Blended Training

The Blended
Training Toolkit
Get to grips with the principles and
methodology
Your practical guide - packed with
advice, templates and checklists

All the key decision points covered
and explained
How to plan for success - and
achieve results
Mike Levy and Dai Jenkins
The author and the publishers have taken all reasonable care to ensure
that all material in this pack is original, or is in the Public Domain, or
is used with the permission of the original copyright owner. However, a
number of ideas and practices have become widely known and used
within the training profession and their origin is not always possible to
trace. If any person believes that material for which they own the
copyright has found its way into this pack without permission, will
they please contact the publishers who will act in good faith to
investigate and remedy any inadvertent infringement.
The information contained in this Toolkit was correct at the time of
writing, and has been provided by the author and the publishers in
good faith.
The Blended Training Toolkit

by Mike Levy and Dai Jenkins
with additional contributions by Anne Fanning
Fenman Limited 2002
Published by Fenman Limited

Clive House, The Business Park, Ely, Cambridgeshire CB7 4EH
Telephone: 01353 665533
Fax: 01353 663644
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Website: www.fenman.co.uk
Commissioning Editor: Angela Wilde

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Copy Editor: Carsten Zuntz
Text pages typeset by Cambridge Publishing Management
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Cover layout by Elizabeth Matthews, Royston
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British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data.

A catalogue record for this book is available from the
British Library.
ISBN 1 903310 34 2
FENMAN registered trademark
THE BLENDED TRAINING TOOLKIT AT A GLANCE

Using the Toolkit to plan your project
ITEM 5
What is Blended Training?
STARTING POINT
ITEM 1
UNIT 1
Can I do it?
How do I show learners and clients
the benefits of Blended Training?
Has it anything to offer my learners,

my clients or myself?
Planning
your project
Choosing
delivery
mechanisms
ITEM 5
TOOLS
Description of Blended
Training.
Advantages in using a range
of delivery mechanisms.
Your current approach and
Blended Training.
ITEM 4
ITEM 3
ITEM 2
ITEM 1
1A How blended are you

already?
1B Common training
scenarios
UNIT 4
TOOLS
Mechanics of Blended
Training.
4A Evaluating different
delivery mechanisms
Use your experience to help

your learners to learn.
4B How do you learn?
Decisions about your project.
4C Decision points
Costing and compromise

ideal versus real.
4D Cost assessment
ITEM 6
ITEM 13
Your project
is ready for
delivery
Preparing the
feedback loop
The
computer-based
element
4E Reality check
ITEM 2
UNIT 1
TOOLS
Answer different
requirements with a Blended
Training approach.
1C Benefits of different
delivery mechanisms
Looking at the needs of your

learners.
1D Pre-training survey
ITEM 3
UNIT 2
TOOLS
Skills needed to succeed with

Blended Training do you
have them all?
2A How do you rate yourself?
Convincing yourself and

others.
2B How to respond to
resistance from the
learner
Resistance you are likely to

encounter.
2C How to respond to
resistance from the
company
Making a case for Blended

Training to learners and
clients.
ITEM 6
UNIT 5
TOOLS
Computer-based training
advantages and limitations in
various situations.
5A Your e-options
Appropriate delivery
mechanism choosing.
5B Synchronous versus
asynchronous
Assessing computer-based
training packages.
5D Computer-based training
checklist
ITEM 7
UNIT 5
2D Benefits of online
learning
ITEM 7
ITEM 12
Project
management
ITEM 11
UNIT 6
TOOLS
Options for delivery.
6F Multi-delivery options
ITEM 12
UNIT 7
TOOLS
5F Can I use it online?
Project management skills

assessment and best use.
7A Your project management

skills
Analyse, define and develop

your project.
7B Work Breakdown
structure
UNIT 5
TOOLS
Reliability of your systems

check, and develop
contingency plans.
5C Backup planning sheet
Find the assistance you need.
ITEM 4
ITEM 9
UNIT 3
TOOLS
Learners objectives define

them.
3A Required learning
outcomes
UNIT 6
TOOLS
What might slow you down?
6A Readiness checklist
Analysis and design

planning your course.
3B Merrills First Principles
Learners road map

preparation.
6B Learners road map
7E What people do you need?
What could go wrong?
3E Contingency planner
Instructional design model

construction.
3F Instructional design
model
Develop a flowchart for your

programme and assess your
goals.
7G Blended Training project

flowchart
7H SMARTER and SWOT
ITEM 13
5 Star Instructional Design

Rating (see Appendix)
3D Equipment survey
ITEM 10
UNIT 8
TOOLS
The importance of feedback.
8A Learner satisfaction
questionnaire
UNIT 6
TOOLS
Branding, consistency and

logical delivery.
6C Branding your
programme
How to evaluate feedback.
8B Effectiveness assessment
6D Consistency checklist
Measure the success of your

programme through the
progress of your learners.
8C Measures of success
Blending your programme.
The safety
element
7C Responsibility
assignment matrix
7F Ingredients for successful

teamwork
3C Learning Needs
Multiple-delivery
options
ITEM 8
7D Gantt Chart
5E Is the e-element reliable?
Course objectives align

them with learners needs.
ITEM 11
TOOLS
ITEM 8
Online or
face-to-face?
6E Smooth blend checklist
ITEM 10
Brand,
consistency and
blend
ITEM 9
Preparing
yourself and
your learners
CONTENTS
Foreword and sample case study
vii
About this resource
xii
List of tools
xiv
A word about copyright
xvii
How to use this resource
xix
How to use the CD-ROM
xx
Glossary
xxiii
About the authors
xxxii
Further reading
xxxiii
1.
The case for Blended Training

What is Blended Training? The main advantages
in using a range of delivery mechanisms. Are you
already practising Blended Training? How to
answer different requirements with a Blended
Training approach. Looking at the needs of your
learners.
2.
Selling the benefits of Blended Training

Do you have all the skills you need to succeed with
Blended Training? Convince yourself before you
convince others. What resistance are you likely to
encounter? Making a case for Blended Training to
learners and clients.
3.
Planning a Blended Training project

Define your learners objectives. Plan the analysis
and design of your course. How best to align your
objectives with your learners needs. What could go
wrong? Constructing an instructional design model.
4.
Choosing the right delivery mechanisms

Evaluating the mechanics of Blended Training.
Use your experience to help your learners to learn.
Decisions about your project. Costing and
compromise ideal versus real.
v
The Blended Training Toolkit Fenman Limited 2002
5.
The e-element in Blended Training design

Advantages and limitations of computer-based
training in various situations. Choosing the most
appropriate delivery mechanism. Assessing
different computer-based training packages. Check
the reliability of your systems but develop
contingency plans.
6.
Blending your training

What might slow you down now? Preparing the
learners road map. Branding, consistency and
logical delivery. Blending your programme.
Options for delivery.
7.
Managing your project

Assess your project management skills and put
them to best use. Analyse, define and develop your
project, and find the assistance you need. Develop
a flowchart for your programme and assess your
goals.
8.
Keeping control of your project

The importance of feedback. How to evaluate it.
Measure the success of your programme through
the progress of your learners.
Appendix
Blended Training case studies. Increased
productivity through Blended Training. Blended
Training and multinationals. The small-scale user.
5 Star Instructional Design Rating.
vi
FOREWORD
The latest big idea around the learning community, the
buzzword that seems to be on everybodys lips, or keyboard, is
Blended Training. If youre not blending, youre nowhere was
how one American head of training apparently put it, I would
guess, a little cynically. Trainers can be forgiven for thinking
theyve been here before, heaving a deep sigh, and saying Hold
on a minute. It was all e-learning and CD-ROMs a couple of
years back. Is that all finished with then? I think Ill give this big
idea a miss, and wait for the next one. So, do you need to know
about Blended Training? Or is it just a passing fad, and will there
be another one along tomorrow?
The vast range of commentary on the subject only serves to add
to the general confusion. There seem to be almost as many
definitions of Blended Training as there are practitioners, or
expert commentators. In any case, why blended? What is being
blended with what exactly? And why not combined, merged or
even united? Arent they roughly the same thing?
After sifting through the generous swathe of available opinion as
to what does and what does not constitute Blended Training, the
whole bewildering array seems to resolve itself into three main
definitions. Blending, it seems, means either:
blending old, traditional teaching methods with new
technologies
blending all existing teaching mechanisms, old and new, into
a single programme
blending selected teaching methods to fit in with the goals,
requirements and resources of a client organisation.
So which is right? Or more right than the others? The first
definition sounds more like Combined Training. We could call
the second definition Merged Training, and the third one (my
personal favourite) United Training!
Is the term blended just an arbitrary choice, thought up by
some corporate whizz-kid while creating a superior Bolognese
sauce? Not quite, though the cooking analogy is relevant here.
When we blend, we not only mix, we measure; and this is what
the phrase is meant to convey. Judiciously selected and carefully
measured amounts of learning, blended seamlessly together over
vii
a fixed period, to deliver a superior training result. A skilled and

motivated workforce; or a particularly fine Spaghetti Bolognese!
This emphasis on measurement and then evaluation is what led
one project manager confidently to assert that Blended Training
is All about Assessment.
All well and good. But does it work? Well, thousands of large
corporations worldwide seem to think so. Having invested
billions in e-technologies in the past few years, many are now
coming to the conclusion that, at least as far as in-work training
is concerned, these technologies are not the magic solutions they
were once cracked up to be. In short, they are searching for new
models. And this is how Blended Training stepped into the
picture. For many, it seems to be refreshing parts of the training
programme that e-learning couldnt reach.
So Blended Training is not just some corporate whizz-kids latest
bright idea. In fact, it isnt even new. The educational principles
behind it have been around for a century or more. What is
different is that these principles are now being applied to the
latest technologies for training. In its simplest and most basic
sense, Blended Training is a matter of looking around at all the
training methods currently available, and, after some
consideration, selecting (or adapting) the most appropriate.
Common sense, really.
Obviously, the best way of understanding what Blended Training
can do for you is to try it. To this end, we have reproduced a case
study so you can see, before you embark on your Blended
Training programme, how successfully Blended Training has
worked in Scotland. You will be able to see further case studies in
the Appendix.
viii
Case Studies
1. Scottish Enterprise Premier Adviser programme

This is an ongoing Blended Training programme for business
advisers in Scotland.
Primary aim
To enhance and deepen guidance given to existing Scottish
businesses, and especially to assist in the development of new
ones.
SA
M
PL
E
Learning outcomes
That the advisers should:
Acquire new skills in absorbing and delivering business advice.

Acquire e-learning skills.
Crucial success factors

Two factors were identified as having been most crucial to the
success of the project:
There was a compelling case for the initiation of such a project.

There was complete management buy-in (in this case the
Scottish parliament).
Obstacles to success
One factor was identified as representing the chief obstacle to
success: resistance from the learners, many of whom were
already experienced business advisers. Some (though not all)
had entrenched attitudes towards their jobs, and considered
re-training pointless. There was also a marked resistance to
e-learning.
This learner resistance was assuaged to some extent by the
development of an official accreditation system. Participants
who achieved a certain standard at the end of the course,
received a Diploma in Business Counselling, which counted for a
third of a Masters Business Degree.
ix
Introduction to the course

The programme was inaugurated with a one-day launch at
which learners received:
A complete programme outline, with synchronous events

scheduled, and deadlines for the performance of
asynchronous tasks.
An introductory workshop session on online learning modules.

A course mentor, allocated to them.
An outline of a Continuous Professional Development plan
SA
M
PL
E
(CPD) an online self-assessment tool with which to record

monthly progress; in particular, how the learners were
developing their strengths and overcoming knowledge or
performance gaps.
The programme
The year-long programme comprised:
Access to 72 hours of online learning material.

Support and advice online from a mentor.
Occasional one-day workshops.
Chat rooms.
Monthly virtual classroom learning groups.
Feedback and assessment via the mentor, to whom the

learners had to deliver their monthly CPD, workshop
assessments, tests and case study assignments.
Trainers reported that after a period of about four months,
learner resistance to the training programme was beginning to
disappear, and that motivation and commitment improved
steadily throughout the year.
Completion
The course was completed with a ceremony at which successful
learners received their diplomas. Those experiencing difficulty
were given a finite amount of extra time and support to achieve
the standard for accreditation.
SA
M
PL
E
Summary
The programme was recognised as an outstanding success, and
expanded and extended to hundreds more Scottish business
advisers. In June 2002, 450 Premier Advisers were participating
in the programme, with 2025 additional advisers joining every
fortnight.
xi
ABOUT THIS RESOURCE

This manual provides a comprehensive overview and in-depth
analysis of what Blended Training means; its general principles,
its terms and methodology, its relation to e-learning, what its
uses are, how it can be applied, the range of mechanisms
available to it, its design principles, and why it is proving so
universally successful. It is designed as a practical guide which
you can follow step by step as you build and put into practice
your Blended Training programme. At the front of the Toolkit is
a flowchart to guide you through the whole Toolkit. Units 1 to 5
focus on the analysis and design aspects of your project, the
general learning principles that lie behind Blended Training, and
the preparatory work that needs to be done to ensure all the
basic mechanisms are put in place. Units 6 to 8 are concerned
with the implementation of your design model, the skills you
will need as a trainer, potential problems and pitfalls, and
methods of evaluation. The Appendix contains Case Studies of
implementations of Blended Training and supporting material.
Whether your project is simply introducing a workforce to
e-learning, or preparing them to design and launch a new
initiative, a Blended Training model provides the best approach
to achieving these learning goals.
Along with general tips, we provide authentic case studies;
examples of successful Blended Training in action, which will
forewarn you about the kind of teething problems that need to
be ironed out on occasion. We also demonstrate the great
potential of Blended Training for the business world as it is
currently changing and developing.
With the rapid evolution of technology, particularly in the
sphere of communications, and the increasing globalisation of
markets, companies are waking up to the fact that they need to
instil a culture of lifelong learning into their workforce. No more
do you acquire your job-skills in youth and early adulthood, then
carry on doing the same thing for the rest of your working life.
Front-line staff and managers must constantly up date their
skills and acquire new ones, as years go by. Businesses large and
small are beginning to ask, not so much Can we afford to install
and develop some form of in-work training? but rather Can we
afford not to?.
xii
Good news for trainers, but be warned you are increasingly

being regarded as fixers and solution-finders, and within a
strictly-defined budget. The key advantage of a Blended Training
approach, for trainers and clients alike, is its built-in
responsiveness to need and change. This is what makes it
attractive both to the large multi-nationals and to smaller
businesses ready to dip their toes into the sea of e-learning, often
in the face of deep-seated employee reluctance. Blended Training
deals with the situation as it exists, and modifies itself as it goes
along to meet developing needs. If the blend is not quite right, fix
it! The fundamental principle of Blended Training is adaptability.
And this adaptability and flexibility, the very qualities that
recommend it to client organisations across the board, are the
same qualities that will ensure that Blended Training stays
around for some considerable time to come.
xiii
LIST OF TOOLS
1
1A
1B
1C
1D
2
2A
2B
2C
2D
3
3A
3B
3C
3D
3E
3F
4
4A
4B
4C
The case for Blended Training

How blended are you already?: a checklist of training
delivery techniques
Common training scenarios: a checklist
Benefits of different delivery mechanisms: selecting the
appropriate delivery mechanism for learner and
subject matter
Pre-training survey: to discover the learning styles, abilities
and motivation of your learners.
Selling the benefits of Blended Training
How do you rate yourself ?: skills audit and SWOT analysis
How to respond to resistance from the learner: an
action plan
How to respond to resistance from the company: an
action plan
Benefits of online learning: showing benefits to learners,
companies, trainers and training organisations.
Planning a Blended Training project
Required learning outcomes: summarising your learners
existing abilities and the knowledge and skills outcomes
required
Merrills First Principles: Dr David Merrills First Principles
of Instruction
Learning Needs: sample questionnaire and action plan
Equipment survey: checklist and action plan
Contingency planner: be prepared for the problems most
likely to arise
Instructional design model: to help you build the big
picture without getting bogged down in the detail of the
individual units.
Choosing the right delivery mechanisms
Evaluating different delivery mechanisms: features of
various mechanisms
How do you learn?: use your learning experiences to guide
others
Decision points: checklist to help you avoid bottlenecks
xiv
4D
4E
5
5A
5B
5C
5D
5E
5F
6
6A
6B
6C
6D
6E
6F
7
7A
7B
7C
Cost assessment: support your case for introducing new

delivery mechanisms
Reality check: assessing your clients and your learners
readiness, so that you can be clear about the feasibility of
your programme.
The e-element in Blended Training design
Your e-options: advantages and limitations of different
types of e-learning in various situations
Synchronous versus asynchronous: choose the most
appropriate mechanisms for each situation
Backup planning sheet: non-e versions of e-elements in
case you need a plan B
Computer-based training checklist: how to assess the
merits and drawbacks of different CBT packages
Is the e-element reliable?: a checklist for your learners and
yourself, and an action plan to ensure reliability
Can I use it online?: which categories of existing materials
are suitable for online use?
Blending your training
Readiness checklist: to help you anticipate issues which
might slow or block your progress
Learners road map: to guide your learners through the
course and show them where they have a choice of routes
Branding your programme: how to give identity and add
credibility to your programme and make every part of it
clearly identifiable
Consistency checklist: to ensure the consistency of every
part of your programme
Smooth blend checklist: to ensure that all parts of your
programme are compatible and consistent
Multi-delivery options: a range of options for the delivery
of different types of training.
Managing your project
Your project management skills: a checklist and action
plan of the skills you will need to employ and the actions
you will need to take
Work Breakdown structure: a diagram setting out a
hierarchical structure to order your activities and subactivities
Responsibility assignment matrix: to identify clearly which
tasks are assigned to whom
xv
7D
7E
7F
7G
7H
8
8A
8B
8C
Gantt Chart: essential tool to establish a project timetable

and responsibilities for key activities
What people do you need?: assess your need for technical
and teaching skills support
Ingredients for successful teamwork: questionnaire and
action plan to ensure support from all stakeholders in your
training project
Blended Training project flowchart: a typical example of a
flowchart from start to completion
SMARTER and SWOT: analysis tools for assessing your
project goals.
Keeping control of your project
Learner satisfaction questionnaire: a feedback form
covering materials, technology and progress
Effectiveness assessment: a feedback form covering
individual modules, with interpretative guidelines
Measures of success: assess your progress and the
effectiveness of your course through the measuring of
your learners achievements.
xvi
A WORD ABOUT COPYRIGHT

1
Reservation of Rights
This Toolkit and its accompanying CD-ROM are copyright

Fenman Limited 2002. All rights reserved. No part of this
Toolkit or its CD may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system,
or transmitted in any form or by any means including, but not
limited to, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or
otherwise without the prior permission in writing of Fenman
Limited except strictly as permitted under paragraph 2 below.
Limited licence to Copy

2.1 THE LICENCE IN PARAGRAPH 2.2 BELOW:
(a) ONLY APPLIES TO CUSTOMERS WHO HAVE
PURCHASED THIS TOOLKIT AND THE
ACCOMPANYING CD FROM FENMAN LIMITED
(OR ITS DULY AUTHORISED AGENT OR
RESELLER) and does not apply to anyone else.
If you have purchased or otherwise obtained this
Toolkit and/or its CD from the original purchaser,
you do not have any licence to copy any or all of
this Toolkit or its CD (even if you are a company
in the same group as the original purchaser or
otherwise closely related to the original
purchaser) and must apply to Fenman Limited if
you require one.
(b) DOES NOT APPLY if this Toolkit and
accompanying CD have been made available to
you on hire or for the purpose of preview.
(c) IS CONDITIONAL UPON and only applies with
effect from payment in full of the purchase price
and all other sums due under the contract for
supply of this Toolkit and its CD.
(d) APPLIES ONLY TO PAGES OF THIS TOOLKIT
AND CD MARKED WITH AN
ICON. You
may not copy any other pages.
2.2 Subject to paragraph 2.1 above, you may make copies
of pages of this Toolkit and of its CD marked with an
icon and distribute them:
xvii
(a) to employees of yours who are attending any

course that is being run using this Toolkit, but
not to anyone else; or
(b) if you are an independent training consultant
(but not otherwise) to employees of your client
who are attending any course that is being run
using this Toolkit, but not to anyone else.
xviii
HOW TO USE THIS RESOURCE

Although each unit deals with a separate aspect of Blended
Training, and none is in any way more important or
significant than the others, there is a logical progression to the
order in which they are arranged. This Toolkit is a step-by-step
guide to building and implementing your own Blended Training
programme. Having said this, however, it is not advisable to
embark on an actual programme without having first assimilated
the information and methods laid out in all the units. You may feel
confident, by the time you get to Unit 5 The e-element in Blended
Training design, that you know all you need to know, and can
immediately jump in and start putting Blended Training into
practice; and then catch up with the subsequent units on dealing
with the learners, project management techniques and keeping
control of your project, when the time comes.
The drawback with this is that the detailed information and
guidance given in these later units does feed back into the earlier
units. For example, information given in Unit 6 Blending your
training, on giving your learners a comprehensive road map of how
the course will develop, should be taken into consideration during
the analysis/design section in Unit 3 Planning a Blended Training
project. Similarly, the various mechanisms for learner and course
evaluation that are laid out in Unit 8 Keeping control of your project,
also feed back into the delivery/assessment sections of that unit.
All the practical implementation mechanisms in these later units
need to be thoroughly assimilated and understood, as they will
play a big role in how you actually plan and deliver your
instructional design model. In addition, the case studies laid out
in the Appendix offer examples of successful ongoing Blended
Training programmes, which should prove valuable best
practice guides when thinking through your own programme.
When beginning a long journey over uncertain terrain, it is wise
to know where you are going, and (at least roughly) how you
intend to get there. This is unquestionably true for trainers; but it
is true for your learners as well. Where they are going, how they
will get there, and when they will arrive, are questions to which
they are going to want answers. The surest way to motivate your
learners and maintain their commitment through to the last
stage of their learning journey is to provide them with clear and
unshakable answers to these questions from the outset.
xix
HOW TO USE THE CD-ROM

How to load the CD-ROM
Remove the CD-ROM from its case and place it in the CD drive of
your computer. Wait a few seconds and the contents of the CD
will be automatically displayed on your computer screen,
The contents of the CD

Once the contents of the CD are displayed, you will have a choice
of files:
PowerPoint slides of OHTs and handouts

Click this button to open all the OHTs and handouts contained in
this pack as PowerPoint slides. (Note: if you dont have
PowerPoint installed on your computer, go to the Help item on
page xxi.) You have all the OHTs and handouts ready to use as
you wish without having to copy them on to acetate.
You can create your own PowerPoint presentation and select
the relevant overheads to use in it. You can add slides, change
the order, change the background or colours as you desire. To do
this, you must open the slides in PowerPoint rather than the
default screen in which they will automatically appear. Either:
open PowerPoint on your computer, then select the file on
the CD drive through your computers explorer, or
open the ppt file from the Browse the contents of the CD button.
This should automatically open in PowerPoint.
The PowerPoint slides are designed for projection. If you want
to print copies of the OHTs and handouts, you are advised to use
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superior.
Please ensure that your use of the pages is subject to the
Copyright conditions on pages xviixviii of this resource.
xx
Searchable Adobe Acrobat file of the whole

pack
Click this button to open a PDF file of all the pages in the pack.
(Note: if you dont have Adobe Acrobat installed on your
computer, go to the Help item below.) This file is handy for
printing the OK to copy pages or to search for a particular
exercise, concept or phrase electronically.
To make navigation easier in the PDF document, there are two
tabs on the left-hand side of the PDF screen. The first is called
Bookmarks. If you click here, you will see a listing of all the
activities in the pack. To move instantly to an activity, simply
click on the number.
The second tab is called Thumbnails. Clicking here displays a
small image of each page, providing you with a fast visual
reference without having to scroll.
Please ensure that your use of the pages is subject to the
Copyright conditions on pages xviixviii of this resource.
Browse the contents of the CD

