# data[].attributes.body
Learning theories

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Explore over 100+ easy-to-read summaries of learning theories, educational guides and useful tools below. This website is completely free! It has been maintained by teachers and volunteers since 2005. Please support us by sharing our site on social media or by purchasing our eBook.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Learning Theories and Models summaries - Educational Psychology

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Explore over 100+ easy-to-read summaries of learning theories, educational guides and useful tools below. This website is completely free! It has been maintained by teachers and volunteers since 2005. Please support us by sharing our site on social media or by purchasing our eBook .

# data[].attributes.body
Types of blended learning

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Many organizations are realizing the inherent benefits of utilizing a robust blended learning approach to their learning initiatives, in fact, by 2019, 50% of all high school courses will be delivered online. But what exactly is blended learning? Blended learning can take a variety of shapes, but it is often unfairly defined vary narrowly.

For those of you who are new to the concept of blended learning, it is defined as a formal education program in which a student learns at least in part through online delivery of content and instruction with some element of student control over time, place, path, and/or pace.

For instance, LearnDash offers one approach to blended learning, making it easy for organizations or educational institutions to supplement lessons with e-learning modules - but this is just one approach. There are many different strategy for implementing a blended learning method of learning.

In fact, blended learning can be grouped into six distinct models, including:

Each one of these approaches uses technology in varying degrees. As of now, educational institutions are the ones utilizing the blended learning approach most often. That said, its presences is growing in markets as well. As the upcoming generation enters the work field, expect blended learning to play a more prominent role. Heck, blended learning is new for many of us, but it's old news for today's youth!

This infographic is packed full of statistics on blended learning - all of which quite fascinating. Many infographics are all fluff, so it's refreshing to see one that actually has a lot of useful information.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Many organizations are realizing the inherent benefits of utilizing a robust blended learning approach to their learning initiatives, in fact, by 2019, 50% of all high school courses will be delivered online. But what exactly is blended learning? Blended learning can take a variety of shapes, but it is often unfairly defined vary narrowly.

# data[].attributes.body
Possible drawbacks

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Blended learning is a combo of e-Learning and traditional class. How do these two coexist and impact the teachers' and learners' experiences? Do the rewards justify the risks? Check out this article and consider the disadvantages of blended learning.

Blended learning is a successful combination of e-Learning, traditional classroom and autonomous study. It's been gaining popularity in recent years, in response to amazing proliferation of online learning, on the one hand, and consistently strong positions of traditional school, on the other hand. Some might think of blended learning as a trade-off or yet another version of the Buridan's ass paradox. Indeed, neglecting the fact that we live in the 21st century has been a definitive showstopper for a multitude of great initiatives. That said, disrupting the battle-hardened educational system with its solid methodology, academic backup, strong instructor figures, and developed intellectual and psychological bonds, is hardly a wise thing to do.

Just to be clear, I'm an eager proponent of blended learning. In my opinion, the pros of this approach firmly outweigh the cons, if we are putting the issue into perspective. The advantages include:

Advanced collaboration tools. Online discussions, quick messages and feedback from the instructor and peer students.

Increased accessibility. Courses can be accessed 24/7 - any time from any location.

Improved communication. Better connection between lecturers and part-time students.

Assessment 2.0. Facilitated student evaluations with comprehensive online testing and granular reporting. Automatic grading offered by many learning systems is also a great relief for the teacher.

Personal approach. Caters to each student's pace and learning style, creates a more comfortable environment for both slow runners and sprinters. If the learners are struggling with a particular topic, they can reach out to complementary web resources or get quick help from their instructor.

It's just fun! Blended learning courses have proven to be more engaging for various student groups - from elementary school to post-graduates and advanced trainees.

However, for the sake of fairness this article focuses on the disadvantages of blended learning. Increased cognitive load, steep learning curve for conservative teachers, lack of direct supervision... Let's take a look at the cons suggested by the e-Learning community.

1. The technology challenge. Infrastructure

There are at least two angles to this problem. The first is building the essential infrastructure within an educational institution or particular class. Does the facility have the required IT workforce? Can it allocate the right budget, or does it, in fact, reveal any willingness to shell out on an experimental case?

