Blended learning is becoming increasingly popular in educational institutions as well as corporates. Traditional learning and eLearning have stunning advantages and disadvantages, which is why the constant debate between the two. Blended learning just brought the two concepts together and is now becoming a preferred learning method for a convenient and enhanced training session.
While figuring out how to implement modern blended learning in your employee training, you probably stumbled upon the flex model of blended learning. There are a few pre-existing blended learning models, out of which the one that suits the busy life of employees is the flex model. Let’s learn about this model and how to implement it.
What is the flex model of blended learning?
The flex model focuses a lot on making the training program more flexible. Traditional classroom sessions are too rigid. They have fixed times, and all students have to be there at the same time. It uses synchronous learning. It can be difficult for employees with a pile of work and personal responsibilities.
The flex model uses an asynchronous model, where your employees can complete their training at their own pace. There is no fixed timetable. If your employees have time at night, they can learn at night. The instructor is available to solve their doubts and help them whenever needed.
In other words, the flex blended learning model enables all employees to learn at their respective speeds, workload, and convenience. At the same time, the instructor typically holds group or one-on-one sessions as needed.
Advantages of using the flex model
Let’s look at how the flex model will help your training be more effective.
Promotes self-paced learning
The flex model is all about learning at your own time and pace. It doesn’t force all the learners to be present at the same time. The responsibilities at work and home are already contributing to a considerable burden on your employees. Training at a fixed time and duration can put a lot of pressure on them. Hence a self-paced model works the best for them and is also preferred by most. 58% of employees prefer self-paced learning and the reasons are apparent. They get to complete the courses when they have time without overburdening themselves. Allowing this flexibility will undoubtedly give you a better completion rate.
Reduces cognitive load
Have you heard about cognitive load? It is your working or short-term memory’s capacity to manage incoming information. Information is kept in long-term memory so the brain can recall it later. However, short-term memory, which likewise has a limited storage capacity, must first process this information. It can only handle a specific volume of data at once.
Furthermore, the cognitive load rises if the material is very complex. Because much of the content learners consume will be on-demand, the flex model prevents information overload. The employee can simply pause and review anything they missed out on. If you use an LMS to design and manage your course, you can add creative assessments between the lessons. Such assessments help you and the employees to understand if they retain the information they learned.
Employees can learn anywhere and anytime
Since most of the flex model training happens online, your learners can learn anywhere and anytime. A good LMS, accessible through a mobile device, is all you need to promote on-the-go learning.
Saves money
Conducting physical sessions requires you to put a lot of money into arranging the venue, refreshments, stationery, etc. Moreover, your employees won’t be working while attending the session, so you’ll be paying a workforce that didn’t contribute to production. You can save all this money by conducting the training using the flex model because most of the LMS covers the portion.
Supports individual learning habits and requirements
In a traditional classroom style model, the instructor has to teach a group of 50-60 employees simultaneously. It is practically impossible for the instructor to cater to everyone’s different learning styles. But with the flex model, learners can learn online and request a one-on-one session whenever needed.
Perfect for a global workforce
Online learning is the only way out if your workforce is spread across the globe. You cannot hold live sessions because of the different time zones. The flex model makes things easier in this case.
How to implement it?
The beauty of blended learning models is that you can modify them based on your requirements. Let’s look at a fundamental way of implementing the flex model.
You have two options, either do it entirely online or partially online.
You can use an LMS to provide on-demand training material. With a good LMS, you can add simulations to the course and gamify it to make it more engaging. Create amazing videos to help your employees complete the training.
Now for the one-on-one or live group sessions you would have to conduct, you can either choose to conduct them in the office or host a video conference.
If your workforce is in different offices, then online sessions would be a more feasible option for you. The same goes for a global workforce.
An advantage of using an LMS is that it has a chat option. So your employees can take assistance from your instructor immediately or as soon as possible.
Wrapping up
The flex model of blended learning seems to be an ideal model for a busy corporate workforce. It is more learner-centric and allows one-on-one attention from the instructor as well.
You can also implement the flex model entirely online, saving you a lot of money and time.
An LMS for online training can help you create and manage the training better. Moreover, you get amazing analytical reports that are an important source of information to improve your upcoming training.
Any blended learning model requires considerable planning before you implement it. Figure out the right mix for your employees and to achieve your goals.