If you want to navigate around the CD without using the menu,
simply click on this button. All the files will be displayed in your
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Help
There are two sections provided here:
1. PowerPoint Reader or Adobe Acrobat Reader installation.
If you dont have Microsoft PowerPoint or Adobe Acrobat
programs installed on your computer, then youll need to load
the complimentary viewer programs provided in order to view
the files.
For PowerPoint, click the Install PowerPoint Viewer and
follow the instructions.
For Adobe Acrobat (PDF), click the Install Acrobat Reader
and follow the instructions.
xxi
Loading these programs on to your computer will enable you

to read the files contained on this CD, but will only provide
you with limited editorial capabilities.
2. Loading the PowerPoint or Adobe Acrobat files outside of
the browser window.
If you wish to view the PowerPoint slides or Adobe
Acrobat PDF pages outside of the automatic default window,
you can change the settings following the instructions.
xxii
GLOSSARY
Address
URL (Uniform
Resource Locator):
In the context of the Internet, the code

you use to take you to a particular website,
or to a particular area of a local intranet.
Typically, you would key this address into
your computer browser software. Every
single computer that connects to the
Internet is given its own unique address.
Archive/s
(archiving):
Computers can store large amounts of

information (data) which can be
systematically organised into data sets,
such as all materials relating to such-andsuch course. In online learning,
archiving often refers to the practice of
collecting a data set and putting it into an
electronic archive once it is no longer
needed on a day-to-day basis. It is the safe
alternative to deletion. Often messages
posted to a discussion board can become
so numerous that they are time-wasting to
humans and computers alike. Archiving
allows old messages to be safely removed
without destroying them.
Asynchronous
(Virtual):
Electronic communications between

different people working at different times
(and at their own pace) with the same
learning or communication resource. For
example, e-mails are sent when the sender
wants to, but read when the receiver is
ready to look at them.
Bandwidth:
The range (width) of frequencies of a data

transmission system. It governs the
amount of data that can be transmitted
each second from source to receiver. Low
bandwidth limits the traffic capacity of
computer communications systems such
as the Internet. So large amounts of data
a sequence of video images, for example
will move relatively slowly from source to
xxiii
receiver, and computer users will notice

the time it takes for the images to appear.
Blended Training:
The integration within training

programmes of appropriately used online
elements alongside other elements like
face-to-face training events or printed
workbooks.
Browser:
A piece of computer programming that

retrieves and interprets World Wide Web
pages. The most common example of a
browser is Microsofts Internet Explorer.
Any piece of information that includes a
standardised set of computer-readable
instructions (known as hypertext mark-up
language HTML) can be read by your
browser. A computer file with a name
including the letters .htm at the end will
be read as a Web page by a browser.
CBT:
Computer-based training.
CD-ROM:
A type of optical disk capable of storing up

to 1GB of data. A single CD-ROM has the
storage capacity of 700 floppy disks,
enough memory to store about 300,000
text pages.
Chat room:
This is a likely feature of a learning

management system, also commonly
found in public websites on the Internet.
Chat rooms use a particular sort of
interactive computer software that lets
individuals working on their own
computers at the same time send each
other messages (synchronously). In online
learning contexts, a live chat room can
be useful for asking questions and for topic
discussion amongst participants. Usually,
you are offered a message box into which
you type your message (then send it), and
in which a reply then appears.
xxiv
CILIP:
Chartered Institute of Library and

Information Professionals.
CLAIT:
Computer Literacy and Information

Technology a qualification.
Conferencing:
Computer conferencing, where people can

communicate live in real time or in
their own time (sometimes called
asynchronous communication). Computer
conferences allow many-to-many
communication lots of people talking to
each other. Organisers of computer-based
conferences typically create several
different areas or rooms (forums) for
separate topics or groups of participants.
CPD:
Continuous Professional Development.
Discussion boards/
Message boards:
Major components of any serious learning

management system, also a common
feature of public websites on the Internet.
These are asynchronous versions of the
chat room software. They accept and then
display messages posted by any number
of individuals. These messages may be
asking or replying to questions, seeking
information, or commenting on other
messages. Previously posted messages are
displayed in some sort of order, often by
the topic of a particular conversation
(discussion) and by date of posting.
A typical piece of discussion board
software will have text editing and
message managing tools, as well as the
facility to create several conferencing areas
(or forums) and, within each conferencing
area, the means to create and edit several
simultaneous conversations these are
called conference or discussion threads.
E-learning/
E-education:
E(lectronic)-learning is a broad term

increasingly being used to describe any use
of a computer, the Internet, digital
xxv
television and mobile telephones for the

delivery of training programmes and
services. Another phrase used is online
learning. The principle is to encompass
the essential elements of connected
learning and support through IT-based
communication. Web-based training and
Web-enabled learning are forms of online
learning exclusively using Internetcompatible software.
E-mail
(electronic mail):
The use of a computer or, increasingly,

a mobile telephone, to transmit messages
from one person to any number of
individuals.
E-mentoring:
The online equivalent of the face-to-face

support co-workers often render to each
other. The word e-mentoring is starting
to be used where this formalised support
by co-workers is carried out in part or
wholly by online means.
E-moderating:
The electronic equivalent of conference

organising and management. An
e-moderator keeps an overall view on
electronic communication in an online
conference, sometimes restructuring it to
make it easier to navigate, or intervening if
contributors step too far out of line or go
away from the purpose of the conference.
In training contexts, e-moderating takes
on the dimensions of training, tutoring,
and even counselling.
FAQ:
Frequently Asked Questions. Posting

prepared answers to questions which
everyone asks, saves a lot of time and
means that those answers are immediately
available to the questioner.
Firewall:
A system designed to prevent

unauthorised access to or from a private
network or computer. Firewalls can be
xxvi
implemented in both hardware and

software, or a combination of both.
Firewalls are frequently used to prevent
unauthorised Internet users from
accessing private networks connected to
the Internet, especially Intranets. All
messages entering or leaving the Intranet
pass through the firewall, which examines
each message and blocks those that do not
meet the specified security criteria.
ICT:
Information Communication Technology.
ILT:
Information and Learning Technology

the application of ICT (above) to teaching
and learning.
Instant Messaging:
Instant messaging is basically a chat room

for just two people. Instant messaging
allows you to maintain a list of people that
you wish to interact with. You can send
messages to any of the people in your list,
as long as they are online. Sending a
message opens up a small window where
you and your correspondent can type in
messages that both of you can see. Most of
the popular instant messaging programs
also provide a variety of other features,
including creating your own custom chat
room with co-workers, looking at images
stored on your co-workers computer and
sharing files by sending them directly to
each other.
Internet/
Net:
The publicly accessible parts of the

global interconnection of businesses,
governments and all other computer
networks. The Internet works by giving an
arbitrary but unique address to each and
every device that connects to it. This is
termed its Internet Protocol (IP) address.
To talk to each other, every device that
connects to the Internet uses the same
language called Transmission Control
xxvii
Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP).

These unique addresses also need to be
accessible to all the other devices in the
world, otherwise you would have no way
of knowing they were there. Each device
must go through a network registration
process. This is either done locally for you
if you are using your companys own
network, or by signing up to one of the
public providers of Internet access
services.
The Internet addresses of people and
organisations providing Internet-based
services such as e-mail or home shopping
(Internet hosts) are also organised around
domain names which have to be
purchased and registered. Optical fibres,
satellite links and telephone lines connect
networks of computers. These connections
are through special computers known as
gateways. When you send an e-mail, this
information is tagged with the electronic
address of its destination computer, leaves
its home network through a gateway, and
passes from gateway to gateway until
reaching its goal.
Intranet:
An interconnection of computers and

networks of computers provided by an
organisation for its own use and generally
not available to the public. It specifically
uses the same software that now drives the
World Wide Web and requires you to use a
browser to search for and find particular
items of interest. Intranets can also allow
any number of co-workers to share
documents, deliver other materials and
exchange messages.
Learning
management
systems (LMS)/
Virtual learning
environments (VLE)/
A complex and specific set of

computer programs that are placed
on a server computer in order to
provide a secure and wide-ranging
service for the delivery, support and
xxviii
Managed learning monitoring of online learning. This can

environments (MLE)/ be within an organisations private
Learning content
intranet or extended to be accessible via
management
the Internet. The phrase, learning
systems (LCMS):
management system can include almost
any network-based computer software that
can plan, record, deliver, support and audit
training activities.
Virtual learning environment usually
describes a specific software product that
provides the basic functions for online
learning. The essentials are the delivery of
web-based content, online assessment
tools, collaboration tools (such as e-mail
and conferences) and the tracking and
reporting of learners progress and
performance.
The more powerful systems should include
a publishing tool that provides a way to
create structured online learning materials
using content templates and tools, and can
create an online catalogue of courses and
learning materials (perhaps bought as
discrete computer-based training
packages) that can be selected and used by
individual learners. These are sometimes
separately identified as learning content
management systems. The extension of
these features to cover administration and
management information functions
(usually built to be compatible with
current intranet management software
standards) has led some people to dub this
additional functionality a managed
learning environment.
Netiquette:
The Internets own code of personal good

manners and decorum. Good manners
include not SHOUTING (capitals), not
telling people off or swearing, avoiding
irony, not being racist or sexist, and the
indication of feelings by text: :- ) is Im
happy or Im smiling and :-( is Im cross
or Im upset.
xxix
Online discussion
threads:
See Threading.
Server:
Most computer networks and websites rely

on a computer specifically programmed as
a server. This will include all the
computer programs necessary for
individual computers linked to it to see
and talk to each other. All e-mail systems
need a computer to act as a sorting office.
Servers are also used when any
information needs to be collected and
stored centrally but remain accessible at
the same time to any number of individual
computers.
Synchronous or
Real-time:
These words describe live electronic

communications, such as simultaneous
participation in computer conferences
online. Contributors may be anywhere, in
different offices, different cities and
different countries. People talking to each
other usually just see each others words
or graphics on screen, but it is possible to
see each others faces with web cameras.
Threading:
When you use a discussion board or

message board, you will see that the
displayed messages show a distinct pattern
of indentations and groupings. This is a
visual depiction of polite conversation in
which people may introduce a topic (a new
thread of conversation) and to which
others will reply (shown by a first text
indentation). Subsequent discussion is
represented by further rightwards
indentations replies to replies and so on.
Threading is the art of ensuring your
message is a direct reply to a specific
message already in this pattern, and
ensuring it is actually posted to the
appropriate place in the discussion.
xxx
Videoconferencing:
Conducting a conference between two or

more participants at different sites by
using computer networks to transmit
audio and video data. Each participant has
a video camera, microphone, and speakers
mounted on their computer and can see
and hear the other participants in real
time.
WBS:
Work Breakdown structure.
WBT:
Web-based training.
Web cast:
Broadcasting using the Internet (or, more

locally, an intranet). More general than an
online computer conference, as the web
cast audience may be much greater than
the number of actual participants.
World Wide Web/

WWW/
The Web:
Collections of computer files called

websites and web pages are identified
by uniform resource locators (URLs). The
WWW is organised so its users can move
easily from one resource (website) to
another. Users generally navigate the
WWW using an application known as a
browser.
Web pages are written using international
and common computer programming
codes. The oldest and most common of
these is hypertext mark-up language
(HTML). This is read by the browser
program and appears on the users
computer screen as text, images, sound, or
other information objects in the form of a
web page.
Web pages can also contain links
(sometimes called hotlinks) that connect
directly with other web pages.
xxxi
ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Mike Levy is a respected contributor to Training Journal, Director
Magazine, Education, Computing and Technology and the Times
Educational Supplement in his specialist areas of training and
computing. Mikes published works include Managing The
Millennium Bug (Gower Publishing, 1999), Successful Marketing
(David Grant, 1997) and Stress Management Made Easy (Lawpack
Publications, 2001).
An experienced project designer and trainer, Dai Jenkins has
devised and presented learning modules for The Open
Universitys Humanities Courses, in addition to working on a
number of specialist education projects in a variety of media.
In addition to being keen advocates of Blended Training, Mike
and Dai also enjoy collaborating on the writing and presentation
of multi-media drama and education projects and workshops,
and both have a keen interest in the stage.
xxxii
FURTHER READING
Books
Approaches to Training and Development, 2nd edition, Laird D,
Perseus Books, USA (2000)
ISBN 0 201044 98 6
Designing Web-based Training, Horton W, John Wiley & Sons

Ltd, West Sussex (2000)
ISBN 0 471356 14 X
E-Learning: Strategies for Delivering Knowledge in the Digital Age,

Rosenberg M J, McGraw-Hill Publishing Co, Maidenhead
(2000)
ISBN 0 071362 68 1
The E-Learning Revolution: from Propositions to Action, Sloman

M, CIPD, London (2001)
ISBN 0 852928 73 4
The E-Learning Revolution: How Technology is Driving a New

Training Program, Sloman M, AMACOM, USA (2002)
ISBN 0 814471 55 2
Games Trainers Play, Newstrom J W and Scannell E E,

McGraw-Hill Publishing Co, Maidenhead (1980)
ISBN 0 070464 08 1
Mining Group Gold: How to Cash in on the Collaborative Brain

Power of a Group, 2nd edition, Kayser T A, McGraw-Hill
Publishing Co, Maidenhead (1995)
ISBN 0 786304 29 4
Motivation and Personality, 3rd edition, Maslow A H and

Frager R (Editor), Addison Wesley Longman, Harlow (1987)
ISBN 0 060419 87 3
Practical Project Management, 2nd revised edition, Gould R,

Kogan Page Ltd, London (1998)
ISBN 0 749427 42 6
Project Management, Bee R and Bee F, CIPD, London (1997)

ISBN 0 852926 61 8
xxxiii
Project Management Planning and Control Techniques, Burke R,

John Wiley & Sons Ltd, West Sussex (1999)
ISBN 0 471987 62 X
Training For Impact, Gaines Robinson, D and Robinson J C,

Jossey-Bass Inc, USA (1989)
ISBN 1 555421 53 9
Online articles and e-books

The Nodes Guide To Blended Learning, The Node Learning
Technologies Network (2001)
www.node.on.ca/guides/blended
The Synchronous Trainers Survival Guide, Hofmann J

www.insynctraining.com
Thomson Job Impact Study: The Next Generation of Corporate

Learning
www.netg.ie/DemosAndDownloads/
Related Fenman text products

Effective Online Learning: The Trainers Toolkit, Anderson D and
Race P (2002)
ISBN 1 903310 24 5
Internet Ideas for the Resourceful Trainer, Rea A (2002)

ISBN 1 903310 22 9
The Learning Methods Toolkit, Simmonds D (2000)

ISBN 1 872483 93 3
The Project Management Activity Pack, Davies E (1998)

ISBN 1 872483 54 2
xxxiv
1 THE CASE FOR

BLENDED TRAINING
1
Description
In this unit, there are four tools:
Tool 1A How blended are you already?: a checklist of training
delivery techniques
Tool 1B Common training scenarios: a checklist
Tool 1C Benefits of different delivery mechanisms: selecting the
appropriate delivery mechanism for learner and subject matter
Tool 1D Pre-training survey: to discover the learning styles,
abilities and motivation of your learners.
Purpose
These tools will help you to see that Blended Training is a
powerful approach to delivering your message. You will also see
that it consists of blending elements in the mix of delivery
methods, many of which are probably already familiar to you.
The tools will help you to develop an overview of the different
ways of delivering your training objectives from low-tech faceto-face (traditional) methods to some of the most recent
technological innovations such as instant messaging and
videoconferencing. The blend you choose will depend on the
individual needs and abilities of your learners, and the nature of
the material you are delivering.
When to use the tools

Tool 1A should be used whenever you are beginning to plan a
set of learning objectives. Its a good overview of the range of
delivery mechanisms available to you. By working through the
tool, you should be able to discriminate between the many
options available. It will help you define the key mix of delivery
methods which lies at the heart of successful Blended Training
11
and to check up on what you are already doing which could be

seen as Blended Training.
Tool 1B is for use at the planning (or even pre-planning) stage of
your course design. Use it when you want to review the key
objectives and the range of situations that you need to be ready
to face. The tool provides a gentle way to challenge your
assumptions about delivery and encourages a creative approach
to choosing the best mix for your learners and your clients. You
can keep Tool 1B beside you during the actual training sessions
as a reminder of the importance of keeping a blended approach
in mind at all times.
Tool 1C summarises the benefits of the different delivery
mechanisms, and the subject matter and the type of learner for
which each is most suitable. Use it when you are thinking about
the type of course you could run, and later, when you are ready
to start designing a particular programme.
Use Tool 1D when you start thinking about what you will need
to know about your learners, before designing a course. You can
then use it, or a personalised version of it, when you need to
develop an understanding of the learning needs of specific
learners by finding out their motivation, abilities and preferred
learning styles.
12
Background
What is Blended Training? This is a new way of describing an
idea thats been around for a long time. Whether you know it or
not, you are probably already a practitioner of Blended Training
(or some variant of the concept).
Core elements
Though there is no single all-encompassing definition of Blended
Training, there are some core elements. These include:
Traditional classroom-based training face-to-face instruction.

Instructor-led training, via the Internet, which can include a
range of learning environments such as e-mail, online
conferences, chat rooms and so on, but where there is a
distance between instructor and trainee.
Self-paced learning using a range of materials provided

online, via computer software, CD-ROM or traditional printbased materials.
Why Blended?
There is no single perfect mix of learning methods. You, the
trainer, decide to what extent to utilise each element. The key
thing to remember about Blended Training is that, rather than
removing the trainer from the learning environment, it provides
an exciting and almost limitless range of opportunities for
trainer and learner. This makes your job as a trainer more
important than ever before. As a facilitator, you now have a
wonderful variety of learning methods and styles at your
disposal. Your course can be tailored to suit the individual needs
of your client and the wide range of learning abilities of your
learners. Another great strength of Blended Training is that it
provides learners with the opportunity to work alone (in their
own way and at their own pace) and/or with a group of other
learners alongside them or at a distance (even in other parts of
the world). Learning in a group or virtual learning community
can provide people with the confidence and security of
knowing that others are pursuing the same goals.
Blended Training is an exciting challenge both for the trainer and for
the learner.
13
A blended programme will include a mixture of methods

traditional (classroom and print-based), high tech (including TV
and the Internet) and low tech (including voicemail and
conference calls). Both synchronous and asynchronous
materials will be involved.
Synchronous and asynchronous training

The accessibility of e-learning systems means that learners can
learn in a synchronous or an asynchronous way.
Synchronous: working in real time with a trainer, either face-toface or via a PC or TV monitor. In this scenario the training
session is a type of live broadcast.
Asynchronous: working in different time-periods where trainers
and learners are not working simultaneously. In this scenario,
the trainer may prepare an online session using video, audio or
text. The learner can then choose the most convenient time to
download or access the session.
Today, asynchronous training is unquestionably the dominant
format employed in in-work training. A full treatment of the
differences, advantages and limitations of these concepts is to be
found in Unit 4 Choosing the right delivery mechanisms.
Blended Training in action

Here are some examples to illustrate how a blended programme
might work:
A short introduction to the topic using self-paced learning via

materials presented on the World Wide Web.
An online demonstration using video or a live link.

Face-to-face role plays in the classroom led by a live trainer.
An online synchronous discussion which allows the group to
share their knowledge and best practice experience.
14
How blended are you already?

Although you may not realise it, you are probably already using
elements of Blended Training. You can justifiably call yourself a
Blended Trainer if, for example, you are using a traditional
classroom style with a teleconference; an e-mail connection
(e-learning) or telephone contact with participants; live link-ups
to other sites via television links or any combination of
traditional Information and Learning Technology (ILT) with
some kind of technology even playing a video or CD-ROM all
this is Blended Training. Tool 1A will help you to find out how
blended your training already is.
Solving training challenges with the blended

approach
The whole world of training is in a state of flux. People are
uncertain about how best to align training with the business
needs of the client. In an age of reduced margins and cut-throat
competition, there is widespread concern about the benefits to
business of often expensive and time-consuming training
programmes. Training is often seen as an interruption rather
than an opportunity. Blended Training provides an exciting
opportunity to change this negative approach. The new
technologies encompassed by Blended Training are seen by
many as exciting and challenging. Such technologies, for
example, e-learning, allow participants to engage actively with
each other as well as with the trainer. This makes the whole
learning experience much more rewarding, energising and
(frankly) entertaining. As you will see in Tool 1B Common
training scenarios, the flexibility inherent in good Blended
Training makes it highly responsive to a wide range of situations
and requirements.
Blended Training is not new its been around for a long time
but now it is much more achievable. This is thanks to the fact
the Web and all its attendant technologies are now so widely
available in a cost-effective way.
Blended Training allows you to choose the best delivery method
for learners that is both cost-effective and geared to the needs
and requirements of the individual learner. Blended Training
allows you to offer Triple-A learning Anyone, Anytime,
Anywhere.
15
Anyone courses can be personalised (even branded) to suit

individual needs. Blended Training also allows you to adapt the
materials you develop to the specific location of the client group.
The new technologies (such as websites) allow you to adapt
content and illustrations to the locations of your trainees.
Anytime the new technologies allow learning to be available
all day, every day. This is training round the clock, round the
year a we never close concept. Blended Training supports
just-in-time learning exactly when the client needs it. Blended
Training allows you to keep the materials you present to the
learner up to date and relevant. It helps to defeat learning
obsolescence. Without time constraints being imposed from
above, learners can achieve more by allocating enough time to
the tasks set, regardless of whether these tasks include new sets
of skills or knowledge.
Anywhere at work, at home or while travelling. Using
e-learning and other technologies in a virtual classroom setting
encourages people to be more collaborative. For the trainer, the
new technologies allow you to track and monitor the progress of
your learners wherever they are in the world.
Strengths
Blended Training offers the widest possible set of advantages for
trainer and for learners. You can design training programmes
which are geared to learners in a way that is convenient, userfriendly and of high quality.
Traditionally, adults prefer to learn new technical processes in
the following way:
show (demonstrate)
practise what they have learned, in a hands-on environment
share with the trainers and other learners and receive
feedback from them.
16
Blended Training is particularly strong in meeting these three

criteria. So the way adults like to learn is best served by using
Blended Training techniques. For instance, imagine you are
training a group of adults in the use of a new word processing
package. You can demonstrate or show this package using a
PowerPoint-style demonstration; then the adults can practise
on the spot, back in the office or at home by working on an

actual assignment using their PCs. They can then share what
they have learned (or their concerns) with a virtual community
of learners within their organisation or in a much larger
environment. But remember, the key to successful Blended
Training lies in your input as a trainer. Its all in the planning as
well as the delivery. Well designed and prepared Blended
Training means that adults can learn:
Quickly studies have indicated that people learn much more

rapidly if the style and the content of the delivery mechanism
are geared to their own individual preferences. You will know
that some people need more time (others much less) to learn
new things. Blended Training offers learners the freedom to
progress at their own pace.
Effectively their ability to practise and share helps to

reinforce what they have learned.
Confidently the blended approach can help them to learn in

a practical, hands-on way. They are able to share what they
have discovered and hence be more confident about their
progress if they feel they are not alone. The virtual world
offers a breadth and depth of support not available in the
traditional classroom.
Flexibly Blended Training means that you have a palette of

options at your disposal, to allow you to match delivery and
medium to the needs of your learners.
Just in time Blended Training can provide learners with the

knowledge and skills they need when they need it. You can
also provide help and support as and when it is required,
through the range of available online technologies.
Different learners have different needs and problems. How can
you can be sure that your training programme is addressing
those needs? One method might be to use an online survey. This
is a highly cost-effective and unobtrusive way of finding out
what individual trainees require. An online survey can be used
to support the planning stage of your training programme.
Theres more on online surveys in Unit 8 Keeping control of your
project.
17
With the ever-increasing demand to cut costs and drive up

margins, many businesses are looking for ways to reduce costly
travel budgets. For the Blended Training practitioner this offers
an excellent opportunity to provide effective courses at a
distance.
One US company recently decided to offer a series of 90-minute
online classes instead of sending staff for a three-day training
session at a distant location. Trainees could log in to a session
wherever they could locate a telephone connection for their PC
or laptop. The sessions were scheduled well in advance so that
people could plan their daily activities around them. The
software used enabled live class interactions via texting and chat.
Live instructor-led training was available via the Internet. There
were Question and Answer sessions and the trainers were able to
pose questions to the group and receive an instant reply.
Motivation
Blended Training can also help to motivate learners. Many people
find the Internet and videoconferencing (for example) quite
exciting. For many, the new technologies are challenging,
exciting and fun! One of the great strengths in using multimedia
learning tools is that they help to break down large chunks of
material into smaller, more digestible objects. These smaller
units of learning are the building blocks of e-learning and other
multimedia methods. Breaking down the learning content is an
effective way to provide just-in-time delivery. You will find that
working on Blended Training courses will automatically
encourage you to offer materials that are more closely targeted
to the Triple-A needs of your clients. Because of this need to
consciously break down learning content, Blended Training
enforces a rigorous consideration of the individual blocks, how
they fit together, and how best to deliver each one.
Blended Training enhances the experience for learners in terms
of motivation and commitment. It encourages them to organise
their own learning portfolios. They are more able to choose what
to learn and when to learn it. They can also choose the method
of learning that best suits them at any particular moment.
Blended Training also encourages learners to assess and review
their progress. This also leads to ongoing and effective
reinforcement.
18
Blended Training is more inclusive. By breaking down the

traditional roles of trainer and trainee, Blended Training offers
opportunities for line managers, supervisors and others to be
fully involved in the training programme. They can be
encouraged to discuss the precise make-up of the blend how
much e-learning, what percentage will be online instruction and
what will be the live, traditional classroom approach. Blended
Training also gives line managers the opportunity to develop
their coaching and mentoring skills as they assist trainees with
their online learning.
How to use the tools