Acquiring software technology and hardware for your blended learning program can be costly. Even more so if you are dealing with a large campus or multiple branches. However, there is a long-term silver lining to it. By investing into the right tech set today, you are probably saving loads of cash that would otherwise be spent on supporting an obsolete brick-and-mortar framework.

2. The technology challenge. Mentality

The tech resources employed in blended learning need to be reliable, easy to use and unanimously accepted by all stakeholders of the learning process. Otherwise, the initiative will most likely be gathering dust until some remote milestone is reached.

The other issue is IT literacy, which may be a significant barrier for teachers rather than students. The availability of solid tech support and trainers is an absolute must. It's also important to nurture a blended learning community to evangelize the value of training technology. Any hiccups and lack of organization may bring along the looming danger of failure. Old school supporters always have an ace up their sleeve: a long track record and verified methodology. Innovators really have to go the extra mile to convince the hesitant and reveal the benefits rather than disadvantages of blended learning.

3. Pace of advancement

What primarily looks like an upside turns into a downside when you come to review specific learning scenarios. For example, the use of lecture recording may actually result in learners lagging behind on the course flow. Some students may choose to linger around for a while and then watch a bunch of video classes in one sitting, while others would rather make the interactive class part of their daily/weekly routine. At the end of the day, an instructor trying to sync up both streams with ongoing offline activity is faced with a daunting task.

4. Negative impact on teachers. Overwork

It's hard to disagree that there's a significant amount of extra teacher's work involved in the primary stages. Paradigm shift is not exactly a trifle. A teacher adopting blended learning has to pick the right syllabus, the right ratio between face-to-face and online learning, and to the best of my knowledge, there's no universal recipe to it. The WebQuest model might be worth checking out, as a sample of successful 'hybridization'. Also, technical training is key. The broader your horizons, the easier to find a best-fitting solution.

5. Negative impact on students. Cognitive load

The first thing that comes to mind when you think of the disadvantages of blended learning is the cognitive load. New to the blended model, some teachers may start overdelivering content and educational activities. The new program may become a friend if tailored to individual student needs, and a foe if applied in bulk, as is usually the case with traditional classroom learning. On the bright side, the instructor now has tools to engage and motivate students in the 21st century fashion, using interactive elements, gamification, digital certification, etc.

6. The plagiarism and credibility problem

Naturally, once your class is officially Internet-friendly, it's hard to withstand the temptation of looking up things on the web or getting instant tips from fellow students. This may affect fair assessment and quality of course work. Besides, the teacher needs to make learners aware of the perils of unverified online resources, such as bias, distortion and misrepresentation of facts.

In conclusion

Every learning methodology has its pros and cons. As always, you need to measure your requirements against existing options. Will the combination of e-Learning technology with face-to-face instruction and self-paced training benefit your audience? Do the rewards outweigh the risks? Are your students ready to embrace the new way of thinking and learning? An unrestrained and versatile educational environment may be an invaluable motivational factor for some, and a source of cognitive dissonance for others.

Disadvantages of blended learning exist but they are not unsurpassable. The negative impact can be minimized or even channeled into productive activity if the instructor keeps an eye on student feedback, improves technology skills and delivers quality courses. Besides, some benchmarking would never hurt in this complex field. Look around, your colleagues may have already cut their teeth on blended learning, so they can give you a few pointers. That said, every experience is unique and can hardly be duplicated under different conditions.

As always, I'd be happy to hear your opinions. Keep me posted on other disadvantages of blended learning - and efficient ways to handle them. I'm positive, if there is a will, there is always a way.

Survey

Please take a 10 second survey to fill me in on your judgments. Many thanks!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
6 Disadvantages of Blended Learning You Have to Cope With

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Blended learning is a combo of e-Learning and traditional class. How do these two coexist and impact the teachers' and learners' experiences? Do the rewards justify the risks? Check out this article and consider the disadvantages of blended learning. Blended learning is a successful combination of e-Learning, traditional classroom and autonomous study.

# data[].attributes.body
Benefits of blended learning

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Many CTE and elective teachers have heard about blended learning, but it can be intimidating to try a new teaching style when you don't know how it will impact your classroom. The good thing is there are many benefits of blended learning and it's easier to get started than you think!

Before we jump right into the advantages of blended learning, let's take a step back and get a quick refresher on what blended learning means...

