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“It is not the strongest of the species that survive, not the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.”_

—Charles Darwin

The quote from Darwin is really all about reacting to and managing change. As we think about implementing a blended learning solution, we have to think about managing change as a crucial element. 

Think about who will be affected by a blended program: 

Learners: first and foremost, you are asking your learners to do something they may not be used to. Whether you are asking them to read articles, attend a webinar, or comment on a discussion board, it could be a very different learning experience than they expected. We have to think seriously about how we are going to manage the learners’ expectations of the program. 

Facilitators: Many facilitators are used to being in a classroom from 9 to 5 every day for two days to teach a program. Now we are asking them to post online welcome messages, monitor discussion boards, facilitate in person, and do a webinar. 

Instructional designers and subject matter experts: These groups may not even work for the training department. Many times, they are borrowed resources who need to understand the reason for a change before they will embrace a new way of creating and delivering materials. They also need to be consulted early and often so they feel as if they are part of the change. 

So how do we as learning professionals manage all this? By being ready for it! In ATD’s Blended Learning Certificate Program, you will be immersed in the blended instructional design process. This process can be used to keep all the moving parts working in harmony throughout any change. 

I look forward to seeing you in an upcoming program!