Tool 1A should be used at the start of the blended training
process. It asks you what you already do. You are very likely to
find that there are already elements of Blended Training in your
current practice.
Tool 1B encourages you to think about the training situations in
which you and your learners are likely to find yourselves, and
how best to decide upon a suitable mix of delivery methods. It
provides a valuable signpost that will inform the way you are
going to deliver your programme.
Use Tool 1C to clarify your understanding of the merits of
different delivery mechanisms and how best to answer the
varying needs of learners and different types of material. Use it
also to help you in your design of specific programmes.
Tool 1D will help you to focus on the nature of learners when
designing a programme to meet their individual needs through
the versatility and flexibility of a blended approach.
19
110
1A
How blended are you already?
1
Checklist of training delivery techniques
A single day of classroom training is unlikely to constitute Blended
Training per se, even if you have used, for example, a mix of talking,
video and an activity or two. But if you have designed training that
requires the learners to invest some of their own time before and after
the training session, then you are already on the road to Blended
Training. Which of these techniques have you used in conjunction
with each other? Which have required a degree of self-direction on
the part of the learner?
Technique
Used in conjunction with
Unavailable
Example
Classroom lecturing
2 (Discussion)
3 (Video)
7 (E-mail follow-up)
10 (E-learning
software)
1 Classroom lecturing
2 Discussion
3 Films, video and audio
4 OHP, flipchart stands
and paper, and
whiteboards
5 Questionnaires,
interactive handouts
and workbooks
6 Activities and games
7 E-mail to talk to
learners and provide
feedback
8 Intranet/Internet
delivery of materials
9 Online discussion
forums
10 E-learning software
11 Instant messaging
12 Videoconferencing
111
C, E, F, G
C, E, F, G
C, E, F, G
C, E, F, H
A, B, H
C, D, F, H
A, B, H
C, G, H
Sufficient training
staff
Equipment
Training skills
High management
buy-in
Low management
buy-in
112
A.
B.
C.
D.
D, G, H
C, D, G
A, B, D, E, G, H A to H
C, D, E, F
A to H
C, F
B, C, D
A, C, D
Time
flexible
On line bespoke software (web-based)

Intranet-delivered materials and support
Traditional classroom and face to face
Self-assessment
and some possible solutions
C, E, F, G
C, E, F, G
A, B, D, G, H
A, B, D, G
A, B, D, G
B, G, H
B, C, G
Low budget
C, G
A, B, E
A, B, G, D C, E
Large budget
Limited time
from desk
Company
Poor IT
skills
Good IT
skills
A checklist
E.
F.
G.
H.
C, E, G
C, E, F, H
C, E, F, H
A, E, H
C, E, F, H
C, G, H
C, E, H
Learner
Low
motivation
B, D, E, G, H
A, B, D, G, H
Dispersed
locations
C, G
A, B, D, G
B, C, D
A, B, D, G
High learner
buy-in
A, B, D
B, D, G
B, C, D, E, G
A to H
A to H
A, B, D, E, F, H A to H
B, C, E, G A, B, D, F, H
B, C, G
A, B, C
A, B, C, G A to H
B, C, G
B, C, E
Single
location
Trainer feedback and mentoring

Summer schools
Study guides and workbooks
E-mail and telephone tutoring
B, C, D, G
A to H
C, D, E
A to H
A, B, C, D, H
B, C, G
A, B, D, G
High
motivation
C, E, G
C, E, F, G, H
C, E, H
C, E, H
C, E, H
C, E, H
C, E, H
Low learner
buy-in
Blended Training is the solution to the fact that when you are dealing with individuals the one size fits
all training session is rarely satisfactory. The training challenges and opportunities come not only from
the differing needs of the individual learners but also from the corporate environment, and sometimes the
two clash. Blended Training allows you to design a project that goes a long way to answering the differing
needs of the learner, the environment and the company.
1B
Common training scenarios
Continued
IT skills
Available
time
Location
Possible solutions
A. Online bespoke software (web-based)
B. Intranet-delivered materials and
support
C. Traditional classroom and face
to face
Management buy-in
Training skills
Equipment
Available training staff
Budget
Company
Client:
D.
E.
F.
G.
H.
Learner
buy-in
Learner
Self-assessment
Trainer feedback and mentoring
Summer schools
Study guides and workbooks
E-mail and telephone tutoring
Motivation
I.
J.
K.
L.
Use the information from the previous page, together with your own knowledge, to assess a particular
project. Add your own learner and company information to provide a full picture of the situation. Then
select suitable delivery mechanisms to match the requirements of the overall picture. Add to these also, as
appropriate.
1B
Common training scenarios
continued
113
1C
Benefits of different delivery mechanisms
The essence of Blended Training lies in selecting the appropriate

delivery mechanism both for the individual learners learning style
and also for the nature of the subject matter being trained on.
This tool gives you that advice and is designed to help you make the
best choices for your particular programme. You will probably want
to revisit this tool later on in your preparation (for example, once you
have the replies to your pre-training survey in Tool 1D).
Mechanism
Good for subject

matter:
Good for learner type:
Traditional classroom
Hands-on practice
Role-playing
Complicated technical
content
Needing motivation
Needing contact with
peers
Needing removal
from desk job
IT reluctant
Streamed or
classroom video
Where demonstration
is needed
Where review is
needed
All types
Online coaching
and mentoring
Where further
explanation is needed
Where reinforcement
is needed
IT savvy
Enjoy e-mail and
Internet chat
Good communicators
Computer-based
training (CBT)
Concepts, information
and procedures that
can be delivered fairly
concisely
With high motivation

IT savvy
Self-directed
Manuals and text
Detailed information
Case studies
Exercises
On the job reference
Like the familiar

Dislike working from
a computer screen
for long
Can learn by reading
(some cant)
Online documents
and databases
Where research is
required
Where vast amounts
of information are
available
With an analytical
mind
Patient
Curious
IT savvy
Chat, messaging
and newsgroups
Issues that need

further discussion
Needing interaction
with other learners
Willing to obey
netiquette rules
IT savvy
Your notes
114
1D
Pre-training survey
1
Title of programme: _________________________________________
Aim of programme: _________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
Please complete this survey and return it to me at the address below
as soon as possible. I will use your replies to tailor this programme to
your needs. Thank you.
Name: ____________________________________________________
Department/Organisation: ___________________________________
How interested are you in learning about this topic? (please tick)
Very
Moderately
Mildly
Not really
What do you want to learn? (please tick)

(a) The skills to do the tasks
(b) Knowledge about the tasks the why
(c) Both
What do you already know about this topic? (please write below)
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
What do you hope to learn? (please tick)
(a) New skills and knowledge
(b) Reminder/development/practice of existing skills
(c) Better working relationships
(d) Better understanding of systems
Continued
115
1D
Pre-training survey
continued
How will you measure the effectiveness of your learning?

(please write below)
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
Are you interested in new ways of learning, if they are shown to be
effective?
Yes
Dont know
No
Have you had any experience of e-learning?

None
A little
A lot
Do you use a computer at home?

Never
Rarely
Quite often
Frequently
All the time
Do you use a computer at work?

Never
Rarely
Quite often
Frequently
All the time
What is your skill level with computers?

None
Just get by
Fairly comfortable
Competent
Expert
What level of experience do you have in using the following?

E-mail
None
A little
A lot
The Internet
None
A little
A lot
Search engines
None
A little
A lot
Online discussion groups None
A little
A lot
None
A little
A lot
Bulletin boards
continued
116
1D
Pre-training survey
continued
Do you have online access at work?

Freely available
Sometimes available
Rarely available
Not available
Are there any restrictions to do with

Time
Cost
Both
Other ______________
Do you have online access at home?

Freely available
Sometimes available
Rarely available
Not available
Are there any restrictions to do with

Time
Cost
Both
Other ______________
What training activities do you like? (please tick all that apply)
Case studies
Computer-based exercises
Problem solving
Role plays
Face-to-face discussion
Group working
Videos
Internet discussion (chat)
Working alone
Written exercises
Face-to-face teaching
Team exercises
Lectures
Self-directed research
Reading
Do you have any special requirements (for example, wheelchair access)?
__________________________________________________________
Do you have any particular language skill requirements?
__________________________________________________________
Please return this survey by (date):
To:
117
118
2 SELLING THE BENEFITS

OF BLENDED TRAINING
2
Description
In this unit, there are four tools:
Tool 2A How do you rate yourself ?: skills audit and SWOT
analysis
Tool 2B How to respond to resistance from the learner: an
action plan
Tool 2C How to respond to resistance from the company: an
action plan
Tool 2D Benefits of online learning: showing benefits to
learners, companies, trainers and training organisations.
Purpose
The purpose of these four tools is to forewarn and forearm. Like
any relatively new concept, there may be resistance to the idea of
a Blended Training approach. The tools aim to give you strong
arguments to confront and counter arguments against using
new technologies in the learning environment. The tools cover
the likely resistance from three sources your clients, your
learner and (last but not least) yourself. The tools provide a
useful armoury against self-doubt and the negative comments
you may get from others, and give a clear picture of the benefits
which Blended Training has to offer.

Have these tools ready for when you first suggest this approach
to your intended clients. You may find that those in the company
who commission training from you have either never heard of
Blended Training or have cynical views about the use of
technology. You may encounter such opinions, as Chalk and
talk was good enough in my day. The tools help you to define
21
your own position in relation to the e-learning and other

higher-tech strategies that form a common part of Blended
Training. Its only when you yourself are convinced of the
enormous potential of this approach that you will be able to
convince others. You may wish to have Tools 2B, 2C and 2D
handy when you present your training strategy for the first time.
Use them as handy crib sheets of arguments you are almost
bound to hear. Use these tools also when making final plans for
delivering the training sessions. You should, of course, try to
absorb the positive arguments you find in the tools, and not refer
to the sheets as you talk to learners.
22
Background
Though Blended Training is relatively new and undoubtedly
powerful, its benefits are not always clear. If you are going to
embark on a Blended Training solution to your clients needs,
you will have to become an advocate for the approach. You may
have to influence the companys buy in decision about the
advantages of this type of training.
Selling the benefits

Selling any idea or method is never easy. The benefits of Blended
Training are not always transparent and you are likely to have to
do some preparatory work in convincing stakeholders that it is
an approach that could yield dividends both in terms of
learning objectives and of bottom line. Your ability to make a
strong case for Blended Training depends, of course, on your
own skills and knowledge about the technologies involved. But
skills and knowledge arent everything. Sir Christopher Ball, the
Chief Executive of The Talent Foundation, says that there are
three elements in the learning process: Skills, Knowledge and
Attitude. Of these, the most important by far is Attitude. With
the right attitude and enthusiasm, skills and knowledge come so
much easier Sir Christopher Ball (interview for Training
Journal ).
Tool 2A How do you rate yourself?, will help you to audit your
own attitude to, and current aptitude for technology-based
techniques. It will help you to clarify your understanding of
techniques such as videoconferencing, Web-based training
(WBT), IT-based learner progress systems, e-mail and message
boards, and presentation software of the PowerPoint variety. Its
a very good idea to identify any gaps in either your technology
knowledge or application. Once you know where these gaps are
for instance knowing how to set up a live video seminar and
have remedied them, you can go on to the next stage and become
an advocate for the method. When you are fully informed and
convinced yourself, you will be more easily able to convince
others of the range of benefits available to them.
Where the resistance may come from

You will find that opposition to the Blended Training approach
comes from three main directions:
23
the organisation its hierarchy and management team

the learners
and lastly you, yourself.
You will need to show, either that expressed concerns are not
valid, or that the benefits outweigh the cost.
It is not relevant to try to list many benefits as pertaining only to
a particular group. Advantages to learners are advantages to all
stakeholders. A well-motivated and well-trained group will learn
faster and more effectively, providing better value for the client
and more success for the trainer. Some advantages, however, are
more clearly relevant to the individual groups mentioned above.
For managers these must be primarily cost, time and disruption
versus benefit; for learners, key benefits are likely to be in the
areas of time, convenience, accessibility, effectiveness and
relevance; for trainers, practicality, effectiveness, usability and
commercial desirability.
Manager resistance
Managers in the client organisation may see any training,
whether blended or traditional, as an interruption to work, and
Blended Training as likely to be even more disruptive and still
less effective. Traditional classroom-style learning is often
perceived as the quickest and cheapest method of delivery. It has
been around for so long that people tend to think of the
traditional classroom as the norm, requiring little advocacy.
Blended Training may also be seen as a passing fad.
Learner resistance
Resistance from learners may be due to nothing more than
technophobia fear of the technology of websites, e-mail and
videoconferencing. These days some people are reluctant to
admit their technophobia and cover it up with excuses about:
lack of time we really dont have time to do this

lack of equipment our PCs are too old to deal with e-mail
lack of IT skills I have never used a computer and am too
old to start now
lack of enthusiasm I dont need this new-fangled stuff, the
traditional methods have always worked well for me.
These may also be genuine concerns in their own right, and
should not be ignored or misinterpreted.
24
Trainer resistance
Do you, too, need convincing about Blended Training? The e
elements in Blended Training open new doors and offer
opportunities that could scarcely have been guessed at a few
years ago. That does not mean that everyone in the training
world is an e-thusiast. Here are some typical anti-technology
comments from trainers see if you agree with any of them:
e-learning is a threat that will take away my job in a few years

learning on computer is soulless, boring and really only for
geeks
you cant beat the social interaction of a live training session
its all too complicated for me to follow.
If some of the objections given above seem formidable, the good
news is that Blended Training can be presented as a direct
answer to many of them. Because it provides a mix of traditional
classroom methods with their attendant comfort zone, and
higher-tech approaches, it can offer a relatively painless way of
overcoming e-phobia. The live elements of Blended Training,
through the support possibilities which they provide, can help
your clients overcome their technophobia with confidence.
Specific response to managers concerns

A strong approach here relates to the cost-effectiveness of
Blended Training. Online training incurs no travel expenses for
you (or possibly your trainees). You can, if you wish, conduct a
seminar, discussion or lesson from home. You may also find that
the client company has already bought into resources (hardware
and software) that it may be under-utilising. Online pages are far
cheaper to produce than photocopying (though you may ask
users to print out sheets at home). Online or e-learning based
delivery is much cheaper on telecommunication costs
especially if the client has broadband always on connections.
However, slower, dial-up connection speeds may still be perfectly
suitable for downloading text or sending and receiving e-mails.
Other contributory factors include the element of time,
motivation, flexibility and supplementary skills-development.
Tool 2D summarises these benefits.
Specific response to learners concerns

Resistance from learners should be dealt with sensitively and
with the utmost care. The key is to be very gentle with the
introduction of any new technology. Even in the 21st century, it
25
is amazing how resistant some people may be to anything

remotely technological (and this has nothing to do with age).
Think carefully how you will help your clients to overcome
technophobia. There are some general rules that apply to all
learner/trainer situations but which can be especially crucial in
the e-learning area:
Treat learners with respect and discourage any kind of

techno-superiority from others in the group.
Give learners the time and space to talk about their problems
with technology, and let them demonstrate what it is that is
worrying them.
Divide the learning event into small, manageable objects or

chunks give the learners time to test their own skill and
knowledge and be ready to encourage feedback.
Patience is vital even if the questions seem trite and

obvious, treat each query with the greatest care and respect.
Listen well before you act it is too easy, especially in a

technological field, to jump in and assume you know what the
problem might be.
Hands-on is often best let the learners learn from their

errors, but always be encouraging.
Specific response to trainers concerns

Because Blended Training really does open up Anyone, Anytime,
Anywhere learning, the trainer is in a powerful position to help
and assist the learner in progressing along the chosen route.
E-training can save the tutor vast amounts of time. Think of the
ability to post answers to all your learners (or provide responses
to Frequently Asked Questions). Some software systems allow
you to pick and mix from a bank of online answers or tips. You
can do this with a click of the mouse instead of responding
personally to each learners identical query. Learners can reply
(or join a discussion group about the topic) and this data can be
stored for future use. This archive can also be used to respond to
future queries. You could be sitting on your own e-archive that is
very quickly accessed and sent to learners as and when they
need them. Of course this does not mean that live (via video or
26
satellite link) or face-to-face training has no place. Far from it.

The Blended Training approach means that you can give more
time to helping individual learners.
According to Kevin Oakes, CEO of Click to Learn Inc, Corporate
buyers are seeing such a powerful set of benefits from Blended
Training that it is becoming a key element in their bottom line
considerations. Trainers who embrace this new technology will
be at a real premium over the next few years. The rest will
gradually get left behind. (Interview for Training Journal.)
How you respond to this challenge depends on your attitude to

developing new business and sustaining what you have.
More general benefits

There is a growing recognition that Blended Training the
combination of face-to-face delivery with technological solutions
is extremely powerful.
Some of the really exciting advantages include:
Speed. The whole process of learning and development can be

speeded up. The courseware design that you use (your own or
bought in from specialist vendors) can be geared to delivering
short, sharp chunks of knowledge or skills. Learners should
quickly appreciate that the blended approach is in their own
best interests. This means that before convincing them of the
wonders of (say) online discussion threads, you should
illustrate how this approach can benefit learners spread over
time and space. The key is to emphasise benefits to your
learners rather than technological marvels. Remember that
IT is a means to an end and rarely the end in itself.
Responsibility. Blended Training puts the onus on progress back

onto the learner. For some, of course, this may not be seen as
good news. But it is up to you as the trainer to point out the
great advantages of self-directed learning over more passive
models. The harnessing of technology allows the Blended
Trainer to offer either real-time (synchronous) or time-delayed
(asynchronous) progress monitoring, feedback, mentoring,
coaching even social contact with the rest of the group via
newsgroups, chat rooms, instant messaging and so on.
27
Learner-centred nature. The blend of different training styles

means that the whole process is much more student/trainee
centred. In some scenarios, online trainees can come and go
as they please, and decide when and how they wish to learn.
As a trainer, the new technologies also allow you to know
much more about the individuals in your group. Through
their e-mails, chat room interventions, online responses and
queries, you can build a picture of each individual trainee. It
also encourages trainees to support each other in the learning
process. You can truly stand aside to become the so-called
guide on the side, not just a sage on the stage.
Global, full-time coverage. With students able to download

material, self-study packs, questionnaires, tasks and projects,
and video demonstrations at a distance, there is no theoretical
limit to the number or location of your learners. The potential
for developing new cohorts of learners gets bigger every day.
As and When learning. You can decide when the learners are
to receive their learning bites. You may use an e-mail
scheduling facility to send out chunks of material at certain
times of the day. You can keep up your learners interest at
weekends or holiday time by sending web links to appropriate
sites the Web provides an almost limitless archive of
material to support users.
Feedback is enhanced. Have you ever asked a group if they

had understood everything, and been met by murmurings
and nods? The e-component of Blended Training allows for
many methods of learner feedback: e-mail, chat room or
instant message. Some software packages (such as Centra
One) allow users to click on icons which convey messages
such as that was funny or applause or I dont understand.
In some virtual classroom packages, if a learner is having real
difficulty with a task, the trainers can often intervene see
what that learner is doing on screen and put things right
(even taking over from the learners mouse).
Variety. Learning events can feed into each other. You can, for
example, use e-mail or a website to get trainees up to speed on
a topic before the face-to-face classroom event. You could
alternatively introduce a computer-based learning
programme with a live classroom forum or seminar. In this
way, you can fire up the group before the formal training
28
begins, to allow them to discuss the key issues that will affect
their learning. In another scenario, you could lead an online
chat group to discuss problems, set tasks or monitor progress.
Experiences of Blended Training
I ran an online symposium with learners from the

company located in three continents. I sent an e-mail to
each to remind them when the sessions were going live.
Once we were all online, I gave a short presentation via a
video link, set a task for learners to do on their own PCs,
monitored their progress and sent messages to each
individual learner. I then set a reading list downloadable
of course and a set of projects to be completed and
e-mailed to me. We all kept in touch via a discussion
group a trainer.
I ran a two-day workshop with a group of 20 people from
around the country. The aim was for the trainees to share
their ideas about managing workplace projects in their
differing locations. I set up an online discussion to follow a
series of live workshops. Inevitably these online chats
became social events which did wonders to raise the
morale and motivation of the group. It also meant they
could keep in touch long after the formal training was over
a trainer.
I used a web-based programme to tutor English language
learners around the world. Some of these were disabled
and in normal circumstances wouldnt have been able to
get to a training session very easily. The group was
incredibly diverse a much wider range of abilities,
knowledge and skills than I would normally train. It was a
wonderfully uplifting experience a trainer.
We had a short introductory session in real time from the
trainer somewhere miles away. She then set us a specific
task which we had to do there and then. It was amazing to
see the trainer intervene on my screen. Then the trainer
told us to go to a certain page and see a list of assignments.
Some of these were in text form, others were voice
recordings and video clips a learner.
29
Are you ready to be a Blended Trainer? You should start by

asking what knowledge and skills you already possess. Are you
already engaged in some form of Blended Training? The tools
will help you in this important process.

