe that hybrid learning gives learners the choice to prepare for the contemporary work environment that is available in the world. In addition to this, there is an aspect that Hybrid learning is capable of enhancing the level of learning retention by up to a maximum of 60%.

In this blog, we dive into the most significant trend in the current training perspective and the business world as well, named – hybrid learning. Hybrid learning is an aspect of learning that will be discussed in detail in this blog along with the advantages that can be expected to be gained by organizations while adopting hybrid learning. The challenges are likely to be encountered by companies while implementing hybrid learning and the aspects of hybrid learning that any organization’s management is likely to consider while practicing hybrid learning for staff training.

What is Hybrid Learning?

Hybrid Learning could be defined as the method of delivering training based on a combination of face-to-face teaching and distance training. This method allows the learners to have direct contact with the tutors and other learners while at the same time benefiting from the internet materials and exercises.

Hybrid learning also has the advantage of flexibility that teachers or instructional designers can implement in a way that will suit the needs of the individual learner or the kind of learners taking a specific course by making learning more fun and creative.

As a result of the marked efficiencies of face-to-face education and internet-based education, hybrid learning focuses on raising student interest, efficiency in students studying, and the openness of education.

The Evolution of Hybrid Learning

You’ll find yourself thinking that the model of learning, where the learners are divided into two groups based on their quiz results, has been practiced before. As hybrid learning is not new to the system; though, it has been made much better with the help of modernization in technologies and changes in the business world. Preferably, hybrid models were seen as extra ones – that provided extra enhancement or a choice. Slowly but surely, with the emergence of new-generation technology systems combined learning has become a more natural and important part of the learning process approaches.

The adaptability of education systems was further pushed for change by the COVID-19 pandemic where learning had to take place from a distance; stressing the need and importance of elastic and capable models of instruction.

Now, blended learning is viewed as the liberal model of education which means the free choice, individuality, and the application of ICT in the learning-teaching process. This is one good example of how education repositioned or shifted its courses in managing the new requirements of society putting its stakeholders into production employment.

Hybrid vs Blended learning

A lot of people usually find it hard to distinguish the difference between a Blended learning model and a Hybrid learning model. It is now time to find out how the two are different:

Hybrid Learning: Hybrid learning occurs when learners have face-to-face contact with the instructors and at the same time they learn via the Internet. Here, the instructor conducts some of the tutorials in a physical classroom and the rest of the part is done online. They can be face-to-face in real-time, meaning that the learners are face-to-face in real-time or face-to-face at any time as made possible by the learners. Hybrid learning seeks to incorporate those parts of the total mix that are most effective with face-to-face sessions and the facilitating impact of the internet.

Blended Learning: Blended learning on the other hand emerged as a new concept in which conventional class instructions were complemented with computer-supported learning resources with higher levels of integration. Blended learning implies the mixture of online and face-to-face learning in a certain course, lesson, activity, or project. This model makes it possible to coordinate the two modalities: improving knowledge acquisition through using various approaches that would make it hard to be disinterested. Blended learning emphasizes the use of technology as an instructional material that complements the conventional face-to-face mode of learning but at the same time enhances its efficiency.

The diverse types of hybrid, as well as blended learning-modeled forms, are anticipated to cause a boost to the educational effectiveness in learner interactions, arising from both face-to-face as well as online teaching strategies. It therefore means that the choice between them lies with the learners and their objectives as well as the overall goal of the organization. Besides, it is important to note that Hybrid learning separates the collaborative face-to-face and online classes, whereas blended learning is more integrated. It also qualifies for more control over the time and context of learning while blended learning focuses on supporting the modes of the physical classroom.

Learn how your company can incorporate hybrid learning and succeed in it. However, before moving we recommend you look into Auzmor’s blog “Training New Employees Effectively: All You Need to Know”

Benefits of Hybrid Learning

A blended type of learning is incredibly advantageous to learners and organizations and leads to flexibility in learning. Here’s a comprehensive list of benefits:

• Personalization at Its Core: If there is one area you can see that hybrid learning is really coming out on top, it is in the aspect of flexibility. This is because the course is offered online and in class making it convenient for the learners to learn from wherever they are and from materials that they are comfortable with. It is something that one can point out and realize that those differences make the process of learning more effective and enjoyable than traditional practices.