Blended learning combines traditional face-to-face instruction with online learning, in-class learning stations, or flipped classroom models. If you aren't quite sure what blended learning should look like in your classroom, take a look at these articles:

Why are teachers hesitant to try blended learning resources?

Sometimes "old school" thinking can get in the way of giving new teaching methods and resources a try. Have you ever heard (or thought) any of these regarding online or blended learning resources?

Online learning replaces teachers.

Online learning isn't for classroom instruction.

Online learning = an online class/course. That's not what we do.

Online learning is just distance learning. That's not what we do.

Online learning is "canned" curriculum.

These paradigms about blended learning resources can prevent schools and teachers from discovering many useful, inventive, and ground-breaking educational resources. Instead, these resources are disregarded simply because of misconceptions about the term "online."

Based on paradigms like these, at AES we go so far as to avoid using the term "online" to describe anything that we do. And in some ways, that's a shame since one of the very useful aspects of blended learning tools is that they are provided online. This means that as long as your students have internet access, they can take advantage of blended learning curriculum resources... in and out of your classroom.

And what about paradigms that suggest online curriculum and other classroom technologies replace teachers? In the post, " 3 Misconceptions about Blended learning Tools," these misconceptions are explained and hopefully put to rest. Online blended learning tools do NOT replace teachers, do NOT put teachers on autopilot, and do NOT make teachers stale.

You can read more about paradigms that screw up the benefits of blended learning here.

So what are the benefits of blended learning?

The problem with allowing misconceptions to win the day is that you and your students can ultimately end up losing. Blended learning is unobjectionably beneficial for students. Here are five of the many reasons why blended learning should be a part of your teaching strategy:

1. Increased student engagement

2. More flexibility and better time management for teacher

3. It's cost-effective

4. Performance assessments in the classroom

For a full explanation of these important benefits, check out this post: 5 Benefits of Blended Learning for CTE and Elective Courses

You can also take a fresh look at the benefits of blended learning by recalling the differences between textbooks and online curriculum.

What does a blended learning approach look like?

In interview with health science teacher, Patricia Smith of Fred P. Hamilton Career Center in Oconee County, South Carolina, she wonderfully demonstrated how to implement blended learning in a CTE program:

During the first hour or so of her block class time, Patricia likes to be able to do various things, which supports her blended learning curriculum. She has frequent access to a computer lab where every student has access to a computer. That's when she uses the HealthCenter21 curriculum. It's usually incorporated into at least one class per week and sometimes more.

Patricia explains:

"Some of the modules I depend heavily upon in HealthCenter21, and some of the modules are more like supplements for me. I find, because I'm also a virtual school teacher, that some students just learn better having that time with the computer where they can listen or they can read as much as they want, they could practice and go over the quizzes as much as they want. I think that being able to use an online curriculum really is helping some students out there, and actually me sometimes."

She goes on to share:

"I never teach the same way twice and that's after 28 years! I have to weed out and rearrange things because they change. I feel like I've always been the type of teacher that pulls from so many different resources. Just trying to get something new and different and something that will spark some interest to keep my kids from dozing off in class."

Learn more about Patricia's blended learning teaching style here.

How to get started with blended learning

Patricia Smith is doing great with blended learning in her classroom... but what about you?

The only limit to what tools you use to create a blended learning environment is in your own mind. If you can use something unique and unexpected to help students learn in your classroom, then go for it!

That being said, there are a couple of basics that you should cover, the biggest being digital curriculum. Today's students gravitate toward technology and more than likely most of them are walking into your classroom with one or more devices already in hand. Rather than fighting them to put away their phones and tablets, use them as part of your blended learning toolbox.

The other important thing to keep in mind is that blended learning doesn't mean throwing away everything you've ever done in the classroom and replacing it with something new. Blended learning combines the best of traditional teaching techniques with new ones. In the article " The Power of Blend in Blended Learning," Adam Holden says this about blended learning:

"For years, we "early adopters" have been advocating the many advantages of blended learning - the predominant one being that it naturally allows for differentiated instruction. Well-designed blended instruction genuinely allows teachers to meet the full gamut of student needs.

Because of the critical need to reach a diversity of learning styles, personal interests, individual goals, intrinsic motivation and especially to connect with real-world and practical applications, we have heralded the potential of this student-centered methodology."