Tool 2A is a useful guide to your own strengths and weaknesses.
It is a SWOT analysis and should be undertaken before
embarking on designing the programme. It will help to highlight
areas where you may need more training or confidence building.
Tool 2B should be at your side whenever you encounter possible
resistance from learners. It is good for translating and
responding to their explicit objections to e-learning. By acquiring
a greater understanding of what the subtext to any objections
may be, you will be better able to deal with them. You may also
be in a better position to forestall any criticisms of the
methodology but that depends on how well you know your
learners. You could use this tool as the basis for a questionnaire
to assess the mood of your learners. It could also be used in
group discussion so that learners are given the chance to air
their fears, concerns and doubts.
Tool 2C can be used in exactly the same way. The arguments and
counter-arguments presented in this tool should help you
present a stronger case to managers for a more blended
approach. You will also be ready to counter their sales-resistance
and be better equipped to bring in that vital contract.
Tool 2D provides a summary of the benefits of the online side of
Blended Training the area to which you are most likely to
encounter some resistance.
210
2A
How do you rate yourself?
This tool provides an audit of your current state of readiness to

provide a Blended Training package. Use it as a SWOT (Strengths,
Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis of your ease with
Blended Training and your technical abilities. At the end of each part
of the audit is a space for your Action Plan. Look at your No
answers and write a short statement about how you plan to
strengthen any of the areas of doubt or lack of expertise. Then go on
to fill in the SWOT analysis and the following Action Plan.
Self Audit
Answer the following questions by ticking the Yes or No box.
Statement
Yes
No
I am clear about the meaning of Blended Training

I am ready to look at offering a Blended Training course
I am confident about using computers in my training
I can see how computers could enhance my training
programmes
I can see how Web-based training could enhance my
programmes
I can see a positive use for videoconferencing
I can see how I would use e-mail as a training tool
I can see the benefits of using chat rooms for training
purposes
I know how to source information on the Internet
I know how to download and send this information
to learners
I can see how my learners could benefit from a blended
approach
I can easily adapt my training materials for a more blended
approach
I feel confident about developing new learning materials
that are suitable for a blended approach
Continued
211
2A
continued
Areas for progress and development
continued
212
2A
continued
Skills Audit
I am able to
Yes
No
copy files onto floppy disks

understand the difference between CD-R and CD-RW
copy data files onto CDs
save files in different formats such as .rtf or .pdf
send files via e-mail that can be opened by any computer (including
Mac or Unix-based machines)
attach files and open attachments from others
create and send e-mails
create an address book for my e-mails
create a group so that e-mails can be sent to the whole class
save files in HTML code
create web pages using software such as Frontpage or Dreamweaver
access the Internet
use advanced Search Engines such as Google and Altavista
save web pages
create PowerPoint type presentations
deliver the presentation online
deliver a presentation via a data projector
embed video, audio clips and photographs in the presentation
provide a hyperlink to a website in the presentation
understand how an intranet works
create shared folders on an intranet
post learning materials across an intranet or the Internet
set up chat rooms and a notice board for my learners
post messages to a chat room, notice-board or e-mail list
use an image scanner to create photo attachments or web page
illustrations
save and manipulate images in a photo software package such as
Photoshop
save images as JPEG or GIF (or TIFF) file
use a digital still camera and download images on to a computer
use a digital movie camera to create moving image clips on the Internet
download or copy digital video clips
continued
213
2A
continued
Areas for progress and development
continued
214
2A
continued
SWOT Analysis as Blended Trainer

Strengths
Weaknesses
Skills, knowledge, attitude:
Skills, knowledge, attitude that

may need improving or
developing:
Opportunities
Threats
Factors which you think are key

opportunities in becoming a
confident and competent
Blended Trainer:
Factors which you consider

may pose a threat to your
ambitions and hopes of
becoming a confident and
competent Blended Trainer:
continued
215
2A
continued
SWOT Action Plan

How to capitalise on your strengths and opportunities
How to tackle your weaknesses
How to face up to threats
216
2B
How to respond to resistance from the

learner
Action Plan
Below are the sort of objections which you are likely to receive from
learners, together with their possible underlying meanings and
worries; then a checking reaction, followed by a suitable response.
There is space at the end for you to insert further comments, subtexts,
checks and reactions from your own experience.
Objection
Possible subtext
Reality check
Your response if the

reality check is passed
I dont have time
I dont know how to

reorganise my time to
accommodate this
Who else has this

problem?
Offer timemanagement training

or a resource
I dont think this is

particularly relevant
and dont want to
prioritise it
Is it, in fact, relevant to

this learner?
Explain the relevance

and the benefit of the
training to the
learner
I dont think I will get

support from my
manager
Is there a real problem

with the manager?
Reassure that the

manager is supportive
and explain what
they are actively
doing
Everything takes me
twice as long if it
involves computers
Is the hardware up
to the task?
Training in new IT
will be given and
refresher courses in
existing programs are
available

support from my
manager

with the manager?
Reassure that the

and explain what they
are actively doing
Everything takes me
twice as long if it
involves computers
Is the hardware up
to the task?
Training in new IT
will be given and
refresher courses in
available
Im IT phobic
Who else has this

problem?
Training in new IT
will be given and
support courses in
available

support from my
manager

with the manager?
Reassure that the

and explain what they
are actively doing
Everything takes me
twice as long if it
involves computers
Is the hardware up to
the task?
Training in new IT
will be given and
support courses in
available
I dont have the

equipment
I dont have the

IT skills
Continued
217
2B

learner
continued
Objection
Possible subtext
Reality check

I dont have the

learning skills
This is all too new and

it frightens me
Has speed of
introduction been too
fast?
Reassure on support
and benefits
Who is going to keep

me on the right track?
Has mentoring been

factored in?
Explain how
mentoring will work
I dont think I have the

self-discipline to do the
self-directed learning
bits
Have coaching and

feedback loops been
factored in?
Explain how coaching

and feedback will keep
learner on track
Im lazy, I like to have

training done to me
Is there a genuine
motivation problem?
Be firm
I dont think this is

relevant
Is it relevant to this
learner?
Explain the relevance

and benefits focus
on the learner
I am disillusioned with
this companys
approach to training
Has training been

haphazard in the past?
Explain why this is the

best way for this topic
I am suspicious about
the motives behind this
training idea
Are the reasons for this

training sound?
Explain the motives in

full and clear detail
I am quite happy where

I am
Will the benefits

outweigh the
disruption?
Sympathise with
sentiments but explain
why benefits outweigh
the disruption
I dont need this

training
218
2C

company
Action Plan
Below are the sort of objections which you are likely to receive from
management, together with their possible underlying meanings and
worries; then a checking reaction, followed by a suitable response.
There is space at the end for you to insert further comments, subtexts,
checks and reactions from your own experience.
Objection
Possible subtext
Reality check

I need my people to
I dont want
Have you accurately
stay focused on the job unnecessary disruption assessed the level of
disruption?
Explain how benefits

will outweigh
disruption and how
disruption will be
minimised
Will this training

achieve any
measurable benefit?
Have you accurately

assessed the benefit?
Explain benefits and

stress need for
managerial support
I need my people to do
this training in their
own time
I dont think the

benefit of this training
will accrue to my
company/department,
only to the individual
learner
Is this really the case?
Explain how the

benefits will accrue
to the company/
department
The direct expense is

too high
This is a luxury we
cant afford
Is there a good case for

the training?
Explain the case for

the training in terms
of financial benefit to
the department/
company
The budget has been

set and I dont want to
disturb it
Is there no flexibility
in the budget?
Explore with the

manager different
ways of funding it
I dont, in general,
think training is worth
the money
Is this manager
persuadable?
Be firm and work

with this person to
get them on your side
I dont want year on

year overheads to be
increased by this
Are the ongoing costs

going to have
significant impact on
the balance sheet?
Explain you have

done your homework,
get support from
the company
accountant, and
show that it is not
a problem
Im worried the costs

will spiral out of
control
Are all the costs

accounted for and
controllable?
As above
The ongoing expense

is too high
Continued
219
2C

company
continued
Objection
Possible subtext
Reality check

I dont see this

training as relevant
I dont want the

disruption in my
department
Is it relevant to this
department?
Explain relevancy,
how benefits will
outweigh disruption
and how disruption
will be minimised
I think learning by
doing on the job is the
only way people really
learn
Is your project the best

way to train the people
in this department?
Explain need for their

support
I feel this is an attack

on the way I run my
department/company
Is this training a
roundabout way to
overcome poor
management
problems?
Explain need for their

support and that an
efficient department/
company will be to
their credit
220
2D
Benefits of online learning
Online learning offers benefits to all stakeholders: the learners, the

client organisation, the trainer and the training organisation. The key
factors in each case are:
freedom of choice of times to learn
freedom of choice of places to learn
freedom of choice of pace of learning
a group of features, including: using computers and computerbased materials; working with the Internet; working with other
learners; using electronic communication including e-mail or
computer conferencing; and the degree to which this environment
promotes autonomous learning and computer literacy.
These same key factors, however, produce somewhat different benefits
for the different stakeholders, although these benefits are
interdependent. A benefit to the learner, for example, will also benefit
the learners employer.
For the learner
For the client company
Freedom of choice of times to learn

means that learners can:
Freedom of choice of times for

employees to learn means that
organisations can:
develop their time-management

skills
have employees who have developed

the skills and attitudes to continue to
learn both within and outside
normal working hours
learn in their own time when

necessary
have employees who are more

self-motivated and autonomous in
their learning
spend more time on their

learning when they want or
need to
have employees who can respond

flexibly to emerging training needs,
without having to lose time away
from work to update themselves.
become better at managing their

own learning and learn at times
when they are most receptive
learn at times which suit them best,
depending on changing patterns
of work.
Continued
221
2D
continued
For the learner
Freedom of choice of places to

learn means that learners can:
Freedom of choice of places for

organisations can:
learn at home if they have equipment

there, as well as in the workplace or
training environment
have employees who can continue to

learn, using facilities at the workplace
or elsewhere, without having to lose
as much time as would have
happened if they were sent on
training courses
learn where they feel comfortable to

learn
have employees continuing to learn

at the workplace, and being a
positive influence on other staff who
need to become better at learning
under their own steam.
choose whether to learn in a quiet

or busy environment.
Freedom of choice of pace of

learning means that learners can:
Freedom of choice of pace for

organisations can:
go quickly through things they

already understand, or find easy
avoid wasting employees time on

learning things they already know or
can do
slow down when they reach things

that they find new or difficult
make best use of employees time

when they need to slow down to
learn difficult things
go time and time again through

things that are particularly
important or difficult
have employees who feel in charge of

their own learning, and take more
responsibility for its success
spend longer on things that need

more time
have learners who have developed

time-management and taskmanagement skills, which they can
apply to their work as well as to their
continuing learning.
take a break when they want or

need to.
continued
222
2D
continued
For the learner
Other features, including using

computers, working with the
Internet, working with other
learners, using electronic
communication including e-mail or
computer conferencing, mean that
learners can:
Other features, including the

electronic nature of communication
and the fact that the materials are
computer-based, mean that
organisations can:
develop a greater sense of ownership

regarding their own learning, and
feel in charge of their progress

their skills of electronic
communication, and can save time
by e-mailing colleagues and outside
contacts rather than using
traditional processes
develop and improve their keyboard

skills

their computer literacy, and who can
readily keep up to date through
online sources.
become better able to work with

technology
improve their electronic
communication skills
develop their group-working skills
become better able to learn under
their own steam in future
develop their information handling
skills
practise and improve their
information retrieval skills from the
Internet.
continued
223
2D
continued
For the trainer
For the training organisation

learners to learn means I can:

learners to learn means a training
organisation can:
get more out of the face-to-face time

I have with my learners
continue providing training out of

normal training timetables
have learners who do some of their

learning outside training time
have learners who can continue

their training at their workplace
spend more time with learners at

times when they particularly need
my help
have learners who can catch up with

their training in their own time, and
at weekends when necessary
work with learners who already have

a busy schedule, but can still find
time to learn.
provide training which is attractive

to employers and sponsors, as it
makes optimum use of their
employees time.


organisation can:
work with my learners in different

size groups, at different times and
different places
have learners learning without

supervision, at computers anywhere
on the premises
have learners who can work in

places which suit their learning styles
have learners who can continue

their learning at their own
workplace
use electronic communication

such as e-mail to keep in touch
with learners working at a distance
or at home
provide training which is very

time-efficient regarding time spent
off the job
avoid having learners stopping

learning when they are off site or
away on placements.

helps learners to become
autonomous regarding where they
learn.
continued
224
2D
continued
For the trainer
For the training organisation


organisation can:
avoid the problems of working with

learners who are so fast they become
bored in face-to-face sessions
provide training which allows highfliers to work at a much faster pace,

and be economical with their time
accommodate learners who need to

go more slowly, or practise things
time and time again until they
become good at them
provide training which allows

learners who are struggling to spend
as long as they need to, so they
master difficult topics
work better with a mixed-ability

group of learners

allows individual learners to control
the speed at which they learn best
be less vulnerable to interruptions

from learners who have other things
they must do from time to time, and
need to take breaks from their learning.
accommodate the needs of learners

to take breaks when they need to, or
when they have other urgent
work-related matters to attend to.
Other features, including e-mail for

feedback to learners, feedback
responses in the learning materials,
and the fact that the materials
already contain the information on
which learning is to be based, mean
that I can:
Other features, including the degree

to which the online learning
environment promotes autonomous
learning and computer literacy mean
that a training organisation can:
respond by e-mail to learners at

times which suit me best

to employers and sponsors, as it also
develops learners computer skills
and electronic communication skills
avoid having to explain the same

things over and over again to
different learners, as the learning
materials do this for me
provide training which develops

learners self-management skills,
and equips them to be better at
managing their own learning.
spend more time facilitating

learners learning, rather than just
giving them information.
225
3 PLANNING A BLENDED
TRAINING PROJECT
3
Description
In this unit, there are six tools:
Tool 3A Required learning outcomes: summarising your
learners existing abilities and the knowledge and skills
outcomes required
Tool 3B Merrills First Principles: Dr David Merrills First
Principles of Instruction
Tool 3C Learning Needs: sample questionnaire and action plan
Tool 3D Equipment survey: checklist and action plan
Tool 3E Contingency planner: be prepared for the problems
most likely to arise
Tool 3F Instructional design model: to help you build the big
picture without getting bogged down in the detail of the
individual units.
Purpose
These tools will aid you in formulating a plan for analysis and
design as part of an overall instructional design model for
Blended Training. They will familiarise you with the first
principles of instructional design theory, and enable you to
determine:
learners individual learning objectives

your desired learning outcomes
whether and how to customise to fit the individual learners
needs
how to align your objectives with those of your learners
preparation for things which might not go according to plan
construction of an instructional design model.
31

Use these tools as part of the analysis and design stage of
constructing your instructional design model.
Tool 3A should be used when assessing the abilities of the
individual learners and relating their existing knowledge and
skills to your desired learner objective.
The basic learning principles in Tool 3B underpin all successful
training programmes. Use them to decide in what way you can
best improve the skills and knowledge of your learners, and help
them to acquire new ones.
Tool 3C is for use when assessing the learning needs of your
individual learners. This tool builds on the tools above, and
should be used in conjunction with them. You have worked out
the abilities of your learners, and the tasks they have to achieve,
and the kind of learning methods that would suit a particular
learner best; now, by combining them with this tool, you will be
able to determine the precise learning need of each learner.
Having reached this point, survey the existing resources and
equipment you could apply to these learning needs, using Tool
3D. Select the methods that will best align the learners
objectives with your learning outcomes.
Once you have decided on what you need, consider what might
not go as you expected, and how you will adjust things to take
these circumstances into account, using Tool 3E.
With Tool 3F, you can build the bigger picture, without
becoming too involved with minor details.
32
Background
We can all agree on the importance of a comprehensive
instructional design model in delivering effective training.
Merrills First Principles of Instruction (given here in Tool 3B)
set out the principles which, when applied, facilitate learning.
Many of these principles, however, are not as new as we may
think. For example, Edward Thorndikes The Principles of
Learning was published in 1921, and its surprising how many
of his basic points have continuing resonance and relevance
today. Thorndike insists, for example, that:
The various learning components should be carefully chosen

and shaped; then ordered into a coherent learning system.
Today we would talk about the material being broken down
into learning objects, which may stand alone as, or be
combined into, learning events. These then in turn become
the building blocks of a Blended Training approach.
The learner should be assisted and supported throughout the

process. Some sort of instructor-led training, whether in a
virtual classroom or face to face, is now widely considered
indispensable.
The crucial element in any training process, and often the

final test of how much has been assimilated, is hands-on
practice, under the supervision of an experienced coach.
Today we have the added, and often more feasible, option of
an online mentor.
In addition, the training should be continually assessed, and
problem areas identified and dealt with as they arise. Does this
all suggest that a traditional classroom-based approach is still
the best, though least cost-effective, way of delivering in-work
training? Only to the extent that there are certain areas, some
learning events, which are still best served by this approach.
Others though will be equally well-served by online training, and
for still others e-learning provides opportunities unparalleled in
history.
Thinking In and Thinking Out

The mnemonic ADDA guides you through a four-stage approach
to planning your instructional design model. It stands for:
33
analyse
design
deliver
assess.
This sounds like a snake, and indeed it may be useful to think of

it as a double-headed one; at one end, a head for thinking IN,
getting to grips with the culture of the client organisation, your
learners and the subject matter; then, when this is achieved,
another head for thinking back OUT, working out the
appropriate delivery mechanisms.
AD Thinking In: Analyse and Design develop your essential
learner events.
DA Thinking Out: Deliver and Assess blend these events,
and create strategies for implementation and evaluation.
Thinking In: Analysis and Design

Analysis (a series of questions)
Ask yourself:
What is this whole training programme for? Identify the

organisational goals, which then become your learning
outcomes.
What is the corporate environment in which these goals must

be realised? A thorough-going familiarity with the culture
and infrastructure of the organisation is vital to ensure that
the overall objectives (learning outcomes) are clearly defined,
understood and accepted by all managers and/or sponsors,
learners, trainers and supporting personnel. Are all parties
mutually agreed on the basic terms of reference? Then ask:
What are the time and budget restrictions? What equipment
and resources are to be allocated? Have the management
bought in to the project as fully as they might? Might extra
resources be made available for new technology?
Misunderstandings at this stage are often the cause of
grievous pitfalls later on.
Who are the learners? What are their needs and abilities?
People learn at different rates, have different performance
and learning gaps, and have differing degrees of resistance to
34
e-learning (or indeed, new learning in general). These need to

be assessed, perhaps using online surveys, and skills and
weaknesses taken into account.
What is the basic material that must be conveyed? Is the

information stable (fixed, concerning facts, figures and
principles that will never change and apply to all learners), or
unstable (dynamic, complex, information requiring
interpretation and placing in context)? The subject matter
itself must be thoroughly assimilated and evaluated before it
is shaped into the learning objects that will form the core of
the training process.
Incidentally, be sure to distinguish between your learner

objectives and learning outcomes. The former refer to the
day-to-day or session-by-session progress of each individual
learner, while the latter should be congruous with the ultimate
goals of the client organisation.
To sum up: it is at this stage that the trainer determines the goals
to be achieved, identifies possible pitfalls and problem areas, and
any factors that may be crucial to the success of the project.
Design (a question of organisation)

Here your subject matter will be arranged into a number of
learning objects, which are then going to be shaped or combined
into learning events. In doing this, we should consider where
these objects best fit into a Blended Training programme. We
should take into consideration not just your learning outcomes,
the various needs and abilities of the learners, and the subjectmatter, but also the budget and resources allocated to the
project. It is often the case that the best place educationallyspeaking for our learning object may simply not be cost- or timeeffective; and the learning event should be re-designed taking
this into account.
A general example. We have established that a basic grounding
in certain facts and general principles is best delivered through
self-paced e-learning. On the other hand, the practical application
of these facts and principles requires an instructor-led session,
involving the learner in hands-on practice of a particular task. In
other words, one aspect of your learning event is best achieved by
some kind of computer-based training, while other needs are best
served in a classroom or simulated classroom environment. You
35
begin to blend the available techniques to meet the clients goals

(your learning outcome), always taking into consideration the
time-constraints, budget and resources available.
Learner objectives
Of course, the ingredients of your learning event are at all times
strictly defined by your learner objectives. It is obviously vital to
be totally clear about what it is you are hoping to achieve, before
you decide the best way to achieve it. For these objectives to have
the optimum chance for success, your learners should have no
doubt or question as to what is expected of them. Your learner
objectives should be clear, single-focused and unambiguous, and
related to a specific learning task. Learning outcomes build up layer
by layer. You dont want at any stage to risk overloading the
learners with information which they may find contradictory
and confusing. Each objective should specify :
How the task is to be performed what mix of self-paced or

instructor-led training to adopt, web-based training, on-line
seminars and so on.
The conditions under which it is to be carried out the real

working environment and not some idealised scenario.
The standard of performance to be achieved again

realistically taking into account the skills of the learner and
the content to be delivered.
How this standard is to be measured and assessed for

example, through quizzes, questionnaires or self-written
learner reports, or online knowledge tests.
Personalise the process as far as possible. Put yourself into the
learners shoes and ask:
Would I enjoy doing it this way?

Would I understand the purpose of this task?
If either answer is No, perhaps your learner objectives are not
as clear and focused as they might be.
Remember, each separate learning event is to be used as a
stepping stone up to the next level of training and, as an added
36
consideration, may also be easily accessed or re-accessed at a later

date where just-in-time training or revision may be required.
Thinking Out: Delivery and Assessment

Delivery (check your organisation)
The next stage is to consider how your learning events are going
to be blended together to achieve optimum potential for your
learning outcomes. Obviously, a thorough knowledge of all the
available learning technologies or environments is a total
prerequisite. (The actual mechanics of delivery will be examined
in detail in Unit 4 Choosing the right delivery mechanisms; at the
moment we are only giving a general overview). This section of
the planning stage is where potential is measured, and failings
and inadequacies identified and addressed. Pilot-testing of the
learning events should take place if possible; paper-based trials
in which all the components are thoroughly thought through,
are also useful. This all leads on to a strategy for
implementation. The questions here may be:
What extra personnel do we need? Experienced workers to

coach face to face and give practical demonstrations? Online
facilitators? Should line managers be involved in the
instructional processes, and if so, in what capacity?
Should the monitoring and directing of the learners be

performed by separate individuals, and if so, by whom?
How can we best ensure the continued motivation of the

learners throughout the process? Here you might put yourself
back into the learners shoes again, and ask yourself firstly
Would I see the benefits to myself of assimilating this
information? and secondly What would motivate me more?.
For example, perhaps a Performance Contract would be a useful
carrot, as might presenting Certificates of Achievement at
various levels.
Prepare contingency plans
Possible pitfalls and problem areas have hopefully been identified
in the analysis stage of our design model, and here it would be
wise to tackle these hypothetical problems, anticipate disaster,
and formulate plan Bs! In drawing up contingency plans, we
temporarily return to the design stage and ask:
37
Is there a simpler, secondary, approach to the assimilation of

a particular task?
Might extra support and resources be made available if

necessary?
How are these contingency plans themselves to be delivered,

and by whom?
So now the instructional design model is thoroughly prepared,
and ready for delivery. What else is there left to do?
Assessment (check the delivery!)