You can refer to Auzmor’s blog on ‘Things To Consider When Training Remote Employees’ and ‘Common Mistakes When Training Employees and How to Avoid Them’ for more tips and ideas on how to improve the experience of the learners attending online.

 

• Increased Accessibility: Flexible learning liberates students from geographical limitations on accessing quality learning materials and even instructions since the program combines online and face-to-face learning. This openness is very useful, especially to the employees who live remotely or the employees living in rural areas so there should not be prejudice in the offering of education.
• Enhanced Student Engagement: Hybrid learning is more engaging because it methodologically incorporates a freestyle of using asynchronous communication technology with a strict style of using synchronous face-to-face communication in a class. In this regard, features such as quizzes/tests, group discussions, and simulations encourage learners’ active involvement.
• Cost-Effectiveness for Institutions: In this way, the use of digital components in the curriculum fosters the possibility of an educational institution minimizing the use of physical resources and space leading to cost implications of such. On the same note, the tool has the added advantage of sharing the content with a large audience since the resources are slightly more expensive than the ones used in face-to-face classes.
• Flexibility in Learning Paths: There is no other form of learning that comes close to the flexibility of hybrid learning and learners can learn and work. In this regard, this flexibility will help cater to different students such as working professionals, parents, and students with different timetables.
• Improved Collaboration and Communication: There is enhanced collaboration in the use of social forums as a tool of learning since other aspects of learning are conducted online. Students are given permission to talk about problems in the class, cooperate on the assignments, and also share information that they get. All these create a learning community.
• Data-Driven Insights: Due to the asynchronous aspect of hybrid learning, it is easy to compile and review the information concerning the students, which proves to be beneficial in terms of understanding the results of the learner. The above elements can be employed to get a clear understanding of the teaching/learning process and as a result, improve the teaching process.
• Seamless Integration of Current Technologies: The realization of modern technologies turned out to be essential in hybrid learning since it makes the learners more knowledgeable with modern tools and platforms. It also enhances learning and prepares students for the market that is highly infused with the use of technology.
• Eco-Friendly: One of the learning processes is done online which reduces the use of paper, fuel for transportation, and electrical power used for lighting and heating among others making it an environmentally sound system of learning.
• Continuity in Times of Crisis: Hybrid learning which involves the combination of face-to-face teaching and online teaching is important to continue teaching the students in the event of an occurrence of calamities such as natural disasters, and this includes pandemics. Because of this flexibility, the learning theories enable acquire knowledge regardless of the interruption of normal learning conditions.

The model replaces the closeness of a face-to-face environment with the flexibility of an online environment and makes it accessible and engaging to the students, making it quite noble to come up with solutions to how education is taught today given the diversified and dynamic learners.

Key Considerations for Successful Implementation

There are a few factors that must be put into consideration for an effective implementation of the hybrid learning model in your organization. Here are some key considerations:

• Infrastructure and Technology: The first of the major considerations for engaging learners and educators is to make sure the high-speed internet and high-quality devices and software are what they have at their disposal. To get better results, the facilities need to invest large sums of money in sound technological tools, which help them support synchronous and asynchronous forms of learning. It is important to implement, for example, virtual and augmented reality as the possibilities of training and development of various types.
• Training for Educators: Similar to the other teaching approaches, teachers are considered to be a very important part of hybrid learning and the overall success of the strategy. Some of the perceived training needs include needing to provide knowledge and skills on how to engage the students online besides using the approaches to address the students online, how to develop the materials that are digital, and how to monitor the student’s progress. By focusing on continuing training, educators could update themselves with new technologies that are in the market and teaching practices. Also,educators must have the attitude of growth to embrace tendencies that are new and emerging in the field of education and be willing to adopt a new strategy in the classroom.
• Curriculum Design: Teaching and learning that employs both online and face-to-face modes of delivery of curriculum ought to be planned in a manner that utilizes both methods in covering lessons. To meet the multiple preferences of learners, it is important for the given curriculum to provide such commonly used multimedia elements as text, images, graphics, animation, sound, and video as well as interactive objects and real-time feedback to increase interest in the material.
• Student Support and Accessibility: It is also very important that all the students be provided with the same opportunities to enroll in the hybrid learning program. This includes matters such as the learners’ access to proper gadgets and the internet at their homes and accommodation for learner’s disability. Moreover, where the students experiencing learning disabilities need special accommodation. In the absence of support services including tutoring, career advice, and counseling the students’ mode of choice compromises their performance. There also exists the possibility of organizations developing training partnerships where the trainees are worked with by other experienced personnel in order to learn new skills.
• Engagement and Community Building: One of the challenges that may occur concerning the hybrid model is that it is extremely difficult to make the students feel that they belong to a subject area, and to make them interested. Daily contact and organizing the training in such a way that students get involved in various activities on the internet. There will be times when the students will be involved in group projects may also reduce such problems and help to keep the students interested in class. The creation of virtual social interactive spaces that can incorporate clubs or interest groups enhances the formation of a strong spirit of learners.
• Assessment and Feedback: It remains necessary to mention that all the formative and summative assessment schemes should be developed when following the hybrid model of learning. Some of these assessment methods may include online quizzes, virtual presentations, the use of projects, and ordinary tests among others. Another factor that is critical in defining student learning includes late and/or inefficient feedback to students. The training process will benefit from the application of group checks and individual quizzes as it will foster the improvement of students’ reflective learning.
• Data Privacy and Security: The enhancement of students’ rights, especially their right to privacy. The institutions need to be in a position to ensure that technologies that are used will address the requirements of the data protection acts and that the faculty as well as learners understand what is good or acceptable in terms of data protection acts in the current world. The measures of security must be properly implemented and security checkpoints frequently carried out in the hybrid learning system to protect important information hence the reason why the system should be fully adopted.
• Policy and Leadership: It can therefore be argued that effective leadership and policies support this kind of learning in order to achieve hybrid learning. These include operational policies for required user behavior in the online environment, attendance, and participation; and technological policies and guidelines to govern the use of technological resources. Leaders should also ensure that they actively come up with reasons for selling the hybrid learning model and inform their stakeholders of the advantages of implementing it. Other approaches include; weekly, monthly, or annual meetings, newsletters, and feedback analysis to ensure that everyone is well-informed about hybrid learning.
• Continuous Improvement: The use and support for the hybrid learning approach has to be viewed as a gradual process, during which regular assessments of its efficiency coupled with changes based on the educators’ and students’ impressions have to be implemented. Utilizing the data obtained from the feedback from educators and students can help to facilitate change. Organizations must ensure when implementing the hybrid model in their training to be flexible to try out new things which can lead to improved output. Companies should also be aware of the new trends besides new innovations in educational technology. This can be done by attending conferences and sharing ideas with other organizations.

In this way, educational institutions are capable of implementing fair and efficient hybrid learning that adapts to the learners’ necessities and situations.

Conclusion

Currently, training requirements and expectations are changing day by day, and hence hybrid learning can be looked at as a favorable approach that integrates the traditional and modern styles of learning. As it combines in-class training with the potential of the Internet and other technologies, hybrid learning provides a conceptual framework, and enriched practical experience, and can increase the rate of its learners’ achievement. The chance to practice the principles of both online and physical learning makes it possible to provide a stimulating learning environment, increase students’ activity, provide access to classes, and create the conditions for individual approach to each learner.

 

It is a tool that is going to be more and more significant as organizations evolve to the new paradigm of education and training. It is not just more flexible learning paths; it also fosters better teamwork, and data analysis and drives learning to be more sustainable in general. The capacity to deliver education in a crisis; as well as the appropriateness of online components in terms of environmental sustainability; for these reasons, this is a valuable model.

 

It is significant to mention that the increase in efficiency and effectiveness of hybrid learning depends upon a number of considerations, such as infrastructure, curricular developments, and student services. There is a need for the organization to purchase all the essential technologies, train the educators sufficiently, and guarantee equal access to all the learners. Moreover, effective community and incentive mechanisms, as well as strict data protection and data security measures should be presented to provide an effective and supportive environment for effective hybrid learning.

 

This is because by adopting the hybrid learning strategy, organizations will not only be improving the quality of training they are providing but at the same time warming themselves to the next phase of learning. It provides learners with a good way of attaining superior results in their education and being equipped to meet the challenges of modern-day employment. Therefore, it is necessary to point out the fact that it will be important to remain up-to-date regarding the tendencies of hybrid learning as well as the innovations that happen within the field in the future in order to achieve the most significant results.

 

To learn more about improving training and learning processes, it is recommended to read more articles including Auzmor’s blog about training and mistakes to avoid. The use of the hybrid learning model today will open the door for a future of teaching and learning that is more fluid, innovative, and effective for everyone.

 

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