When you read something like that it begs the question, why isn't everyone using blended learning in their classroom?

One possible reason could be the idea that blended learning is new and the techniques involved in creating that learning environment require that teachers completely overhaul every aspect of their existing curriculum. That can be pretty intimidating to veteran and newbie teachers alike. And it's so unnecessary and wasteful!

You don't have to throw all your lesson plans out the window when you adopt blended learning. Holden points out that the very best blended learning practices include traditional teaching styles as well as new techniques. Holden describes this as a "comprehensive" blend. For more information about comprehensive blended learning, go here.

While blended learning curriculum provides a great solution to many challenges, it also can require a lot of work from the teacher. Luckily, it can be done. There are many tools and resources out there to help alleviate the workload that can accompany blended learning curriculum. Here are a few ways to get started:

Once you get started, don't forget: When introducing blended learning into your classroom, it should be a way to improve your class and enhance the way your students learn.

Start Using Blended Learning Today!

At AES, we design each digital CTE curriculum to work in a blended learning environment.

If you want to engage, educate, and help your students more, we have the answer!

All you have to do is sign up for a free trial. No cost, no obligation, and no commitment.

Get your free trial today!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Benefits of Blended Learning for Your Classroom

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Many CTE and elective teachers have heard about blended learning, but it can be intimidating to try a new teaching style when you don't know how it will impact your classroom. The good thing is there are many benefits of blended learning and it's easier to get started than you think!

# data[].attributes.body
Student Views

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Blended Learning Model, Blended Learning Definition, Blended Learning Approach, Blended Learning Solutions, Blended Learning Strategy, Blended Learning Challenges, Blended Learning Environment, Blended Learning System Blended Learning Itb Blended Learning Pedagogy M Learning M-learning M-learning Project M-learning In Education M-learning E-learning M-learning Pdf M Learning Center M Learning Ru M-learning Definition,

# data[].attributes.body
What learning theories support using Padlet in the classroom in the manner that you have started to use it.

# data[].attributes.body
Blended learning toolkit

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Dziuban, Hartman, and Moskal (2004, p.3) describe blended learning as a "pedagogical approach that combines the effectiveness and socialization opportunities of the classroom with the technologically enhanced active learning possibilities of the online environment." The opportunity to tap into a larger range of strategies and solve pedagogical problems attracts faculty to blended courses.

Mary, a Social Work faculty member at the University of Central Florida (UCF), voiced the following difference between her traditional and blended students:

Students in my traditional courses come to class like baby birds with their mouths open for food. In my blended course, students come in prepared and actively contribute to the class.

Enhanced student contributions such as those reported by Mary are similar to reports from other faculty teaching blended courses. Faculty members report improved outcomes such as students:

Arrive in class better prepared (Bauer, 2001; Cameron, 2003),

Write more effective and longer papers (Benbunan-Fich & Hiltz, 1999; Garnham & Kaleta, 2002; Murphy, 2002-2003; Spilka, 2002),

Earn higher scores on exams (Garnham & Kaleta, 2002; O'Toole & Absalom, 2003),

Create higher quality projects (Benbunan-Fich & Hiltz, 1999; Cameron, 2003; Garnham & Kaleta, 2002; McCray, 2000),

Engage in deeper and more meaningful discussions of course content (Garnham & Kaleta, 2002; King, 2002; McCray, 2000; Murphy, 2002-2003), and

Demonstrate a better understanding and deeper exploration of concepts (Bauer, 2001; Cameron, 2003)

Succeed at an equal or higher rate than students in traditional courses (Dziuban, Hartman, Moskal, Sorg, & Truman, 2004; Dzuiban, Hartman, Juge, Moskal, & Sorg, 2005; Dziuban, Hartman, & Moskal, 2004).

However, a well-designed blended course is not as simple as dividing your course into face-to-face and online components. Here are some principles to guide the development of your blended course:

Focus on Outcomes

According to Sands (2002), the "basic precept of course-planning [is]: What do [you] want students to be able to do at the end of the semester?" In other words, course goals and objectives should guide the design of your course rather than technology (Aycock, Garnham, & Kaleta, 2002). Sands' first principle for developing a blended course is to "work backward from the final course goal...to avoid a counterproductive focus on technology."