Unfortunately, the best-structured instructional design model is
still vulnerable to the unforeseeable and unexpected. The good
news here is that the more thorough you have been in planning
your analysis, design and delivery, the more swiftly and surely
these hidden pitfalls can be detected and dealt with. The
unexpected can hit badly-designed models as well, and that is
when trainers find themselves all at sea, their (in theory)
beautifully constructed pattern of learning events coming apart
at the seams. You must ensure that your Blended Training model
is thoroughly thought through, and based on the real working
environment; that it takes the individual needs and abilities of
the learners into account. You must have contingency plans up
your sleeve, and know how to access extra resources quickly; or
at least you will have identified the right people to approach and
the procedures to be carried out. You did not foresee this
particular situation no-one could have done so but
immediately, youve a good idea how youre going to cope with it
and turn it around. Furthermore, and most crucially, you know
exactly where you are in the learning procedure. You have been
constantly evaluating and, where necessary, modifying your
learning events to suit the learning needs of the participants.
You have been identifying where the learning programme is
succeeding, and where, and for what reasons, it is failing. This is
because you have formulated a strategy for evaluation. Each
learners progress has been constantly tracked and monitored.
You have analysed the feedback from your learners, and kept
them constantly encouraged and motivated.
These are the questions you should be asking at this final stage
in the planning:
38
How can I measure my learners performance standards, to

discover if they are adequately mastering their objectives?
Ideally of course the individual learners (whatever their
particular needs and skills, or the variety of problems they
may encounter) should be brought up to speed on their topics
together, and attain the same levels of achievement at the
same time. In other words, one purpose of assessment is to
achieve coordinated progress. Question and Answer sessions,
quizzes, multiple-choice tests, polls and online practice exams
(often included as part of a computer-based training package)
are some of the ways this assessment can be carried out.
How will I measure my learners motivation, morale and

commitment? A happy learning community motivates itself
to a large extent, as learners guide each other through
problems, exchanging tips and shortcuts through instant
messaging, chat rooms and online discussion groups. You
should be receiving valuable feedback from these, and also
from your online seminars and any course assignments you
may have set. In this way you can always recognise and
applaud good work and provide encouragement and support
where necessary. Online forums, surveys and polls are all
useful tools for evaluation, encouraging learners to air any
concerns, and reinforcing a positive group attitude.
How do I ensure that I am on track for attaining my learning

outcomes? One simple answer: you have designed and
instituted a Learning Management System, or found relevant,
high-quality software that does this for you. This enables you
(or others) to monitor the progress of your learners, keep
track of their test scores and performance standards, and
coordinate, update and assess this data constantly.
If you are to remain in control of your learning programme, you
should be in touch with all the key components of it at every
stage. Remember, this data is not just for you and your fellow
trainers; it is also for the learners themselves. Keeping the
learners up to date with their own progress, applauding
achievement and providing support and encouragement at key
points, can obviously only be done through continual
assessment.
39

Use Tool 3A to help you to identify the distance between a
learners existing skills and knowledge, and the tasks they will be
required to learn. This is a prerequisite, before you can begin to
think about which particular mix of training methods will be
most suitable for each individual learner.
To help you to decide on this mix, use Tool 3B to determine how
the learners knowledge and skills can be enhanced, and what
methods might best bridge the distance between existing abilities
and required learning achievement.
Building on the above two tools, make a survey of the individual
learners needs with Tool 3C. When you have done this, you are
ready to start thinking about the particular blend of methods
that would be appropriate for this individual learner.
Using Tool 3D, survey the equipment and resources available to
you to best deliver the training to fill this learning need; the
mechanisms that will enable you to build a bridge to cover the
gap between learners existing abilities, and their learner
objectives.
Tool 3E will help you to be prepared for the unexpected and will
give you the ability to be prepared for departures from your
initial plans.
The information you gain from these tools can be applied while
you are using ADDA for Thinking In and Thinking Out of
your instructional design model. Tool 3F takes you through the
information you need to gather to clarify the bigger picture of
how your project is going to be built.
310
3A
Required learning outcomes
What should someone know and be able to do when they have

completed this Blended Training? And what abilities should they
already possess?
Sample: Learning outcomes for Fire Monitor

Learner
Existing abilities
Knowledge
outcome
Skills outcome
Junior Assistant
A level education
Computer literate
How to identify
fire hazards
How fire behaves
Means of fire
detection
Means of fighting
a fire
Means of escaping
a fire
Ability to carry
out Fire Risk
Assessment
Ability to report
findings clearly
Ability to make
recommendations
to reduce fire
risk through good
management
Learner
Existing abilities
Knowledge
outcome
Skills outcome
Continued
311
3A
Required learning outcomes
continued
Learner
Existing abilities
Knowledge
outcome
Skills outcome
312
3B
Merrills First Principles
These basic learning principles underpin all successful training

programmes. Use them to decide in what way you can best improve
the skills and knowledge of your learners, and help them to acquire
new ones. See also 5 Star Instructional Design Rating, also by Merrill,
in the Appendix.
First Principles of Instruction

Learning is facilitated when
The learner is engaged in solving a real-world problem.
New knowledge builds on the learners existing knowledge.
New knowledge is demonstrated to the learner.
New knowledge is applied by the learner.
New knowledge is integrated into the learners world.
Dr David Merrill
Utah State University
313
3C
Learning Needs
Questionnaire and action plan

Use this tool when assessing the learning needs of your individual
learners. The tool should be used in conjunction with Tools 3A and
3B. Using Tool 1D Pre-training survey, you have a picture of the
abilities of your learners, and the kind of learning methods that
would most suit each of them. By combining them with this tool,
determine the learning need of each learner.
Question
Response
Number of learners
Duration of training
Location of learners
What kind of learning environment
will they be in?
What level of knowledge do they have
about the subject area?
What level of general skills do they
already have?
Can they use search engines?
What are their preferred learning
techniques?
Do they have any special language
needs?
Do they have any special physical
needs (disabilities, etc.)?
Are there any cultural issues to be
addressed?
How motivated or resistant are they to
new ways of learning?
To what degree are they comfortable
with computers and e-learning in
general?
What access to e-technologies do they
currently have?
Are there any time or cost restrictions
to their online access?
Can they come to live classroom
training sessions?
Continued
314
Learning Needs
3C
continued
Areas requiring particular attention or treatment

Issue
Action needed
3
By when?
315
3D
Equipment survey
Checklist and action plan

Once you have arrived at a clear picture of the learning needs of your
learners, survey the existing resources and equipment you could
apply to these needs. Select the methods that will best align the
learners objectives with your required learning outcomes.
Do learners have access to the
following?
Who to ask
Yes
No
Internet
Intranet
PCs with sound cards
Headsets, microphones and speakers
Software to enable plug-ins
Modem dial-up connections
Broadband connection
E-mail software
Discussion board software
Chat room software
Instant messaging
Newsgroups
Satellite broadcasting
Videoconferencing
Software (such as CentraOne) to
provide synchronous web
broadcasting
Hardware and software to provide
Distance Labs
Technical support for IT systems
IT systems support which is
available 24/7
Print material supporting books
and training packs
Learning Management Systems
compatible with all the e-learning
tools
Continued
316
Equipment survey
3D
continued
Decide which of the facilities on the previous page you will be

wanting to use, then, where you have answered No on the checklist
for a piece of necessary equipment, enter the action needed on the
following form.
Issue
Action needed
By when?
317
3E
Contingency planner
You can drive yourself mad by trying to anticipate everything, but it

does make sense to pre-empt the most likely problems. Use this
contingency planner to list the elements of your programme. Then
apply a risk rating of, say, very high, high, medium, or low to
each, together with a brief description of your contingency plans.
For example, many electronic elements can be replaced by paper.
However, as most computer/Internet problems are repaired within
24 hours, maybe your contingency plans should be focused on
dealing with timing issues rather than completely replacing an
e-element with a paper one.
Training element
Example:
Introductory classroom
session some learners
fail to show up
Risk
Contingency plans
Medium
As we are running three of these, the

no-shows can come to a later one
Or
Send all the materials to no-shows and
follow up with phone call from a mentor to
make sure they understand everything
318
3F
This tool is for use wearing your corporate hat. It is designed to help
you build the big picture without getting bogged down in the detail of
the individual units (which will be worked through later in this
resource). It follows the ADDA model discussed in this unit.
A Analyse
What is this programme for? Can you express it in one or two sentences?
What are the goals?
(Learning outcomes)
Assess the buy-in

(Who needs to commit?)
Assess technical and

personnel resources
Assess budget
(Who can help you with
costings and what
budget have you got?)
linked to level of buy-in
you have see above.
Tool 4D Cost assessment
does this in more detail
Management (names of individuals and your

assessment of their support)
Learners (individuals or groups and their line

managers)
Technical (discuss your early plans with IT people

as soon as you can)
Personnel (what sort of other people will need to

help with this project)
People who can help
Budget constraints
Continued
319
3F
continued
Assess your learners

(Are they educationally
diverse? Do they have
an existing level of
knowledge of the
subject?)
This is done in more
detail in Tool 3A
Assess materials
(What do you already
have; what needs
altering; what needs
designing or buying
from scratch?)
Key attributes of learners
Available
Needed from new
D Design
Remember that this is your overview. Tools in Units 1, 3, 4 and 6 will
help you with the detail. Use this section of the tool to think about
what sort of learning events would be suitable for each of your
learning outcomes.
Learning outcome
Learning outcome
Learning outcome
Learning outcome
Learning events
Learning events
Learning events
Learning events
continued
320
3F
continued
D Delivery
You have assessed your personnel needs above. Use this section of the
tool to concentrate your thinking on the people you will need to
actually deliver the training. Here are some examples you will have
other needs.
Task
Attributes required
Coaches
Training skills
Subject area knowledge
Availability
Mentors
Subject area knowledge

Experience
Empathy
Availability
IT support
Knowledge of systems
Instant availability
Willingness to firefight
Moderator
Knowledge of Internet etiquette

Internet competent
Authoritative
Conscientious
Available
Clerical
Efficient
Flexible
Experienced
Available
Who? (Do you have someone

in mind?)
continued
321
3F
continued
A Assessment
This section focuses your thoughts on how you are going to assess
learner progress, how you are going to measure success and how it
will fit in with the programme as a whole. Detail is dealt with in
Unit 8 Keeping control of your project, where there are a number of
tools for pinning this down.
How?
(Formal exams, tests,
interviews, and so on.)
When?
(At what points in the
programme will assessment
take place continuously; final
exam; fixed points?)
Rewards
(Will there be formal
certification, publication of
results, prizes, pay rises?)
322
4 CHOOSING THE RIGHT

DELIVERY MECHANISMS
Description
In this unit, there are five tools:
Tool 4A Evaluating different delivery mechanisms: features of

various mechanisms
Tool 4B How do you learn?: use your learning experiences to
guide others
Tool 4C Decision points: checklist to help you avoid bottlenecks
Tool 4D Cost assessment: support your case for introducing
new delivery mechanisms
Tool 4E Reality check: assessing your clients and your
learners readiness, so that you can be clear about the feasibility
of your programme.
Purpose
Tool 4A will help you to focus on the learning needs of individual
learners, to decide which mix of learning mechanisms best
applies, and to deliver coordinated progress among your learners.
The purpose of Tool 4B is to enable you to use your own
experiences to lay out a map to assist your learners in their
individual learning journeys. Tool 4C will assist you in establishing
your decision points, the nuts and bolts of your learning
programme, and help you to prevent bottleneck situations in
which personnel find themselves working at cross-purposes. Tool
4D is to be used when preparing a realistic budget. Demonstrating
you have thought out budget implications in detail is essential for
gaining management confidence in you, and buy-in to your
programme. Tool 4E helps you to take a cold, hard look at where
you stand. What is the most feasible mix of synchronous and
asynchronous methods to apply once you have taken everything
into account including learner needs and budget restrictions?
41

Use Tool 4A when analysing which blend of training
mechanisms best fits the needs of an individual learner.
Each of your learners will be different, and you, in turn, will be
different from them. But understanding what has inspired you to
study and learn in the past (or what has held you back from
progress) will give you an insight into how your learners will
respond to the material you present them with. Use Tool 4B
when considering their needs.
Tool 4C is for use when drawing up a complete checklist of the
various mechanisms that will need to be applied to deliver your
design model. All management and training personnel will have
to be fully informed and in agreement about what time and
budget resources can be made available, to ensure the smooth
running of your programme.
Demonstrating that you have itemised every cost that will be
incurred will encourage management confidence in your
training programme. Tool 4D will help you when you have to
prepare a case for a particular learning event, and when you
believe extra resources should be made available.
Analyse the motivation and requirements of your client
organisation and the needs and abilities of your learners with
Tool 4E. Use it when deciding the final blended mix that will suit
all parties, after taking into account the budget and resource
constraints of the company.
42
Background
In Unit 3 Planning a Blended Training project, we familiarised
ourselves with some general principles of learning, and
examined the importance of formulating a Strategy for
Implementation. In this unit we are going to examine in detail
the mechanisms of implementation. When you are putting your
design model into action there are several areas of expertise you
will have to acquire. First, of course, you will have to be
thoroughly familiar with all the available learning technologies;
in this unit we will examine the various delivery mechanisms, or
learning environments, that are available for use; and also how
best to use them. You will be mixing (or blending) traditional
learning methods with computer-based or e-learning options,
and we set out the various advantages and drawbacks of each
approach. Then there is the question of exactly which ones to
choose to fit a particular learning need. This may not be as
straightforward as it sounds; in making these decisions you will
inevitably be interacting with other people, and these people will
often have different agendas from your own. How much a
particular learning event will cost, for example. Does the
schedule for delivery fit in with managers work obligations, and
how much time off the job are they prepared to allow your
learners? This is the ground where compromises are going to
have to be made, and the case for each learning event proven.
Your job here is largely going to be a listening and moderating
one; finally, though, decisions are going to have to be reached,
and these decisions are going to have to be thoroughly
understood in all their implications and ramifications, and
mutually agreed. A checklist of decision points (see Tool 4C) will
help you to forestall any later misunderstandings.
Throughout all this, we mustnt forget your learners! After all,

this whole exercise is for them. Of course they should be at the
centre of your design model. While you are drawing up your list
of decision points, the needs and abilities of the individual
learners should be at the forefront of your thoughts. A useful
exercise in deciding exactly where to pitch your learning event, is
to put yourself in your learners shoes and ask How do I learn
best? What methods and approaches have proved most effective
with me in the past?
Understanding what has worked for you is a valuable exercise
when designing a programme that works well for others.
43
Available delivery mechanisms

There is today a very broad range of options for delivering inwork training (or, to put it another way, accomplishing your
learner objectives). You are probably already aware of most, if not
all of them. Achieving the right mix of options though, to deliver
your learning event, requires careful consideration. To start with,
these options can be neatly divided into two complementary
styles of delivery: Synchronous and Asynchronous training.
Synchronous and asynchronous training

These terms can seem rather jargonistic when first encountered.
Indeed, we are not convinced that they are the most useful
headings to use to cover these two types of learning procedure;
perhaps shared study and self study would be both clearer and
more accurate. However, the terms are in such common usage
that it would be unwise to ignore them, and so we offer these
simple definitions instead:
Synchronous training takes place in real time, is usually groupbased, instructor-led and shared between a group. Traditional
face-to-face training in a classroom fits under this umbrella; so
does online training with a virtual instructor, with queries and
feedback delivered via e-mail and concerns and insights shared
by means of an online forum or chat room.
Asynchronous training takes place in virtual time, is self-paced,

and is controlled and carried out entirely by the learners
themselves. It is provided to the learner or the learner must
seek it out via the Web, CD-ROM, video or simply books.
Thus, working in a traditional classroom would come under the
heading of synchronous training; sitting by yourself and
reading a book is asynchronous.
Even so, the areas overlap. Books are used in classrooms too; and
even when reading by yourself, if you come across a difficult
passage or a point that requires clarification, you can always ask
someone for help. The same is true in the world of e-learning.
Instructor-led training by video or online in a virtual training
room clearly incorporates e-technologies, while feedback,
follow-up and reinforcement can be made available to self-paced
learners through some form of online tutoring or mentoring.
44
Styles of learning
There is a wide array of learning media available to the trainer,
covering a spectrum all the way from reading a book to handson practice of an actual job. We have chosen to start at the
asynchronous end of the spectrum, because preliminary
learning work usually involves the learner in assimilating basic
facts, figures and theories, or performing tasks of a more basic
nature. This type of learning is best delivered through some sort
of self-paced study. More complex learner objectives requiring a
synchronous mix of delivery mechanisms are usually more
suited to a later stage of the learning procedure.
Asynchronous learning media

These include:
printed material (books, handouts or other text material)

CD-ROMs
computer-based or web-based training (CBT or WBT)
Internet or intranet
online resources and databases.
Though we place this at the low end of the learning spectrum
best for acquiring knowledge and the performing of simple tasks
it is important to state that asynchronous learning is also at
the high end of the spectrum in terms of required learner
motivation. You are asking a great deal of your learner. Because
they study alone, all the learners drive and motivation has to
come from within; they are left to draw on their own resources,
so to speak. You are asking them to be as completely committed
to achieving their learner outcomes as you are. It is easy to
overestimate their level of motivation. You have, therefore, to
ensure that the learner has fully bought in to the project, and is
aware of all the benefits that will accrue to them, from the very
beginning.
This may sound like a tall order. But you can ensure that your
learners are not completely isolated and cut off. They can always
reach others through e-mail queries to an online mentor, taking
part in chat rooms, or accessing discussion boards. But overall
the pace at which they perform these learning tasks is left to
them. This can give you another problem because you must
ensure coordinated progress among your learners. This issue
45
cannot be avoided. There has to be a judicious balance of carrots

and sticks. Your learners must be given deadlines, made aware
that their progress will be tested by a certain date, and that
failure to achieve an agreed standard will have defined
consequences. Perhaps extra study might be required of them
before they are allowed to continue the course; they might lose
certain rewards or accreditation; if there is a certificate or
diploma to be gained upon successful completion of the
programme, this could very well provide an incentive for them.
Maybe they will have signed performance contracts in which
case falling behind the rest of their group will have real career
consequences for them. This may sound punitive but unless your
agreed objectives are met, there can be no success for learners,
trainer or client.
Synchronous learning media

With synchronous training the situation is different. Here, a
lower standard of initial learner motivation is required, because
in a group environment learners motivate each other a lot of the
time. This is where the wise trainer finds opportunities to stand
back and let the group evolve its own social dynamic to some
extent. The learners, feeling less under the watchful eye of an
authority figure (the trainer), will exchange tips, share concerns,
and maybe even try to get one up on the trainer by discovering
material that has not yet been presented to them, thus leaping
ahead of their present learning stage. This is an ideal learning
scenario.
Of course, there can also be problems with over-confident
learners monopolising the e-space, while shyer ones find
themselves sidetracked and ignored (there is more about this in
Unit 7 Managing your project). Naturally, as a mentor you are
aware of all this, and ready to step in when necessary. In general
though, you'll find that the learners interest in learning is
reinforced, and that they are far more willing to absorb the
material placed before them. They are also much more confident
about stretching their performance abilities, and may even enjoy
a little friendly competition! And the instructor, yourself or an
allocated mentor, is there in real time to offer guidance, respond
to queries, and offer practical demonstrations.
46
The synchronous media include:
traditional classrooms
virtual training rooms (instructor-led)
live video (via satellite)
videoconferencing
online tutoring and mentoring which can be used in
conjunction with asynchronous training as a support facility.
Advantages and limitations of asynchronous and

synchronous training
Asynchronous
Advantages
For the learner:
asynchronous training has the Triple-A advantage; it can be

undertaken by Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere
lessons can be repeated again and again until the learner has
fully absorbed the material
the training is self-paced.
For the trainer:
a good method of providing basic and introductory

knowledge, information, facts and theories and simple skills,
which can be built upon later
extremely convenient and cost-effective.
Limitations
For the learner:
they can feel they are not receiving any support

if not used in conjunction with other media, it can lead to
feelings of isolation.
For the trainer:
it is not suitable for teaching the ability to perform complex

tasks
there is an upper limit to the degree of understanding and
application which the average learner can achieve in isolation
care is needed in assessing the design and functionality of many
current computer-based and web-based training products.
47
Synchronous
Advantages
For the learner:
the trainer is there, face-to-face or online, to respond to
queries and deal with problems

instant feedback
the learning is shared, and the group ethic reinforces the
learning process
sharing concerns, exchanging tips and shortcuts, for example,
through online forums, chat rooms and instant messaging,
bolstering confidence and morale
complex tasks may be demonstrated, and practised by the
learner under the guidance of an experienced worker or the
trainer
these sessions can be social events, and often very enjoyable.
For the trainer:
you can step aside to some extent, and allow learners to guide
and train each other, which provides huge benefits in terms of

their coordinated progress and also enhances their general
morale and commitment
the evolution of a group ethic reinforces individual learning
the trainer can quietly assess each learners progress as they
put their queries and air their concerns
complex tasks can be demonstrated by the instructor, and
then practised by the learner
facilitates a hands-on approach to the acquisition of more
complex, task-related information, which is an essential
ingredient in learning and understanding.
Limitations
this method can be expensive in terms of budget and resources
greater effort is required in the planning and in the allocation
of time, resources and budget than is the case with
asynchronous training
when the learner objective is purely to acquire basic
knowledge or skills, this approach can prove wasteful.
Summary
We can see from the above that most of the advantages in terms
of quality of training lie squarely in the area of synchronous
training. All the same, the format most widely in use today for
48
delivering in-work training is some form of asynchronous

training. Computer-based courses were originally seen,
particularly by the large multi-nationals, as providing the key to
cheap and speedy learning solutions. Now, however, the
weaknesses of providing in-work training solely through this
single approach are becoming universally apparent. Motivating
their workforce to learn purely via some form of asynchronous
training, has proved to be the biggest headache. Quite apart from
the quality of the learning achieved, managers found themselves
having to devote more and more of their time and energies to
chasing up reluctant learners, and checking whether progress
was being made. While the initial response was inevitably to
blame the learners themselves, more enlightened training
personnel and line managers realised that there was something
wrong with the basic learning model itself.
This is where Blended Training comes into its own by applying

older, traditional learning principles to this newly technologised
scenario. This means the application of a judicious mix of
asynchronous and synchronous teaching methods, reasserting
the virtues of conventional and virtual classroom teaching,
while showing how the greatest advantage can be derived from
e-learning technologies. From a Blended Training viewpoint, we
could say that there should, in fact, be no such thing as
completely asynchronous training; at all times the learner should
have access to, and support and feedback from, an online
instructor or mentor.
A breakdown of the various synchronous and asynchronous
methods available is given in Tool 4A.
Helping your learners to learn

Learning is for life. This was never truer than today, when
e-learning technologies evolve and proliferate with such
bewildering rapidity. Its not good enough to stand stunned
before this dizzying rate of change and say Oh, its no use to me
learning that now. Ill never get my head round that. I know
what Im good at, and Ill stick to it!. On the other hand, if youve
ever found yourself thinking a little along those lines, then youll
understand what many of your learners may soon be having to
cope with. To encourage and cajole them into a positive attitude
towards learning, you need to assure them that following a welldesigned, step-by-step learning programme can be both easy and
49
enjoyable. They will need to see the positive benefits that will
accrue to them at the end of it; and to be aware that they are not
alone, but will receive the encouragement and support
throughout, not just of the trainers and other instructional
personnel, but also of their fellow learners.
First of all, your learner objectives should be clear, single-focused
and unambiguous. They should specify:
how the task is to be performed what mix of self-paced or

instructor-led training to adopt, web-based courses, on-line
seminars and so on
the conditions under which it is to be carried out the real
working environment and not some idealised scenario
the standard of performance to be achieved again
realistically taking into account the skills of the learner and
the content to be delivered
how this standard is to be measured and assessed for
example, through quizzes, questionnaires, self-written learner
reports, or online knowledge tests.
Put yourself into the learners shoes. Look at Tool 4B and decide
what would best motivate you into learning in this situation,
and whether you yourself would find the process interesting and
enjoyable. What are you best at? What topics and under what
conditions do you find it easiest to learn? This self-analysis can
lead to interesting discoveries; for example, it could be a person,
an inspiring instructor who played a large part in your acquiring
the skills you consider yourself most proficient in. Or was the
material organised in such a way that you found it simple and
obvious to master? Something gave you confidence in yourself;
and you saw at the end of the learning process a goal that would
make all your efforts worthwhile. Try to identify exactly what it
was that gave you a positive attitude towards acquiring this
knowledge and these skills.
Then turn the process on its head. Examine the things you
consider yourself worst at (for the purposes of this test, your
examples do not need to be work-orientated; perhaps you are
hopeless at gardening, or soccer, or programming a video
recorder). What factors do you think may have got in the way of
your learning and proficiency in these areas? If you absolutely
had to perform such a task, what would best motivate you into
learning, and under what conditions would you find it easiest to
410
progress? Looked at in this searching manner, you may discover

many of your objections and resistance points melting away.
Now go on to apply what youve learned about yourself to each
individual learners situation. You have already determined
what personal resistances and performance gaps you will have to
deal with, so use your personal learning journey to lay out a
map for your learners to follow.
Identify your decision points
Determining the precise degree of blending what training

techniques to adopt, and in what proportions, to best achieve
your learner objectives is obviously going to involve you in a
great deal of decision making. How much of a particular learner
objective requires nothing more than simple recall of basic facts?
Then, to what degree is your learner required to analyse,
synthesise or physically practise the learning task before them?
Blending, like a cooking recipe or a chemical formula, is going to
involve precise measurements at every stage of the process.
Unfortunately, unlike a cooking recipe or chemical formula, the
mix has not already been determined by some celebrated expert,
and is not already lying on the shelf waiting to be lifted down
and followed slavishly step by step! Every organisational goal,
every company culture, every workforce, in fact every separate
task, is going to possess its own individual properties which must
be thoroughly analysed and assimilated before this chemical mix
should be attempted. There is sadly no universal, allencompassing method for ensuring a successful Blended
Training mix. There is however a methodology, and precise
guidelines.
Tool 4C will assist you in identifying and applying your decision
points. For example, probably your most important decision of
all relates to your learners, and their learner objectives. This is
likely to be the key to determining all your other decision points;
the actual content of your learning event, the time and budget
constraints, the number of learners, their technological
proficiency, their proximity to each other, all are considerations
which will have to be organised around this basic directive.
Decision points should be clearly set out and agreed between all
participants, or they may become bottleneck points; head-tohead confrontations in which conflicting demands and
411
schedules compete for attention. Be sure to identify your

decision points early in the planning process if you want to
avoid these headaches.
Make a first stab at costs

Money talks. If you have not early on made a thorough and
realistic analysis of the budget requirements of your training
programme, your prospects for achieving complete management
buy-in are slim. You should demonstrate, of course, that you have
taken their resource and budget restrictions fully into account;
but also you may need to make a case for additional input in
certain areas. Making an accurate cost-assessment is perhaps the
most intimidating part of your whole project design, and you
need to meet it head-on! Obtaining successful budget outlines
from other similar Blended Training programmes is an excellent
way to start. Other trainers may be pleased and willing to offer
their expertise. But there will, inevitably, be areas of expenditure
that are unique to your own project, and here it is important that
you keep a clear head and do your research thoroughly. Build on
earlier experience as far as you can, keep details as accurately as
possible, using Tool 4D and never resort to guesswork!
Are your plans feasible?
412
At this point it is advisable to pause, and draw breath for a

moment. We have examined the delivery mechanisms, taken
into account the needs of the learners, and come to an
acceptable agreement in terms of time and cost resources to be
allocated to each stage of the project. So where do we stand?
Along the way, compromises and accommodations have had to
be made. It is time to measure just how close we are to delivering
the ideal Blended Training mix for this client. Tool 4E (which
weve called a Reality check) is a means of evaluating the total
situation, and deciding in what measure to apply the available
synchronous and asynchronous methods of delivery. There may
still remain work to be done in terms of effecting management
(or learner) buy-in; some parts of the programme may cry out
for more synchronous scheduling, but its clear that budget or
resource constraints will not allow it. It is time to look
realistically at the situation, putting aside your natural optimism.
Optimism alone doesnt beat the odds. In any case, you may be
further along the path to success than you think. Just dont
assume you are there until youve made an adequate check.

