The pandemic caused one of the quickest digital transformations the world has ever seen. In a matter of days, most business and interactions moved into an online realm. The leadership development space was not immune to these changes, as this quick transformation created an opportunity for all leadership development professionals to rethink their learning strategies. This pushed blended learning strategies to the forefront. But what is blended learning in the leadership development space? It involves a mix of in-person learning, like traditional classroom learning, and online experiences such as games, tools, simulations, practice chatbots, and short bursts of learning (microlearning). And frequently, virtual classrooms and various forms of self-paced learning enter the mix. It is also unique that blended learning can be done alone, in a traditional classroom, or in a virtual classroom group setting. At its best, blended learning leverages the strengths and efficiencies of each modality while acknowledging the limitations. The result is a learning program that’s engaging, time and cost efficient, and capable of making a sustained impact.

What Are Blended Learning Strategies?

At DDI, we partner with organizations to design and implement blended learning strategies. While finding the right blended learning approach is unique to each situation, blended learning shines brightest in a learning journey approach. Different forms of learning have their place, but they work best when you systematically use them. In a learning journey, the various elements of your blended learning strategy support, build upon, and reinforce one another. Traditional classroom and virtual classroom experiences often serve as effective ways to kick off a learning journey. Why? The face-to-face collaboration can build a sense of purpose for the journey and cohesiveness among the group of learners. Then, after learners are already committed to and engaged in the blended learning program, it’s safer to introduce elements like flipped learning. And online courses and micro courses often serve as effective intersession activities. When participants know they will be called upon to discuss what they learned in these self-paced modules in the next live session, they engage more deeply with them and retain more.

Why Should L&D Pros Create Blended Learning Strategies Right Now?

If the COVID-19 pandemic taught leadership development professionals anything, it’s that reliance primarily on in-person learning has its perils. In the early days of the pandemic, many companies stopped leadership development altogether because their programs were only in-person. To prepare for a future of more remote workforces with dispersed teams, we must recognize the importance of aligning new forms of blended learning with the company’s evolving workforce and business strategy. We need to challenge ourselves to design blended learning experiences for maximum impact and accessibility. Our future as leadership development professionals hinges on this. What are some of the tools and best practices you need for a successful blended learning strategy? Check out DDI’s blog for more.