Interaction

Successful blended courses have higher rates of student-to-student and instructor-to-student interactions (Aycock, Garnham, & Kaleta, 2002). For his second principle, Sands (2002) recommends focusing on interaction rather than the delivery mode of the course. Create activities that require students to engage in the course content and with each other.

Redesign

Universally, successful blended faculty cite redesign of their course as the key element to creating integration between the face-to-face classroom and online components. Create online assignments that carryover to the classroom and back online (Sands, 2002; Aycock, Garnham, & Kaleta, 2002). For instance, you may start a class discussion face-to-face and then extend it into an online discussion in which all students participate.

Integration

Sands (2002) said integration is "the most important tip" for designing a blend course. You can never have too much integration. Aycock, Garnham, & Kaleta (2002) suggest asking yourself some questions. What isn't working in my current course? Is there a way to move that piece online that would improve the outcome? Don't give up if the integration is not perfect the first time you teach the course. Even experienced blended faculty feel it takes three iterations of a course to get the integration down (Futch, 2005; Aycock, Garnham, & Kaleta, 2002).

Keep It Simple Starting (KISS)

Professor Stephen Lytle of UCF came up with this variation on the KISS acronym.

His advice is to start with a few technology tools that integrate well into your course.

Make sure you understand the active-learning strategies associated with the tool so you use it appropriately and don't create extra work for yourself or your students (Sands, 2002; Aycock, Garnham, & Kaleta, 2002).

You can add additional activities and technology tools to your course in subsequent semesters (Sands, 2002; Aycock, Garnham, & Kaleta, 2002). Projects such as simulations take extended planning and time to create and frequently require help from programmers and other specialists.

Allocate Sufficient Time

Make sure you allocate sufficient time to redesign your course. Aycock, Garnham, & Kaleta (2002) recommend six months to redesign your course. Simmons College has a Blended Course Redesign Schedule that might help you plan your redesign project. Notice Simmons recommends an eight month redesign period.

Collegial Process

Find experienced blended faculty willing to share their experiences (Aycock, Garnham, & Kaleta, 2002). The exchange of ideas is beneficial to both parties.

Organization

Organize the sequence of activities logically and be consistent (Simmons College, 2011).

Student Expectations

Blended Concept

Students don't always understand the concept of a blended course and the relationship between the classroom and online components. Clearly state the rationale for your course design and the relationship of the components (Aycock, Garnham, & Kaleta, 2002).

Active Learning

Some students don't have the maturity to understand their responsibility in active learning strategies (Aycock, Garnham, & Kaleta, 2002). You need to specify their responsibilities and the consequences of failure.

Time Management

Some students need help with time management (Sands, 2002; Aycock, Garnham, & Kaleta, 2002). They may need assistance to develop these skills.

Classroom vs. Home

Some students need help understanding the concept of "reduced seat time." They do not consider time in the classroom to be "work" (Aycock, Garnham, & Kaleta, 2002). However, time spent online outside the classroom is "work" and they have more "work" at home in a blended course.

Convenience, Convenience, Convenience

Everyone, teachers and students, love the convenience and flexibility of working from home. However, time in a campus computer lab is not considered convenient (Aycock, Garnham, & Kaleta, 2002) because it is not at home.

Simmons College has several checklists to help with blended course development. The checklists have several tips and suggestions designed to help new blended faculty. You might need to make a few adjustments to fit your institution.

BlendKit Course

Please see the BlendKit Course materials for a detailed treatment of design and delivery principles in blended learning. These are addressed at a high level in the BlendKit Reader and from a practical standpoint in the BlendKit Course's do-it-yourself task guides.

References

Aycock, A., Garnham, C., & Kaleta, R. (March 20, 2002). Lessons learned from the hybrid course project. Teaching with Technology Today, 8(6), 1-6.

Bauer, W. (July/August 2001). Enriching the traditional music classroom through Internet-based technologies. The Technology Source. Retrieved November 15, 2004 from http://technologysource.org/article/ enriching_the_traditional_music_classroom_through_internetbased_technologies/

Benbunan-Fich, R., & Hiltz, S. R. (March 1999). Educational applications of CMCS: Solving case studies through asynchronous learning networks. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 4(3).