Use Tool 4A when you are considering which blend best applies
to your individual learners, who will vary in terms of computer
competence and IT resistance. Successful application of this tool
is the first stage in ensuring coordinated progress among your
learning group.
Tool 4B assists you in assessing the needs of your learners, and
deciding what type of instruction would best encourage them to
learn. Used in conjunction with Tool 4A, it gives you the basics
you need to begin planning your learning events; but there are
other factors which you still have to take into account.
When collaborating with other training personnel and

managers, where you need to achieve mutual understanding
and agreement between all parties about the time and personnel
resources that will have to be allocated to your project, use Tool
4C. You could run into constrictions at this point that will
modify the kind of Blended Training mix you decide to adopt,
and the earlier you are aware of what these might be, the
greater the range of solutions available to you.
Use Tool 4D when preparing a realistic budget for your learning
programme, and again, to find out if you need to modify your
aims to meet the needs of a fixed budget.
You should use Tool 4E when you are analysing and assessing all
the points above, to get a clear idea of exactly where you stand
before embarking on your training programme. The training
mechanisms, the needs of your learners, time and personnel
restrictions, and budget constraints, will all affect the shaping of
your learning events.
413
414
4A
Evaluating different delivery mechanisms
Choosing the right delivery mechanism for the training is vital to

Blended Training.
By focusing on the learning needs of the individuals in the project
you can combine techniques in such a way that, even though their
learning styles may be very different, the group as a whole will start
and finish at the same time, with the same set of new skills acquired.
Supplying text-based materials along with a CD-ROM, for example,

will allow each learner to find the right mix for themselves. Those
who are inclined to be IT resistant will favour the text, but may well
be willing to load the CD-ROM, just to have a look.
Mechanism
Suitable for
Positive features
Training room
(Synchronous)
Small, under-motivated Face to face

groups
More time available
Complex issues which
Group interaction
benefit from real-world
practice
Geographical limitations
Time constraints
Virtual training
room
(Synchronous)
Geographically
dispersed learners with
Internet access and
experience
Less complex issues
Moderate to good
learner motivation
Reliant on available IT
(sound cards, headsets,
high speed modem links,
etc.) and technical
support
Needs more learner
motivation than a
real-time training room
Distance learning
Easy to update
information
Possible limitations
Coaching/mentoring Solving individual

(Synchronous or
learning problems
asynchronous)
Follow up and
reinforcement
Under-motivated
learners
Delivery face to face, Can put heavy demands

e-mail or telephone on trainers time
Focused on
individual
Computer-based
training (CBT) and
Web-based training
(WBT)
(Asynchronous)
Distance learning
Self-directed and
self-paced learning
Easy to update
information
Highly motivated
learners who are
geographically dispersed
Training in concepts,
policies and information
that needs memorising
High running and

maintenance costs in
money and time
Reliant on available IT
(sound cards, headsets,
high speed modem links,
etc.) and technical
support
Variable programme
quality
Continued
415
Evaluating different delivery mechanisms
4A
continued
Mechanism
Suitable for
Positive features
Text (books,
manuals, handouts,
etc.)
(Asynchronous)
IT-phobics, IT novices
Portable
and learners without
Relatively
access to appropriate IT inexpensive
Use as follow up and
just-in-time reminders
Possible size and weight

limitations
Awkward to keep up
to date
CD-ROM
(Asynchronous)
Medium to highly
Portable
motivated learners
Relatively
without Internet access inexpensive
Topics where practice
is helpful
Revision and re-training
Awkward to keep up
to date
Very dependent on
learner motivation
Requires access to
computer
Video
(Synchronous and
asynchronous)
All motivation levels

Individuals and groups
Topics where
demonstration is useful
Availability of video
player or PC
Awkward to keep up
to date
Delivery in
classroom or over
the Internet
Good for introducing
and reinforcing
learning
Possible limitations
416
4B
How do you learn?
Discovering how you have acquired knowledge or skills in the past

or how you have failed to acquire them will provide you with a
valuable insight into how your learners can best be helped to acquire
the necessary knowledge and skills themselves. Use your personal
learning journey in developing a programme to guide others.
Instructions
Responses
Select one activity you consider

yourself highly proficient in.
Jot down the decisive factors that led
you to becoming good at this.
Select a personal characteristic you
consider to be among your most
positive ones; some acquired skill that
always makes you feel good about
yourself.
Prove your case. Make a list
demonstrating the evidence for this
positive characteristic.
Now select a negative characteristic;
some task you should have learned,
but you find difficult or impossible,
and that makes you feel negative
about yourself.
Again, list the evidence. Why?
What went wrong?
Select another positive characteristic;
this time something you are good at,
but had to be somehow forced to
learn. A skill you put up resistance
to acquiring.
List the factors that led you to
succeed in spite of yourself.
417
4C
Decision points
At key points during the design of a Blended Training project,

important decisions will have to be made. These can be bottleneck
points because they invariably involve other people also making
decisions. Identifying the decision points early in your design process
will enable you to pre-empt these bottlenecks and keep them from
becoming a problem.
Decision point
Who is
involved?
Action required
OK
Example:
Arrange date and
Learners Circulate date options and
venue for introductory and their manager permission forms
classroom session
managers and ask for swift response
418
Deferred
until
30
June
Cost assessment
4D
Early on in your design of a Blended Training project the thorny issue

of costs will need to be addressed. The company will want to know
these, to help make cost-benefit decisions. Evidence that you have
researched costs and made realistic estimates will go a long way to
gaining the support you need.
Traditional delivery mechanisms are not difficult to cost as there will

be historical data to go on. If you are introducing new mechanisms,
for example an intranet library of worksheets, you will need input
from other people. Contacting other companies who have already
done this is an excellent place to start and you will usually find that
their trainers are willing to talk through their experiences and the
costing process with you.
Tool
Description
Example:
Intranet 25 four-page
library
worksheets that
can be downloaded
and printed
Research
Estimated cost
Group trainer at XYZ

Company
In-house IT Director
Company Secretary
re copyright issues
1000 to link
up 10 isolated
computers to
the company
network
419
4E
Reality check
An accurate assessment of the motivation and organisation of your

client company, and the needs and abilities of your prospective learners,
is a necessity if your Blended Training programme is to be delivered
effectively. This tool will enable you to assess the feasibility of your
programme, be realistic about the methods of learning delivery you
choose, and identify where extra resources and input may be required.
Measure the answers on a scale of 04, with 0 indicating Not at all,
and 4 indicating To an extremely high degree.
Questions
How far have the learners bought in to the learning programme
so that they appreciate and support the purpose of it?
How much contact have the learners had with each other in
their business environment? In other words, will a group ethic
be easy to engender?
To what degree are your learners willing and enthusiastic about
collaboration, sharing skills, tips and possible concerns with
each other?
How much prior experience do the learners have of computers
and e-technology?
Can the learners be divided into smaller groups sharing a
single learner objective?
How far have the managers bought in to the learning
programme? To what degree are they willing to be actively
involved and supportive?
How much computer-based technology is already in place?
How ready are the managers to be flexible about their
employees working schedules, for example in readily
making session space available for your learners?
To what degree is some sort of LMS (Learning Management
System) already in place, for tracking and monitoring of
employee progress?
Is there a system in place to applaud good work and hold
learners accountable if they do not deliver?
Score
Total
Continued
420
Reality check
4D
continued
You should now be able to see in what areas your client organisation
is ready for Blended Training, and what areas you are going to have
to concentrate on in the design of your instructional model. Your
overall scores will give a general indication of what remains to be
achieved.
Score
Implication
010
Your programme should contain a high level of self-paced study,

to bring your learners up to speed. This should ideally be
accompanied by regular face-to-face training, though the
managers will probably have to be convinced of the
cost-effectiveness of this. The learners need to acquire a great
deal in terms of basic knowledge and skills. In addition, you
will have to see they get a lot of motivational input; rewards,
performance contracts and so on. Developing a group ethic
should be a priority when considering training in more complex
tasks. Management will have to be persuaded of the value of
providing more resources, and assigning budgets for them.
1120
Many of the above points will still apply, but to a considerably

lesser degree. Asynchronous content still high, but a more
balanced mix should be feasible. Virtual classrooms and
self-paced e-learning should complement each other well in the
right mix.
2130
High potential for group study. A lesser amount of computerbased learning will be necessary; and what there is should be
easily and quickly accomplished by the learners. Good group
motivation and in-place resources should mean that you can to
some extent cut straight to the chase and get down to complex
learner objectives early in the programme. High synchronous
content.
3140
Some sort of Blended Training system is obviously already in

place. Utilise what is already available, and do not try to
impose a new or alien design model on what seems to be
working well. You are seeking to modify, adapt and enhance,
rather than start from scratch.
continued
421
4D
Reality check
continued
As a result of the implications on the previous page, in what areas do

you need to make adjustments to the way in which you were
proposing to implement your project?
Area in which
adjustment is
needed
Reason for
adjustment
What
adjustments
will you make?
By when?
422
5 THE E-ELEMENT IN
BLENDED TRAINING
DESIGN
Description
Tool 5A Your e-options: advantages and limitations of different

types of e-learning in various situations
Tool 5B Synchronous versus asynchronous: choose the most
appropriate mechanisms for each situation
Tool 5C Backup planning sheet: non-e versions of e-elements
in case you need a plan B
Tool 5D Computer-based training checklist: how to assess the
merits and drawbacks of different CBT packages
Tool 5E Is the e-element reliable?: a checklist for your learners
and yourself, and an action plan to ensure reliability
Tool 5F Can I use it online?: which categories of existing
materials are suitable for online use?
Purpose
These tools will help you find a path through the many different
options that e-learning can provide. They will help you to make
qualitative and quantitative judgements that aim to maximise the
effectiveness of your training blend. The tools will assist you in
planning your programme of study to include non-e techniques
should things go wrong with the technology or if you need to
re-assess existing material, to see whether it can be adapted for
online use.
51

Use the tools as part of the planning and design stage of your
coursework and assessment. Keep them in sight as you make
final decisions about the blend of training methods to be used;
they will provide you with a handy reference point. Tools 5A and
5B will help you to decide the most appropriate delivery
mechanisms for the various parts of your course, while Tool 5C
provides a back-up approach in case anything goes wrong.
If you buy off the shelf CBT (computer-based training)
packages, you will find Tool 5D useful in assessing the likely
effectiveness of the products. Tool 5F gives guidance in assessing
what sort of materials you can adapt from face-to-face to
e-learning delivery. The tools can also be used if you decide to
develop your own bespoke computer-based training
programmes.
52
Background
As we saw in Unit 2 Selling the benefits of Blended Training, there is
always some resistance to change especially in the training world
where there is a strong if it aint broke, dont fix it element. Bear in
mind that the e-element of Blended Training is far from being the
poor relation. We have seen that there are powerful arguments for
embracing new technologies in the learning environment. Yet one
key objection (perhaps from you) may be that the material you
developed in your traditional classroom environment will not be
suitable for the e-learning world. Thats to say that courses
conceived for live, face-to-face interaction may not be suitable for
the world of the virtual classroom. The key reason is that such
courses are synchronous, whereas for e-training, some of the
content you deliver is bound to be asynchronous. You may be
delivering a learning event in different parts of the country, or
around the world, at different times. This means that you may have
to face an unpalatable truth: your existing materials may have to be
re-designed. Check them against the details in Tool 5F.
Choosing your e-options

Look critically at your existing materials (especially if developed
for synchronous in person delivery) and decide what elements
can and should:
Continue to be delivered in the traditional way (classroom,

face-to-face).
Be adapted to synchronous but distance learning (over a

video link, videoconference or chat room for instance).
Be re-engineered for an asynchronous environment where

you are available to provide feedback, coaching, assessment
and support.
You may find it easier completely to re-write your training
materials in relation to the new opportunities opened up by
technology. This judgement will depend on a range of factors:
An assessment of the budget available to you and your client

can you afford the e-learning route? can your clients
afford to buy it from you?
53
Access to PCs, the Internet and other technologies.

The location and learning standards (and levels) of your
trainees.
The nature of the material fast changing or static over time?

Your own competence in operating a technology-based
learning environment.
Your learners competence in the same environment.

The tools will give you clear guidance on choosing synchronous
versus asynchronous and different e-learning packages. One of
your key deciders may be the need for self-paced and self-directed
study. You can imagine that this would be a key criterion if the
learners were all at different levels, lived far from each other (and
thus couldnt easily get to a face-to-face training session) and
required a high proportion of knowledge-based input. One of the
great advantages of e-learning is that it combines the
advantages of the classroom (simulated via multi-media systems
such as video streaming) with the self-paced approach of
traditional distance learning.
Imagine a programme where the basic knowledge set is delivered
via a downloadable PowerPoint-style presentation. Your
learners have access to PCs and are scattered over the globe.
Learners can work through the presentation at their own pace
and ask questions via an e-mail program. They can even access
the material in a language of their choice. You can break up
your learners into smaller groups, linked electronically within
their own online discussion network, and set each a targeted
task, which can be completed on a website or e-mailed back to
you. You can also check how each student is doing by looking
at their PC screens. Learners can supplement the text-based
information they receive with video or audio samples they
can see you demonstrate your learning points via video clip or
even live videoconference broadcast (given at a pre-agreed time
such as 20.00 GMT for instance). Learners can participate in a
newsgroup of synchronous chatroom discussion and thus create
an e-community of learning.
If all this sounds exciting and opens doors to a vast array of new
possibilities for you that is good! It is meant to. But though
54
e-learning opens many new doors, you should proceed with a

little forethought and a healthy dose of caution. E-learning is
not a panacea for the nations training needs but it does offer
considerable benefits (and therefore investment of your own
time and resources) in the circumstances given below:
Situations where e-learning methods are particularly
recommended:
Where your learner numbers are relatively small say 25

maximum at any one time. Many virtual classroom packages
will offer connections to 500 or more students, but
diminishing returns to instructor input become dramatic
(of course this is less important where the programme needs
only to offer knowledge or fact-based information that isnt
likely to change over the medium term). If numbers are large,
you should consider an asynchronous lecture or seminar
delivered online. There is no limit to how many people can
download your paper, set of assignments and tasks, diagrams
and models.
Where synchronous sessions can be kept down to less than

2 hours or so. Anything longer and you will need to build in
lots of breaks remember that staring at a PC screen can be
very tiring and there are laws to limit the amount of time
people should spend at the computer.
Where the learners must be kept up to date at regular

intervals examples include retail sales staff who need to be
informed about product specifications. The Internet is
particularly powerful in distributing up-to-date materials.
Where there are large numbers who need to assimilate lots

of information quickly. They can do this with a CD-ROM
(containing perhaps video, audio and photographic clips).
Or they could download a lengthy document in Adobe
Acrobat (a PDF or portable document file), which is readily
and freely available on the Internet.
Where learners can play a simulation program (simulating

a piece of computer software, a mechanical process, an
engineering design, a 3-D model or a computerised animation,
for instance). These simulations are popular with employers
who want their staff to learn a process in a very safe
55
environment. They can try out different options, facilities,

buttons and levers. These simulations can be stored on
CD-ROM or DVD-ROM, or downloaded over the Internet. They
can even be transmitted (as a TV broadcast) so that learners
can see an expert demonstrating the process in question.
There is an important cost implication in this choice of
delivery and you might not want to deal with material that
requires constant updating.
Where learners need to acquire soft skills video-based

simulations and downloadable multimedia-rich
asynchronous content can be very powerful though some
live support will be necessary.
So the decisions about what delivery mechanism is chosen
(in other words, the most suitable blend) come down to the
required learning outcomes, given the constraints of time and
resources and, to some extent, computer skills. (See also Unit 3
Planning a Blended Training project.) It is also necessary to be sure
that the technology used to deliver the e-learning is both stable
and reliable. Some questions to ask are included in Tool 5E Is the
e-element reliable?. If there are doubts about the scope,
appropriateness and accessibility of the computer equipment,
you should decide whether to abort the e-learning element (or
simplify it so that, for instance, there is only an e-mail element
that most people in most countries can access at some time). You
should also have a Plan B option ready in case the electronic
option breaks down (see Tool 5C Backup planning sheet).
Familiarity breeds contentment

Though multimedia learning has been around a long time now,
there are people (among them many young people) who are still
uncomfortable with using computers. There is a long-held view
that books and paper are best and that the most effective
instruction comes from a trainer standing right there in front of
you. This nervousness about e-learning should always be taken
into account when presenting a blended programme. Even those
who appear to be confident about using PCs may harbour a
deep-down mistrust of the electronic medium when it comes to
learning. So, when introducing your blended training course,
you should consider:
56
Carrying out an audit of your learners experience in using

e-elements in their learning.
Providing the learners with some pre-training in IT skills or

directing them towards a CLAIT or other basic computer
literacy course.
Beginning the course with some familiar content and

learning styles you could, for instance, begin with a
traditional book list, or (where feasible) start with some
traditional face-to-face sessions.
Introducing the e-elements gradually, so that learners get

used to the environment and you can quickly pick up any
reluctance or nervousness.
Building IT support into your programme provided either by

you or a third party support service within the organisation
or externally by the producers of any commercial courseware
you are using.
Off-the-peg computer-based training (CBT)

CBT here means the traditional asynchronous learning packages
usually contained on CD-ROM or downloadable via the Internet.
The programmes can include text, photographs, audio and video
clips.
Though many organisations have spent large sums on CBT
packages, many are seen as a waste of money and sit around on
office shelves hardly ever being used. You have probably heard
lots of horror stories about expensive CBT packages that have
been unpopular with users either because the content was poor
or because learners were reluctant to use them for any length of
time. You may also know of learners who get very bored using
CBT tools; self-motivation is a very big issue in e-learning but it
is one that Blended Training seeks to address. Why do CBT
packages often fail to deliver?
Some trainers assume that the mere use of technology is

enough to stimulate learners (especially young ones). This is a
fallacy. The days of computers being a novelty are long gone
and in any case, such enthusiasm quickly wears off.
57
Too little thought goes into the use of CBT. As a medium it is

seen as a cheaper alternative to live training. Many
personnel managers have been lured into investing in CBT
packages because of apparent cost savings. In fact, as some
have discovered, investing in tools that are hardly ever used is
a very poor business decision.
Those that blindly invest in CBT take too little account of the
social advantages of meeting the trainers or getting feedback
from their peers.
Too little thought goes into the design of the CBT content.
Though things are decidedly improving, the first few years
of CBT were marked by poorly-conceived products, which
simply dumped large amounts of existing textbook or training
pack text onto a disk. Such CBT packages were, and still are,
little more than electronic books, but harder and more tiring
to read.
The upshot of all this is that CBT can be a powerful element in
the blended mix but learners still need considerable support from
the trainer and from their peers. They need just as much (if not
more) motivation to keep working in new and possibly
unfamiliar ways. The challenge for the effective blended trainer
is to adapt existing successful material for a variety of delivery
mechanisms. You need to look at each element in the delivery
mix (CBT, chatrooms, videoconferencing, live delivery) and see
how each can best deliver the material you have.

Tools 5A and 5B are useful primers to help you think about
which e-options to choose in your delivery mix. Keep the tools in
view as you begin to design the course using CBT and other
media. Wherever technology is used and however well designed
it is, things are bound to go wrong at some time or another:
computers can crash, e-mail and Web connections go down,
PCs can develop faults.
Keep Tool 5C handy for those times when you have to fall back
on more traditional forms of training. Think of it as a lifeline
when things go wrong.
58
Tool 5D should be used whenever a new CBT (or web-based)

package is being considered. Use the checklist to assess the
merits of each attribute. If you create a completed checklist for
each CBT package you are considering, you can then compare
the relative merits of each. You may also wish to apply a
weighting to each category rather than using the scoring system
on the tool. As an example, you may wish to place a higher
weight (say 10) on clearly written and a lower weight (say 3)
on easy to navigate. To find a score for each category, simply
multiply the rating by the weight.
Tool 5E should be used to assess the suitability of your computer
systems and their likely users to the e-learning element in
your blended programme.
The information in Tool 5F will help you to decide which

elements in your existing materials will transfer well into an
online environment.
59
510
5A
Your e-options
Computer-based learning has a number of advantages and limitations,

depending on the learning style and abilities of the learner. It allows
learners to work at their own pace; it allows the incorporation of
multi-media video clips, online checklists, audio and text for example;
it can be responsive giving the learner instant feedback.
There is space on this page and the next, for you to add information
from your own experience.
Option
Benefits
Not good for
Online coaching
and mentoring
Mentor is available to a large

number of people who are
geographically scattered
Speedy response possible for
learners in difficulty
Mentor is always available to clear
learning blockages as they arise
Learners who dont have their own

Internet access
Learners who are IT phobic or
inexperienced in communicating
via the Internet or e-mail
Online library
All documents from questionnaires

to workbooks and policy statements
can be made accessible to all
learners all the time
New documents can be added or
updated at any time
Learners without search engine

skills
Companies without strong IT skills
Computer-based
training (also
Web-based or
Technology-based
training)
Can be delivered online as well as

on CD-ROM
Can contain mixed media to enliven
the learning experience
Interactive
Self-paced, giving the learner
flexibility
Skills which require a lot of

practice to hone
Learners who are under-motivated
or lack time-management skills
Small budgets
Continued
511
Your e-options
5A
continued
Option
Benefits
Not good for
Newsgroups and
bulletin boards
Online 24 hours a day

Learners can ask questions and
answer each other
Often give early warning of
problems in the design of the course
Archiveable so learners can
backtrack
Un-moderated groups who can

quickly go off-topic
E-mail
Keeping in contact with learners

Delivering documents and feedback
Learners who need to speak to

someone
Corporate e-mail systems which
firewall out HTML documents
512
5B
Synchronous versus asynchronous
In asynchronous training, learning takes place in differing time

frames, and learners access information at their convenience. Some
examples of asynchronous training include self-paced Computerbased training (CBT), Web-based training (WBT), bulletin boards and
e-mail. Less technical forms include audio/video cassettes and mail
order programs.
On the other hand, synchronous learning takes place for all students
at the same time and information is accessed instantly. This form of
learning can be face-to-face or distance learning but provides more
interactivity. Examples of synchronous learning include Internet
conferencing and classrooms.
Tasks can be achieved in various ways, depending on available
resources and skills. This tool gives you information to help you to
choose the most appropriate mechanisms. Space has been left for you
to add to it from your own experience.
Training task
Synchronous
Asynchronous
Content delivery
Virtual reality
Document sharing
Online whiteboard
Classroom
Web pages
Video streaming
Databases
Document sharing
Learner collaboration
Chat
Teleconferencing
Videoconferencing
Online whiteboard
Classroom
E-mail
E-mail lists
Bulletin boards
Online discussion
groups
Assessment
Classroom exams
Online quizzes
Online exams
Self-assessment
quizzes
Continued
513
Synchronous versus asynchronous
5B
continued
Training task
Synchronous
Asynchronous
Assignment delivery
Live presentation in
classroom or using
videoconferencing
Web pages
Word-processed
documents sent by
e-mail
Course management
Telephone
Fax
E-mail
Mail
514
5C
Backup planning sheet
Non-e versions of e-elements

A robustly designed Blended Training project is unlikely to let you
down, but the more sophisticated the technology, the more vulnerable
you are to disruption. An inert book or ringbinder is unlikely to
combust spontaneously while you are reading it; a video tape might
occasionally snap and become instantly unusable but this is probably
replaceable in a day or even within hours. Intranets and PCs,
however, can and do crash and they can take anything from minutes
to weeks to repair.
So it is very wise to have a Plan B to have thought through how you

would cover for failure of some of the more vulnerable elements of
your Blended Training package.
Space is provided for you to add problems which you have faced and
the alternatives which you found useful.
E-option
Plan B alternative
E-mail
Telephone and fax. Fax is closer to e-mail in

convenience than the phone (the recipient does
not have to be there when you communicate)
but the phone elicits a speedier response. So it
is important that you collect the learners
direct line telephone and fax numbers when
they register.
Online documents On-demand fax. This system allows learners to

dial a specific fax number that is unique to the
document they require. Probably impractical
for all the documents all the time, but you can
easily change what is delivered against which
number.
Ensure that the on-demand fax number is
listed beside each item on the document-listing
that your learners have.
Continued
515
5C
continued
E-option
Plan B alternative
Computer-based
training
There are a number of ways this can crash.

A faulty CD-ROM can be quickly replaced but
if the program wont run on the learners systems
without causing problems, that is more serious.
Decide now, at the planning stage, how you
would be able to juggle the timetable to allow
time for a CBT element to be repaired.
Most importantly, test the CBT on a variety of
systems to forestall this sort of problem.
Newsgroups and
bulletin boards
Failure of these would almost certainly be

part of a wider systems failure. Use telephone
and fax to keep in touch with the individual
learners and compile a daily fax newsletter
which goes out to all of them each evening.
If the situation becomes acute, arrange for
regular telephone conference calls between
those learners needing the communication.
Archive
Ensure that all information sent electronically

is backed up daily so that you can rebuild each
learners records quickly and easily.
continued
516
5C
continued
E-option
Plan B alternative
517
5D
Computer-based training checklist
Rate each of the following elements in a CBT package you are

considering.
(1 = low score, 5 = highest score)
The course content
Score
is clearly described and summarised

is clearly written
uses text, graphics, audio and video in a way that
enhances learning
is accurate and up to date
is comprehensive
uses real-world examples and problems
sets interesting and challenging tasks for the learner
is written in a language appropriate to your users
fits the learning objectives you have set
divides well into learnable chunks
provides measurable outcomes
can be tailored to the needs of the learners
encourages learners to be creative and dynamic
Subtotal
Delivery of the learning outcomes
/65
Score
the format is user friendly

the material carefully allows the user to progress through
different levels
the format is appropriate to the skill levels of your learners
the programme is clear and easy to navigate
documents and illustrations are easy to print and copy
Continued
518
5D
continued
Score
the method of instruction fits the needs of your learners

learners are encouraged to practise newfound skills
learners are encouraged to draw on existing skills,

knowledge and experience
instruction concentrates on showing rather than telling
learners are shown how to detect errors and correct them
the courseware allows for different rates of progress
the content embraces differing learning styles
the material helps to motivate and enthuse learners
there are sufficient glossaries and online help facilities
there is sufficient opportunity for feedback
there is a good further reading list and guidelines are
given on how to continue the learning process
Subtotal
Using the CBT package
/80
Score
the product is good value for money

the package is always ready to use when you need it
the appropriate number of users are able to access
the courseware
the program monitors and tracks the progress of
learners and can printout a record of their work
the program gives guidance to learners who may have
difficulty with the work
the program has sufficient security/password
protection
Subtotal
/30
continued
519
5D
continued
Design of the course
Score
the authors are established trainers in your field

the course was piloted before release
there are positive and reliable reviews of the courseware
content complies with your clients corporate in-house
rules (on grounds of discrimination, language used,
cultural norms and so on)
the course content can be reconfigured
Subtotal
Support
/25
Score
there is good online support

there is good telephone support
support is available as and when you need it
the courseware has suitable and comprehensible
documentation
content can be easily and affordably updated
Subtotal
Technical
/25
Score
the platform needed to run the courseware

(Windows 2000, OSX and so on) matches the learners
existing systems
both you and the learners have enough storage and
memory capacity on your computers to run the
courseware
any plug-ins or hardware peripherals such as
microphones are available to the learner
Subtotal
/15
continued
520
5D
continued
Scores
Score
The course content
/65
/80
Using the CBT package
/30
Design of the course
/25
Support
/25
Technical
/15
Total
/240
521
Is the e-element reliable?
5E
Put a tick or a cross in the right-hand column for each question. A

cross tells you that further action or investigation is needed on that
particular point. Fill in the action plan at the end.

Your learners
Do all your learners have access to computers?
Do you know the specification of the computers they
can access?
Do you know how often (or seldom) they can gain access
to a computer?
Are your learners computer literate to the extent of being
able to open e-mail programs and browse the Internet?
Do all your potential learners have access to the Internet?
Do they have access to broadband connections?
Can their computers receive and open e-mails?
Can their computers open CD-ROM files?
Can their computers download files quickly?
Can they download audio and video clips?
Can your students call a help line or get other forms of
help if the software fails to operate?

You
Are you able to pilot the technology try it out before
going live?
Are you fully computer literate in terms of the software
packages you have chosen?
Do you need to have further training in running the
hardware or software?
Will you be able to reassure learners if the technology
goes wrong?
Continued
522
Is the e-element reliable?
5E
continued

You
Will you know what to do if the hardware and/or
software goes wrong?
Can your Internet connections be relied upon?

Do you have access to backup equipment to run your
software?
Do you have an alternative, non-e element strategy in
place? (see also Tool 5C Backup planning sheet)
Action Plan
Further information needed
Action to be taken
By when?
523
5F
Can I use it online?
Once you are considering using existing materials online, you will
have to decide whether to re-write, re-design or retain them. The
table below looks at what you might be using those materials for, and
how well that function works in an online environment.
Showing
Diagrams and graphics online are excellent and video clips of what
might have been shown in a face-to-face environment are even
better, particularly if supplemented with printed handouts or
manuals.
Getting learners to discuss things in small groups

This is very useful, but can be harder to extend to online learning
environments. Group tasks can be set in synchronous
environments, such as, Ask the people around you, and decide
whether ...; in which case the people may either be physically near
you or online. You can then set up virtual groups in asynchronous
environments by creating specific conference areas or forums for
each group to post messages to each other. It is important that
these tasks lead to a decision, to which feedback can be designed
and presented online once the group has entered its decision.
Putting things into perspective

Tone of voice and facial expression remain important in helping
learners to make sense of things. This can be done online up to a
point, through words, images, and (ideally) moving images with
sound. Alternatively, a face-to-face group briefing can be followed
by online learning activities.
Continued
524
5F
continued
Setting tasks or exercises

Questions and exercises can be set online, and/or in printed
handouts or manuals for use alongside the computer. It is
important that learners have somewhere to enter their own
attempts at tasks and exercises, for example, by clicking options
for online multiple-choice questions, or by writing their answers to
longer questions onto the handouts or manuals.
Telling stories, anecdotes, jokes

Cartoons, graphics, audio and video clips can bring to online
learning some of the personal touches that trainers bring to live
sessions, replicating many of the things which trainers do to
enliven their face-to-face sessions.
Giving learners feedback on their work

This is ideal for closed questions, such as multiple-choice, filling in
missing words, clicking boxes and so on, where online responses
can be immediate. For other, more complex tasks, learners answers
can be e-mailed to trainers, who can then reply giving individual
feedback to each learner. Here, however, there is necessarily some
delay, and a learner who gets stuck may have to wait too long for
the responses to be useful.
Asking learners questions

Questioning can be done online, but it is more useful to provide
closed questions (such as multiple-choice, put these in the best
order, fill in the missing words or click the box that contains the
best answer). In this way you can design feedback for learners to
receive immediately after theyve answered each question.
continued
525
5F
continued
Answering learners questions

This is harder to extend to asynchronous online learning
environments. However, a good way is to provide online click-able
frequently asked questions (FAQs). Learners can then click those
questions they need to know answers to, and get immediate
feedback from the computer. This also means that they dont have
to bother with questions to which they already know the answers.
Explaining
Do not try to explain too much at a time online. It is better to put
explanations in handouts or printed support materials, which can
be used alongside online instructions and questions. Alternatively,
audio commentaries bring the advantages of tone of voice, and live
broadcast or video clips bring the further advantages of body
language and facial expression.
Comparing and contrasting things

This can be harder to achieve online for technical reasons and time
limitations. It may be easier to implement with printed handouts,
or to get learners themselves comparing and contrasting, by posing
them online exercises and tasks.
Giving out a lot of information

It is often better to use printed materials handouts, manuals, and
so on, than to put too much information online. It is important that
learners are asked to do something with information shortly after
receiving it, otherwise it is quickly forgotten.
526
6 BLENDING YOUR
TRAINING
Description
Tool 6A Readiness checklist: to help you anticipate issues
which might slow or block your progress
Tool 6B Learners road map: to guide your learners through

the course and show them where they have a choice of routes
Tool 6C Branding your programme: how to give identity and
add credibility to your programme and make every part of it
clearly identifiable
Tool 6D Consistency checklist: to ensure the consistency of
every part of your programme
Tool 6E Smooth blend checklist: to ensure that all parts of your
programme are compatible and consistent
Tool 6F Multi-delivery options: a range of options for the
delivery of different types of training.
Purpose
The purpose of Tool 6A is to ensure that all is in readiness before
you begin to embark on your training programme. Have you
thought through all the key issues, and noted any problems that
may arise? A little forethought now can save a lot of headaches
further along the line. Tool 6B is primarily for your learners, to
give them a thorough overview of the learning journey ahead of
them. From your planning, you obviously know exactly what is
going to be put before them, but remember to see the
programme from your learners point of view. It will give them
considerably greater confidence in the programme (and in
themselves) if they know where they are going, and how they are
going to get there. Tools 6C, 6D and 6E are for you to use to
61
ensure identity and consistency in the delivery of content

throughout the project. Tool 6F takes you through a range of
multi-delivery options so that your design will help learners to
choose the path which suits each of them best. A well-branded
project exudes confidence in itself; and this confidence is
something your learners (and their managers) need to feel. And
for yourself, these tools will help to tighten the definition of your
objectives, and preserve focus.

Use Tool 6A when you are thinking through the key issues of
your training programme, and identifying possible problem
areas.
Tool 6B is a map of the learning journey your learners are about
to make, so make sure they have it early on, in your first
synchronous event, say; or if possible, during the introductory
session (if you are present).
Use Tool 6C when preparing all course material, websites, videos,
workbooks, questionnaires, feedback forms, handouts, and so on.
Tools 6D and 6E are for use when you are checking if all the
various elements in your course content are in place, that they
are compatible with each other, and that the material has overall
consistency.
Use the information in Tool 6F to help you to decide on how to
achieve the multiple delivery of items, to provide your learners
with choices in how they will learn.
62
Background
Is your client organisation ready for Blended

Training?
We have already emphasised the importance of making sure
that everyone managers, line managers, learners (and even
you, the trainer) has fully bought in to the concept of Blended
Training. Now we should ensure that all the participants are
completely clear about each and every component of your
instructional design model. We should establish that:
All terms of reference are mutually agreed.
There is clarity and agreement on what resources can and

will be made available.
There is complete consensus on the budget implications of the

programme.
The timeframe for delivery of the project is completely

understood and agreed; and where necessary, time will be
made available during the working week for the learning
sessions.
Barriers to implementation have been identified and

overcome.
Remember, a well-designed training programme builds level by
level, constantly shortening in focus, until it reaches the peak
your learning outcomes. There are many routes up a mountain.
The route you choose will not necessarily be the shortest or the
quickest, but rather the one that is best suited to the needs and
abilities of your learners (while always taking into account the
culture and resources of your client organisation). It is obvious
that if your learning outcomes are to be delivered on schedule,
you should ensure that everyone is climbing in step and facing in
the same direction! Consistency is the keyword for this unit;
consistency of focus, consistency of progress and consistency
in combining the ingredients of your blended mix.
63
Create a road map

As designer of the project, you are the only one with a complete
overview of the learning programme. Share this overview by
supplying all participants with a detailed map that shows them
how the training programme will proceed, complete with dates,
deadlines, and where appropriate (for synchronous events),
times. Demonstrate the points at which flexibility is provided in
your timeframe to ensure coordinated progress; for instance,
some learners may be slower-paced than others, or have more
significant gaps in their basic knowledge, and will therefore need
to be allocated extra time and/or resources in order to be
brought up to speed on their topics. Also, realistically, the
timeframe should take into account the space required for the
learners to carry on their daily working routine, not forgetting
time off for holidays, or scheduled company events! Tool 6B
provides an example of a road map.
Logical delivery and progression

Delivery
In any mountainous ascent, there will be obstacles to be
overcome. These will usually be associated with the various
learning or performance gaps your learners will bring with them
to the training sessions. To ensure smooth progress, consider
using alternative, or even multiple delivery methods for the same
learner objectives as shown in Tool 6F. It may seem unnecessary,
or even overkill, to plan to deliver the same objectives twice over
or even more; but approaching the learner objectives from a
variety of angles not only reinforces the basic assimilation of the
learning material, but ensures a deeper and more complete
understanding of the information conveyed and perhaps most
importantly, gives slower-paced learners a better chance to grasp
the essentials of their learning tasks. Remember, Blended
Training means taking the individual needs of your learners into
consideration, and a multiple-delivery approach will:
smooth over obstacles (knowledge or performance gaps)

eliminate barriers to learning (for example, resistance to
e-learning)
maximise co-ordinated progress (aid slower-paced learners).
64
Progression
Learners must grasp the logic of your learning events, and how
these events fit in to the overall programme. In particular,
carefully consider the order in which your learning events (with
their associated learner objectives) are placed. If a transition
point does not logically reach forward to the next level of
learning in other words, if your learner objective does not
include in it some indication of how the event is to be followed
up and built upon you risk having your learners lose focus; or
leaving them feeling somehow that a task has been achieved
which in itself is of little value. You know that the basic
components are arranged in a sensible and consistent order from
first to last; make sure this is clear to your learners. If you are
bringing slower-paced learners up to speed by using multiple
delivery options to deliver a single learner objective for example,
by setting extra tasks for asynchronous learning before they
embark on more complex tasks in a group environment you
can avoid a feeling of unnecessary repetition by ensuring that
each different delivery mechanism points forward to a different
aspect of your next learning event.
Consistency and familiarity of formats

If your learners are to feel comfortable with their objectives, and
appreciate that each learning event does indeed represent steady
progress forward, they should be able easily and swiftly to grasp
the logic of your design programme. Unity and coherence are
the watchwords here. Try to use the same recognisable format
for all your learner events. (Minor variations of course will have
to be accommodated where necessary, but then in each case be
clear about the reasons why you have departed from your usual
format.)
For example, a synchronous learner event format might first
involve a handout, or a virtual equivalent, which starts off by
outlining your objectives for the session or series of sessions. It
will then go on to illustrate precisely how each learning event
leads to the next. Where possible use the same examples (or
variations of them) throughout all your learning events. If you
are using scenarios to contrast desired outcomes with undesired
outcomes (Jack always gets it wrong but Amy does it perfectly)
employ this device consistently, through every equivalent stage
in your series of learning events. Wherever possible, re-use the
same physical settings, and the same characters. Your learners
65
will never tire of Jack and Amy, as long as you are always
ringing the changes in terms of the new situations they
encounter. (Your learners will probably invent their own
situations too, but that is none of your concern.) The
consistency of their relationship poor Jack who can never quite
manage it, and exasperated Amy who always has to show him
how will become a running gag. This is something a clever
trainer can use to their advantage; learners may enjoy making
fun of the course format, but nevertheless, they will look
forward to the next situation. Be careful, though, that there are
no Jacks or Amys in your learner group or among their
managers!
When designing Web pages too, consistency of format makes
things a great deal easier for your learner. Coming to a new
page, they will know exactly where to look on the screen to find
a particular category of information. Ease of use and enjoyment
are two of the benefits of an integrated and consistent format,
and these two qualities are great learning enhancers.
When learners are familiar with the style of your learning
events, they come to expect it; and this familiarity breeds
contentment and confidence. Consistency of style and layout
encourages the impression that your learner is on top of the
project. Youll find, as sessions go by, that learners progress is
speeded up (if nothing else, theyll have to spend less time
working out your format before proceeding to the content).
When it comes to demonstrating applied skills, the advantage of
using and re-using the same basic scenarios is that it
encourages a learner identification with the working situations
they are being prepared for. Learners can imaginatively project
themselves into the working environment, visualise themselves
performing the tasks that will be required of them, and thereby
acquire greater confidence in their abilities successfully to realise
the potential that is expected of them.
Dont blend for the sake of it

The corollary of all this is equally important to state: avoid
including in later formats any material that may jar
unconvincingly with your earlier learning events. Avoid, for
example, bolt-on solutions to a training design problem, that
may seem to make perfect sense in themselves but are
inconsistent with the style of your earlier formats. An example
of this would be simply imposing an e-learning module on top
66
of some shared training event. If the logic of your programme

does not dictate it, then it is not necessary. Your learners will
certainly find any inconsistency confusing, and among other
dangers, you risk:
Ignoring the level of basic preparatory groundwork theyve

achieved, so that your event jumps ahead of their
knowledge.
Irritating learners by changing layouts, methods or principles

to which they have become accustomed.
Overloading your learner. Once you appreciate the ease with

which self-paced study can be assigned, the temptation is to
add on and on, accumulating details which may eventually
serve to detract from your learner objectives. The best course
is to choose only what is necessary and directly relevant to a
particular learning objective.
It is important also to state that learners notice inconsistencies

for example, when there is no obvious connection between a
virtual classroom event and the pre-course self-study tasks that
were supposed to introduce it! It is also glaringly obvious when
different source materials are carelessly bolted together without
any attempt to align their separate aims and styles.
To sum up: your goal throughout should be to create a seamless
blend of learning mechanisms, that deliver your learner
objectives in a controlled and logical manner, with learners
feeling at all times that they are being carried along by a steady
tide of learning, and not being buffeted by it from every side!
Taking consistency to its logical conclusion

In a sense, achieving this consistency of tone and content
throughout is imposing your own style on the project. The way you
have selected and blended your learning objects is unique to you,
and to the particular learning need to which you have been asked
to deliver the solution. If you were marketing your instructional
programme as a new commercial product, you would now be
identifying its unique strengths and signalling the areas that
mark it out from others on the market. You would, in short, be
thinking up effective ways of branding your product. So why not
take the process to its logical conclusion, and do just that?
67
Give the programme a strong brand

A brand is a simple statement of the quality and status (cachet)
of a product. How you brand your programme will affect what
your learners think of it. Obviously, you want them to regard
your training programme as valuable and important; you want
them to buy in to it with confidence. Branding is a shorthand
method of indicating what your programme is for, and what its
benefits will be.
Using Tool 6C, begin with this exercise. Sum up your overall
learning outcome in a short phrase; a one-line definition, no
more. Perhaps your short title says it all in one or two words,
perhaps a couple more are necessary. Then out of this phrase,
compose a distinct, identifiable logo for all your documents, Web
pages or any software you may create.
The logo could be made up of initials, a single letter, a purely
graphic image, or a mix of these. In addition, choose a dominant
colour, or a simple combination of colour-tones, and stick to
them for everything you create. It sounds superficial; it sounds
like spin; but if you are sure of your content, a clear image can
only add to the sense of confidence you have in your own design
model and this confidence is something you should be seeking
to spread to the benefit of all, managers and learners. The logo,
colour-branding and style of layout should be consistent,
relevant, and where possible be strongly linked to the content
material of your learning programme. For example, the Fire
Risk Management Programme used as an example in Tool 6C,
could have a combination of red and yellow colour tones, and
perhaps a simple graphic of a flame. This all serves to add focus
to your instructional material, and will create a bold impression
of coherence and unity (qualities that it should in any case
actually possess).
Summary
A smoothly blended programme should be a model of
consistency right across the board; from agreement on basic
principles and terms of reference, to the technical phrases that
are employed. One problem with jargon is that everyone makes
up their own! Stick to the same technical terms and phrases. Use
Tools 6D and 6E to ensure that you sustain this consistency
through the layout of your learning events and learner
68
objectives, down to which support personnel you choose, and

the roles and areas of instruction you assign to them (in other
words, keep the same people doing the same instructional jobs).
Every element of your learning programme should be consistent
and compatible with all the others.
In fact, in a well-crafted design model, the design is invisible !
Everything appears as inevitable and ordered as the English
alphabet. Learners should have the impression that such an
obvious scheme must have needed no thought or effort at all on
the part of the trainer. All they see is the learning events
building seamlessly towards their learning outcomes, which are
clear, focused, and sustained throughout by strong, positive
branding.