Cameron, B. (September/October 2003). The effectiveness of simulation in a hybrid and online networking course. TechTrends, 47(5), 18-21. Retrieved April 27, 2005, from Wilson Web database.

Dziuban, C.; Hartman, J.; Juge, F.; Moskal, P.; & Sorg, S. (2005). Blended learning: Online learning enters the mainstream. In Bonk, C. J., & C. R. Graham, (Eds.), Handbook of blended learning: Global perspectives, local designs. San Francisco, CA: Pfeiffer Publishing.

Dziuban, C. D., Hartman, J. L., & Moskal, P. D. (March 30, 2004). Blended learning. Educause Center for Applied Research, 2004(7). Retrieved November 15, 2004, from http://www.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ERB0407.pdf

Dziuban, C., Hartman, J., Moskal, P., Sorg, S., & Truman, B. (2004). Three ALN modalities: An institutional perspective. In J. Bourne & J. C. Moore (Eds.), Elements of Quality Online Education: Into the Mainstream (pp. 127-148). Needham, MA: Sloan Center for Online Education.

Garnham, C., & Kaleta, R. (March 20, 2002). Introduction to hybrid courses. Teaching with Technology Today, 8(6).

King, K. P. (2002). Identifying success in online teacher education and professional development. [Electronic version]. Internet and Higher Education, 5, 231-246.

McCray, G. E. (2000). The hybrid course: Merging on-line instruction and the traditional classroom. Information Technology and Management, 1, 307-327.

Murphy, P. (December 2002-January 2003). The hybrid strategy: Blending face-to-face with virtual instruction to improve large lecture courses. UC TLtC News & Events.

O'Toole, J. M., & Absalom, D. J. (October 2003). The impact of blended learning on student outcomes: Is there room on the horse for two? Journal of Educational Media, 28(2-3), 179-190. Retrieved May 14, 2005, EBSCO Host database.

Sands, P. (2002.) Inside outside, upside downside: Strategies for connecting online and face-to-face instruction in hybrid courses. Teaching with Technology Today, 8(6).

Spilka, R. (March 20, 2002). Approximately "real world" learning with the hybrid model. Teaching with Technology Today, 8(6).

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Dziuban, Hartman, and Moskal (2004, p.3) describe blended learning as a "pedagogical approach that combines the effectiveness and socialization opportunities of the classroom with the technologically enhanced active learning possibilities of the online environment." The opportunity to tap into a larger range of strategies and solve pedagogical problems attracts faculty to blended courses.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
27: Tips for Implementing Blended Learning

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This is second of three podcasts exploring blended learning and what it means for organisational learning. In this episode we look at tips for implementing blended learning, and provide an example. This tutorial is also available on iTunes and the Connect Thinking E-Learning Academy blog.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The Benefits Of Blended Learning
by April Giarla

The teaching landscape is rapidly changing, the technological rise of the 21 st century and widespread integration of those technologies into our society, combined with access to the internet has integrally changed teaching in just a few years.

Our children, and their following generations are already and will continue to grow up in a world that's a stark reminder of how rapidly the human civilization has changed, a society and world where smartphones and tablets are widespread, affordable, and replacing most computers and laptops.

The rapidly changing landscapes should be a marker to show that teaching methods need to evolve to keep up with the times and incorporate integrated technologies into the learning modal, these technologies aren't going to go away, they'll continue to be integrated into our society and it's time to embrace them for the advantages they bring.
What Is Blended Learning?
We've provided a definition of blended learning in the past. Blended Learning is a mixture of learning methods that incorporate multiple teaching modals. Aost frequently eLearning and traditional face-to-face learning.

Blended learning is a natural development to the growing accessibility of eLearning, online resources and the continued need for a human component in the learning experience. A blended learning approach ensures that the learner is engaged and driving his or her individual learning experience. This approach also helps cater to the individual needs of the learner, most students have unique learning styles and a blended approach is more likely to cater to those needs than a traditional classroom teaching experience.
Blended Learning Models:
Due to its modular design, blended learning can come in numerous shapes and sizes and be personalized to fit the individual. These types of modals can include:

Online - Instruction occurs via an online platform, with periodic face-to-face meetings.

Rotation: Student rotates between self-paced online learning and face-to-face instruction. Schedules are fixed but flexible.

Flex: Most instruction is delivered online, with teachers providing as needed support in small-group settings.

Personalised blend: Teacher designs face-to-face and anywhere, anytime learning options that straddle the physical classroom and virtual spaces. Learning is the constant and time is the variable.

Online lab: Instructions takes place in a brick and mortar lab. Delivered by an online teacher and supervised onsite by paraprofessionals.

Self-blend: Students take online courses to supplement their tradition schools face to face course catalogue.

Face-to-face: Teacher offers primarily face-to-face instruction, supplemented with technology in the classroom or computer lab.

Why Is Blended Learning Important?
Blended learning is important because it breaks down the traditional walls of teaching, ones that don't work for all students and now with access to present day technologies and resources we can tailor the learning experience for each student. Blended learning also offers flexible time frames that can be personalized to each person, offering them the ability to learn at their own pace.
Advantages Of Blended Learning For Teachers
Teaching is less expensive to deliver, more affordable and saves time.

Blended learning offers flexibility in terms of availability - Anytime, anywhere. In other words, eLearning enables the student to access the materials from anywhere at any time.

Access to global resources and materials that meet the students' level of knowledge and interest.

Self-pacing for slow or quick learners reduces stress, increases satisfaction and information retention.

E-learning allows more affective interactions between the learners and their instructors through the use of emails, discussion boards and chat room.

Students have the ability to track their progress.

Students can also learn through a variety of activities that apply to many different learning styles.

E-learning could improve the quality of teaching and learning as it supports the face-to-face teaching approaches.

Blended learning also improves other factors for the teacher including:

More engaged students

Better information and feedback on work

Team teaching

Extended time with students

More leadership roles

Focus on deeper learning

Motivate hard to reach kids

New options to teach at home

More earning power

Individualized professional development plans

Improved Teaching Conditions
Blended learning tears down the traditional bricks and mortar approach to teaching, which can improve conditions such as:

Reduced Isolation

More opportunities for collaboration

Meaningful professional development

Better student data

Improved Time efficiency

Role-differentiation

Advantages Of Blended Learning For Students

Increase student interest: when technology is integrated into school lessons, learners are more likely to be interested in, focused on, and excited about the subjects they are studying. Subjects that might be monotonous for some - like math and science, while also increasing information retention.

Keep students focused for longer: The use of computers to look up information & data is a tremendous lifesaver, combined with access to resources such as the internet to conduct research. This engagement and interaction with the resources keeps students focused for longer periods then they would be with books or paper resources, this engagement also helps develop learning through exploration and research.

Provides student autonomy: The use of eLearning materials increases a student's ability to set appropriate learning goals and take charge of his or her own learning, which develops an ability that will be translatable across all subjects.

Instil a disposition of self-advocacy: Students become self-driven and responsible, tracking their individual achievements , which helps develop the ability to find the resources or get the help they need, self-advocating so they can reach their goals.

Promote student ownership: Blended learning instils a sense of 'student ownership over learning' which can be a powerful force propelling the learning, It's this feeling of responsibility that helps the feeling of ownership.

Allow instant diagnostic information and student feedback: The ability to rapidly analyse, review and give feedback to a students work, gives the teacher the ability to tailor his teaching methods and feedback for each student, while improving time efficiency.

Enables students to learn at their own pace: Due to the flexibility of blended learning and the ability to access internet resources allows students to learn at their own pace, meaning a teacher can help speed up the learning process or give more advanced resources if necessary.

Prepares students for the future: Blended learning offers a multitude of real-world skills, that directly translate into life skills, from:
Conclusion
All students no matter their age learn differently and teaching methods should reflect this, by designing teaching programmes in a way that reaches visual, auditory and kinetic learners alike.

With the heavy integration of technologies we'll be able to improve teaching, information retention, engagement, responsibility and enjoyment. Students never outgrow their learning styles, meaning blended learning is more important than ever, no matter what the industry is, from schools to corporations, in all walks of life.

StratX is a management development firm that delivers top 500 global companies engaging customized learning solutions. Visit StratX at http://stratxcorporate.com/

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Benefits Of Blended Learning by April Giarla The teaching landscape is rapidly changing, the technological rise of the 21st century and widespread integration of those technologies into our society, combined with access to the internet has integrally changed teaching in just a few years.