Use Tool 6A to check if you have covered all the key issues, if all
the elements of your programme are in place, and if all training
personnel know what is to be done and are briefed and prepared
to deliver their tasks.
Tool 6B helps to make sure your learners have a thorough
overview of your training programme, and are aware of
precisely what is expected of them.
Tool 6C is for use in conjunction with Tools 6D and 6E, as an aid
to ensuring that every component of your design programme is
consistent, branded, and that the delivery of your content is
seamlessly blended.
Use Tool 6F to check the different options available to you for
delivering your material.
69
610
6A
Readiness checklist
This tool helps you anticipate the various issues that might slow or
block your progress. Use it to think through how you will deal with
these. The enormous advantage of having done this is that, should you
meet any of them, you will be able to move quickly and efficiently; they
will cause you less stress because they have been anticipated; and you
will feel more relaxed and confident in the next stages knowing you
have done what is, in effect, a risk assessment at this stage.
Key issue
Elements
Agreement required from:
Terms of reference
For example, open to all

staff
Personnel Director
For example, availability of

learners for synchronous
sessions
Relevant line managers
For example, recruitment of

mentors
Targeted individuals
For example, funding for

computer sound cards
Finance Director
Installation of computer
sound cards
IT Manager
Timetabling
Trainer support
Budget
Resources
Continued
611
Readiness checklist
6A
continued
Use this section to add any further issues which you anticipate.
Key issue
Elements
Agreement required from:
612
5 March
1327 April
g) Read Employers Guide to Fire Safety

h) Work through Section 3 of workbook
i) Complete and mail Section 3 test
g) Read Employers Guide to Fire Safety

h) Work through Section 3 of workbook
i) Complete and submit online test
Contact your
mentor to
discuss
any issues
arising
Query
week
2128 March
Submit
feedback
forms
Contact your
mentor to
discuss any
issues arising
Query week
627 May
j) Photocopy checklists in workbook

k) Assess your premises
l) Complete and mail checklists and report
j) Download checklists
k) Assess your premises
l) Complete and submit checklists and report on line
Part 4
Reporting
620 March
a) View video at home

b) Work through Section 1 of workbook
c) Complete and mail Section 1 test
a) Download and view video clip

b) Work through Section 1 of workbook
c) Complete and submit online test
Part 1
How to identify Fire Hazards
28 April5 May
One day training session

introducing course,
handing out text
materials and learning
new software
Part 3
How to conduct a Fire Risk Assessment
2028 Feb
Pre-course
registration
Road map
IT skills
questionnaire
Pre-course
Example: Road map for Fire Monitor training
28 May4 Jun
Contact your
mentor to
discuss
any issues
arising
Appraisal
week
29 March12 April
d) View video at home

e) Work through Section 2 of workbook
f) Complete and mail Section 2 test
d) Download and view video clip

e) Work through Section 2 of workbook
f) Complete and submit online test
Part 2
Fire detection and fighting a fire
A Blended Training project is not only more complex for the trainer, it is also more complicated for the
learner. A schematic that plots the various elements of the project against a time line is a powerful tool. It
lets learners see what is expected of them, and when; it reminds them of information given to them in the
introductory briefing; it forestalls nasty surprises; it also shows learners where they have a choice of
different routes to achieving the same outcome.
6B
Learners road map
613
6C
Branding your programme
Branding is a way of giving your programme personality, credibility

and identity. If you can achieve a situation where every document,
website, video, workbook, questionnaire and feedback form can be
clearly identified as belonging to the programme, simply by glancing
at it you have done a good job.
Use this tool to create your brand and to ensure that it is applied
consistently throughout your materials.
Elements of branding
Programme title
Try to make this easy to
remember, appropriate
and, preferably short.
For example, Fire Risk
Manager Programme
rather than Training in
Fire Risk and Precautions
(Health and Safety at
Work).
Tag line
Ideally this should be
your programme title if
it is short enough. It is a
set of words tagged to
the programme logo;
or printed along the
bottom of every page;
or on the website to
make the logo
understandable to
people who have not
seen it before.
Brand consistency
Your solution
Title:
Typeface use the

same throughout
your materials.
Typeface:
Layout stick to the
same layout for similar
materials, for example, Layout ideas:
all questionnaires.
List of tag line sites:

List all your materials,
sites and documents
and decide if and
where the tag line will
appear on each.
Check that it is going
to be legible in places
where it is going to be
small.
Continued
614
Branding your programme
6C
continued
Elements of branding
Logo
This graphic
representation of your
programme should not
be too complicated;
should be recognisable
even when it is printed
very small; and should
work as well in black
and white as in colour.
For example, your
Fire Risk Manager
Programme might use
your company logo
being licked by a single
flame.
Presentation
Brand consistency
Your solution
Logo design:
Is it clear, even when

small?
Does it work in black
and white?
Is it cheap in terms of
computer memory
for example, is it a
JPEG rather than a
TIF file?
List of components
common to all
Colour:
Try to keep the same

Will every document,
things in the same place
physical or virtual,
so the learners know
have full contact
where to expect them
details?
Contact details:
(for example, web links
Will there always be
always in a column on
space for the learner
the left of a Web page).
to put in their name?
Positioning of key
Choose a dominant
Will everything be
elements:
colour to use for binders,
plain English or have
spines, coversheets, Web
explanations of jargon?
pages, logos and so on.
615
616
Typeface
Layout
Logo
Style
Content
Web pages
Video
FAQ responses
Feedback forms
Test materials
Workbooks
Questionnaires
Handouts
Bulletin boards
Chat rooms
Element
Firstly, look at the elements involved in your programme, and the areas in which inconsistencies might be
found. Add elements and content items relevant to the course you are planning.
If learners become confused or disoriented, their efficiency, motivation and morale are bound to suffer. It
is particularly important, when introducing learners to e-learning methods, that nothing should happen
to make the delivery look difficult or complicated for them. If there is consistency throughout your
course, for example, between familiar items like handouts and less familiar ones like Web pages, the
introduction to online learning will be much easier for your learners. Of course, once they have learned
where a particular link is to be found on the screen, if you then change it for no good reason, and without
instructions, you will undo much of the good work previously done. The same applies to sequences of
actions or activities, which should be varied enough to retain interest, but yet still similar enough to feel
intuitive to the learner.
Support systems
6D
Consistency checklist
Continued
Demands made
on learner
Signalling
transitions
between different
delivery
mechanisms
Signalling
transitions
between blocks
Timings allowed
Activities
Links
Jargon
Terminology
(keep a list)
Colours
Content
Chat rooms
Web pages
Video
FAQ responses
Feedback forms
Test materials
Workbooks
Questionnaires
Handouts
Element
Bulletin boards
6D
continued
continued
617
Support systems
618
continued
Content
Handouts
Questionnaires
Workbooks
Test materials
Feedback forms
FAQ responses
Video
Web pages
Element
Chat rooms
Bulletin boards
Support systems
continued
6D
Are they
Of similarly suitable
experience and
personality?
Of similar suitability?
Are they
Aware of above items?
Fully equipped?
Compatible with all

systems which
learners may be going
to use?
Compatible with the

programs being used
will everyone see the
same picture?
Mentors and trainers
Rooms
Software
Browsers
Consistent in approach
to learners?
Are they
Here are some other elements that you should consider. Again, space has been left for you to add your
own specific details.
6D
continued
619
6E
Smooth blend checklist
Each element of your programme needs to be checked for branding. Is

the logo there? Are the layout and typeface consistent with the other
elements? Is the key colour in evidence? Are you using the same word
for the same thing throughout all the elements? In this pack we refer
to your learners have we slipped up anywhere and let words such
as students, trainees or participants be used where we should
have used learners?
Each element of your programme needs to be checked for
compatibility with the others. For example, you need to check that
the exercises in your workbook do not repeat exercises that are later
going to be done online; you need to check that the language and
jargon used on the video make sense in relation to the language and
jargon used on the Web pages; you need to check that the software
you plan to use is compatible with the computers your learners are
going to run it on.
Each element of your programme needs to be checked for consistency
with the others. You need to check, for example, that the training
messages in your video do not conflict with the messages given in
your CBT unit or in your workbook; you need to check that your
mentors and co-instructors have the right skills and understanding to
match the programme; you need to check that your training room is
big enough to accommodate the numbers you have planned for the
classroom sessions.
Use this tool to check off each element or to make notes against each
of the areas that need attention. A few of the elements you might use
are already listed on the next page. Use the blanks to add your own
elements.
Continued
620
6E
Smooth blend checklist
continued
Element
Branding
Compatibility
Consistency
Training room
Workbooks
Questionnaires
Mentors
Introductory
handouts
621
6F
Multi-delivery options
Tool 6B shows multi-delivery options incorporated into a programme.

Multi-delivery options allow the learners to choose a way of learning that
suits them best. This approach incorporates variety and freshness and
means that there is a back-up to use in the event of failure of, say, an
electronic element. In choosing your blend of options it is wise to revisit
Tool 3E Contingency planner to make the most of this doubling-up effect.
You can also use this tool, together with Tool 5D Computer-based
training checklist, as an aid to assessing the CBT packages you look at.
Type of training
Delivery options
Demonstration
CBT*
Online classroom
Video streaming
Conventional classroom
Video
Role-play
CBT*
Internet chat sessions
Interactive video
Conventional classroom
Local get-togethers (informal in the
lunch break organised by a few
learners for each other)
Information dissemination CBT*

Intranet databases
Training resource centres
Libraries
Workbooks, manuals, guides
Coaching
CBT*
Online: chat, teleconferencing, e-mail,
discussion boards, newsgroups
Telephone
Face to face
Continued
622
Multi-delivery options
6F
continued
Type of training
Delivery options
Mentoring
E-mail
Newsgroups (particularly for peer-topeer)
Internet chat
Telephone
Feedback
CBT*
E-mail
Fax
Telephone
Post
*Good CBT packages can and do deliver demonstration, role-play,

information dissemination and feedback elements. There are many
poorer quality CBT packages on the market, however, that do not.
623
624
7 MANAGING YOUR
PROJECT
Description
In this unit, there are eight tools:
Tool 7A Your project management skills: a checklist and action
plan of the skills you will need to employ and the actions you
will need to take
Tool 7B Work Breakdown structure: a diagram setting out a
hierarchical structure to order your activities and sub-activities
Tool 7C Responsibility assignment matrix: to identify clearly

which tasks are assigned to whom
Tool 7D Gantt Chart: essential tool to establish a project
timetable and responsibilities for key activities
Tool 7E What people do you need?: assess your need for
technical and teaching skills support
Tool 7F Ingredients for successful teamwork: questionnaire
and action plan to ensure support from all stakeholders in your
training project
Tool 7G Blended Training project flowchart: a typical example
of a flowchart from start to completion
Tool 7H SMARTER and SWOT: analysis tools for assessing your
project goals.
Purpose
The purpose of the tools in this unit is to assist you in delivering
and managing your Blended Training project. They will
demonstrate why project management is an essential part of
your training programme, and help you to plan a strategy for
project management.
71

Use Tool 7A as necessary groundwork before embarking on a
team-building exercise. With this tool, you can analyse the skills
you possess as an effective project manager, and assess what
further skills you may find that you need.
Tool 7B is for use in the preliminary planning stage of your
Blended Training flowchart. It demonstrates how you can divide
your project goals into ever smaller and more numerous discrete
units. Reversing the process, you can then observe how your
learning objects build into learning events which then combine
to achieve your learning outcomes.
Use Tool 7C when assigning tasks to your project team. Consider
the kind of person, possessing which particular skills, you are
going to need to fulfil each training activity.
Tool 7D builds on Tools 7B and 7C. It adds the final dimension to
your work breakdown, the dimension of time. Use it when you
are calculating the time period of any particular event, and
determining how these events relate to each other
chronologically.
Tool 7E is for use when determining which added supporting
personnel you require to carry out complementary or
supporting tasks. Use it in conjunction with Tool 7C to
determine who is best suited (and available) to perform a
particular task.
Use Tool 7F when determining if you are on track for building a
motivated and focused project team. It complements Tool 7A,
with the emphasis on motivating and inspiring.
Tool 7G should be used at the beginning of the implementation
of your Blended Training programme, and as a reference point
throughout. It is a specifically blended example, utilising and
combining Tools 7B, 7C and 7D. It will be useful to you as a
template when creating your own Blended Training flowchart.
Tool 7H will take you through an analysis of your project goals
once you have developed them, and help to analyse their
strengths and weaknesses.
72
Background
How will you deliver your project?
This unit looks at the delivery and management of your training
project. Any learning programme, whether introducing new
work practices or e-technology in a downsized workforce
following a takeover, or preparing a workforce to design and
build a new structure, follows the same basic working principles.
A project breakdown will involve:
a set of interrelated activities

a specific goal, or series of linked goals
a start date and a finish date
a client or sponsor
a project manager
a group of individuals working together to achieve the
project goals
working within the margins of time and budget constraints.
These are the basic givens for any project. They apply equally to
a Blended Training project. The set of interrelated activities
here are our learning events. The goals, or linked goals, are our
learner objectives and learning outcomes. The group of
individuals comprises management, your project team, and the
learners themselves. As this section deals with project
management, traditional project management terminology will
be used, but we will at every stage relate this to our main
concern, which is, of course, managing a Blended Training
project.
There are a number of basic mechanisms that will need to be in
place before your project is finally launched. Not least of these
are the supporting personnel you are going to need to ensure
delivery. These are individuals whose skills complement your
own, Information Technology experts, or coaches experienced in
the skills your learners must acquire. It is up to you to determine
whom exactly you need. Each set of learning outcomes will have
its own particular requirements in terms of the content to be
assimilated.
But whatever the course particulars, these are the basic
mechanisms that should be in place before the start of any
Blended Training project.
73
Delivery mechanisms
Put your course information online. This means general
introductory material, including your road map, schedules,
assignments, deadlines and course objectives.
Advantages: the information is easily accessed and up-dated.
Publish course material online. Any course material you feel
may be of general benefit, for example, basic knowledge or
principles about which learners may feel they need to refresh
their memories, can be put online.
Advantages: as well as refreshing knowledge, this material can
be used to prepare learners in advance for class sessions, and
then referred to again when the instructor reviews the learning
procedure to date.
Set up asynchronous media for group discussions. Chiefly
bulletin boards and e-mails.
Advantages: this encourages considered reaction and response
between learners, and between the learner and instructor or
mentor.
Set up synchronous media for inter-group and group/instructor
discussions for example, chat rooms and personal messaging.
Advantages: doing this reinforces learning through a social
group ethic and advances collaborative learning. It is good for
learner motivation and morale.
Set individual learner assignments, and publish them online.
Using the Internet as a research tool, learners deliver
assignments which are then shared with the group on a course
website or bulletin board. Learners have to develop skills in
locating information, and then making judgements on the
material; how useful, valid or reliable is it?
Advantages: this provides an incentive for learners to perform
diligently, knowing their work will be viewed and discussed by the
rest of the group. Learners learn from each other. It also gives
useful feedback to the trainer on individual learners progress.
74
Set group assignments. The learners work together using Web

search, e-mails, text messaging, and whiteboards. They carry
out basic research and solve a set problem.
Advantages: this is highly motivating. It encourages a strong
group ethic, and initiates and promotes social and collaborative
skills. Learners find out about the way others learn, and this
encourages a diverse outlook in the individual learner. The

exercise is good for coordinating progress among the group. For
the trainer, there is useful feedback on group morale and
progress.
Publish a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). These can
be drawn from similar courses or situations you have
encountered, or indeed anticipated and invented. Your various
ongoing assessment techniques will identify actual questions
that continually recur (and that you have not already
anticipated), and identify ones which may not be frequent, but
have deep relevance. You should also publish these.
Advantages: this can short-cut a lot of individual learner
queries. Learners will access this facility first, often find their
concerns met, and at the same time access a lot of other
information they didnt know they needed. Also, the perception
that they are not alone in their concerns enhances learner
confidence.
Inaugurate online seminars. Via discussion groups, e-mail or

virtual classrooms, using also print and online resources.
Advantages: this approach is good for explaining specific skills,
concepts or issues.
Inaugurate online mentoring (asynchronous). Make sure
learners know they have constant personal access to you, or a
supporting instructor, for example, via e-mail.
Advantages: this is one way to short-circuit isolationism in selfpaced learners.
Build in simulations, demonstrations and virtual field-trips.
These high-expense synchronous techniques come in only after
a great deal of basic groundwork has been covered and
assimilated.
Advantages: indispensable hands-on experience, giving
learners a feel for the real job. They are able to conceptualise
the actual application of the skills they have been learning, and
mentally project themselves into an actual working situation.
Employ assessment and feedback mechanisms. These include
quizzes, multiple choice tests, questionnaires and online surveys.
Advantages: Trainers find out how everything is going at any
given point in the learning programme. They can evaluate
learner progress and check whether the programme is on track
75
to deliver its learning outcomes. Also, real learner achievement

can be applauded, and problem areas identified.
These are the fundamental tasks that lie beneath any successful
Blended Training course. Only when you are sure all these are in
place, can you proceed with your programme. Of course, as
weve mentioned, you are going to need help with many of
them, through the expertise of on-site personnel coaches and
technicians. You may also need extra mentors and facilitators.
But keep sight of the fact that you, the trainer, are the project
leader. The responsibility is yours. What skills must you yourself
have, to carry out this role successfully? Remember, in the
managements eyes, you are not so much a trainer, more a fixer
and problem-solver. What you need are project delivery skills.
Breakdown of skills
It is therefore likely that youre going to need to bring in skilled
assistance in certain areas. Part of your job as project manager
is to manage those skills. To do this well, you need to be able to:
analyse
implement
communicate
motivate
inspire.
What a project manager needs

You need to be:
Analytical
As a project manager, you must have a thorough understanding
of the aims and objectives of the client organisation, the needs
and abilities of the learners, and the corporate environment in
which the learning will take place.
Implementational
You must be able to get things done. This includes the ability to
make swift, well-judged decisions, manage time-constraints, and
to cope well with pressure.
76
Communicative
The ability to articulate what needs to done, what the overall
objectives are, and to ensure all terms of reference are mutually
understood and agreed on is vital to the role.
Motivational
You may experience resistance from both managers and
learners. Gaining their commitment and enthusiasm is essential
for the success of the project. You must be able to persuade,
influence and motivate.
Inspirational
The formation of a group ethic, creating and sustaining morale,
are areas which call for strong leadership qualities. Project
managers and trainers have to inspire energy and confidence in
their learners, and at all times provide direction and impetus.
You need to possess the ability to be all the above, though
perhaps in varying degrees. Tool 7A is a checklist, which you
can use to determine just how well you are applying these
talents in your training situation.
Project delivery management

Having assessed your project management powers, the next goal
must be to make the best possible use of them.
Get SMARTER and SWOT
This is not just good advice. SMARTER and SWOT are useful
mnemonics to keep in mind when youre analysing and
assessing your project goals. You will find a tabular version of
them in Tool 7H.
The seven criteria in SMARTER apply equally to your learner
objectives and your learning outcomes.
SMARTER
Ask yourself if your project goals fulfil these essential criteria.
Are they:
SPECIFIC
Are they clear, single-focused and unambiguous?

MEASURABLE
In terms of cost-assessment, time-management, learner

progress and the standard of achievement?
77
ACHIEVABLE
Have you taken the real working environment, budget and

resource limitations, and the individual needs and abilities of
the learners into account?
RELEVANT
Do your learner outcomes directly address the needs of the

client organisation? Are your learner objectives realistically
attuned to the abilities of your learners?
TIMEBOUND
Does your project model incorporate learner deadlines, and a

target date for completion? Is each learning event ordered so
that they chronologically build to the desired outcome?
EXCITING
Have all concerned managers, trainers and learners fully

bought in to the project? Are they motivated and committed,
and do the learners appreciate benefits to themselves of
spending the time to undergo new training?
RECORDED
Will every stage of the project be written up for the purposes

of ongoing assessment, and post-project review?
SWOT
This is another Thinking In/Thinking Out strategy. (See ADDA in
Unit 3 Planning a Blended Training project.) First Think In to
analyse the Strengths and Weaknesses of your programme; then
Think Out to identify the chief Opportunities for, and Threats
to, your project.
STRENGTHS
What useful resources does the client organisation already

have in place? What is the extent of their buy-in and
commitment?
WEAKNESSES
What factors might hinder the success of the project? What

time and budget constraints are there, what resistance might
you encounter?
78
OPPORTUNITIES
What opportunities will the programme afford the learners in

terms of enhanced abilities and skills; and what opportunities
are there for the company in terms of Return On Investment?
THREATS
What outside factors might threaten the success of the

project?
Work Breakdown structure

The next move is to create a Work Breakdown structure. We
mentioned at the beginning of this unit that every work project
includes a set of interrelated activities; in Blended Training
terms, learning events.
We can divide these activities further, into major activities and

sub-activities, with the sub-activities supporting the major ones.
The same way our learner objects are shaped or combined into
learning events. A Work Breakdown structure (WBS) is quite
simply a diagram which sets out a hierarchical method for
ordering these activities and sub-activities into a stage-by-stage
plan for achieving your organisational goals or your
learning outcomes.
The diagram is constructed from the top downwards, with the
overall goal as the title; then the major activities necessary to
achieve this coming underneath. Each of these is further broken
down into all the various sub-activities that are necessary to
support them. Tool 7B gives a commercial example of how a
Work Breakdown is structured.
With a diagram like this, the project manager can identify and
structure the key activities involved. Its a useful tool to look
back on and see just how your learning events build to their
ultimate learning outcomes, over a determined period of time.
Its developed backwards, in other words, top-down from the
outcomes all the way back to the introductory sessions which
kicked off your learning programme. The advantage of this
approach is that it maintains a single focus; it ensures your
learning objects are clearly defined, right the way through the
learning programme, and that no extraneous material creeps in
to confuse your learners.
79
Responsibility assignment
The next step is to identify exactly who does what. Responsibility
for each activity must be clearly assigned; we want to avoid a
situation in which different individuals squabble over the same
task, or where a particular job gets done twice over. Tool 7C, a
responsibility assignment matrix, takes the Work Breakdown
structure a step further, and identifies clearly what tasks are
assigned to whom.
Developing a project timetable

One of the most common project management tools in use today
is the Gantt Chart (established by Henry Gantt around 1914).
This is essentially a project timetable, delineating the start and
finish times for each separate activity making up the project. In
Blended Training terms, activities correspond to learning events.
To construct a chart, begin with a timeline across the top of the
chart, running from the beginning of your programme to the
final completion date. Then list the key activities (or learning
events) as identified in your Work Breakdown structure. Next
draw a column down the page alongside each activity, indicating
the period of time each activity should take. A column alongside
this should indicate the individual or individuals assigned to that
particular task. The estimated timespan of each activity is
indicated by a bar. The bars then cascade down the sheet from
top left (the start) to bottom right (the finish). As you would
expect, some activities can take place simultaneously. This is also
a good way of ensuring that no-one ends up trying to do too
many things at once.
Like Thorndikes Principles of Learning, Gantts Chart seems
barely improvable on after nearly a hundred years. It sets out all
the essential components of your project along a timeline, and
will enable you to map the progress of your learning events at a
single glance.
One advantage of a Gantt Chart, apart from being a clear visual
aid to the order and coherence of your learning events, is that it
provides a useful tool when inspiring management confidence in
your Blended Training programme. It demonstrates that you
have clearly worked out your training schedule, and left nothing
to chance.
710
You will need other people

Few trainers will possess the full range of skills required to plan
and deliver a successful Blended Training programme. And even
if you do, the sheer weight of demand on your time and energy
will probably be too much for one instructor. You will need to
delegate tasks to others better qualified in certain areas, whose
skills will complement yours. In addition, from a planning
viewpoint, two heads are better than one, because a second
person will approach problems from a different angle, and
perhaps identify concerns that you may have missed. You will
probably need coaches; people who are already highly skilled in
the tasks your learners are expected to acquire; online mentors
to answer individual queries; facilitators to lead chat rooms and
training room sessions. Only you can decide what the particular
demands of a training situation are, and what supporting
personnel you are going to need. Tool 7E is a checklist to make
sure that you have left no area unsupervised.
Successful teamwork
At the beginning of this unit we stated that one common
requirement for any work project is: a group of individuals
working together to achieve your project goals. You have your
supporting personnel. You have your learners. You have the
managers, whose organisational goals you are all working to
achieve. And finally, you have yourself, and your powers of
motivation and inspiration. Now is the time to put these powers
into practice. Making sure everyone pulls together as a team is
perhaps the project managers most important, and challenging,
task. Like everything else, this requires preparation and
planning. You need to ensure that everyone knows exactly what
they are meant to be doing, and where they are meant to be
heading. This means you have to know first, and communicate it
to every participant, clearly and unambiguously. Tool 7F sets out
seven essential areas you need to cover to ensure your team gets
on track and stays there.
Blended Training flowchart

Tool 7G is an example of a flowchart of a Blended Training
project. It covers in brief all the essential areas we have
examined in earlier units. It follows through a typical Blended
Training project from start to finish, defining the separate stages
711
of the process. After the addition of the relevant timeframe in

which your particular items will be delivered, a quick check will
enable you to know where you are at any point in your learning
programme.

Use these tools when considering the management and delivery
of your Blended Training programme.
Tool 7A is a self-assessment tool which you should use to ensure
you have done the necessary groundwork before implementing
your programme. To manage your project successfully, develop
your five project trainer skills: Analysis, Implementation,
Communication and the power to Motivate and Inspire!
Use Tool 7B to establish how your learner objects are to be
shaped into learner events, and how these events build on each
other, and support others further along in the programme. It is
the first stage in developing your Blended Training flowchart.
Tool 7C is to be used to allocate tasks to your supporting
personnel, to ensure everyone has a clearly defined role, without
overlapping or doubling of tasks. Add this information in to your
Blended Training flowchart, in its second stage of development.
Use Tool 7D to set your allocated tasks into a definite timeframe
the next stage in developing your flowchart. It can be used as a
handy visual reinforcement of how your learning events flow
into each other, and build to their completion date. Used in
conjunction with Tool 4D Cost assessment, it will aid you in
making your case for your training programme, and securing
management confidence and buy-in.
Tool 7E is a checklist you should use to ensure that all the
necessary supporting personnel are in place. It is
complementary to Tool 7C, and the two should be used together.
Tool 7F is a self-assessment tool for determining whether you are
keeping your team motivated and coordinated. How well are you
using your project management skills, as identified in Tool 7A?
712
Using Tools 7B, 7C and 7D, create a flowchart for your project
and use it to ensure all the necessary ingredients of your
programme are in place, and logically scheduled. Use Tool 7G as

a model for drawing up this chart.
Once your goals are clear, use Tool 7H to analyse and assess
them, and to make sure that you have anticipated any threats
and are making full use of your strengths and opportunities.
713
714
7A
Your project management skills
Below is a checklist of the five skills which are vital in managing your
training programme. It is followed by an Action Plan which you
should use to plan how you will fill any gaps.
ANALYSE
Yes/No
Have you:
established your objectives (learning outcomes)?

thoroughly understood the corporate environment
and infrastructure?
established critical success factors?
established possible problem areas and pitfalls?
IMPLEMENT
Yes/No
Have you:
set short-term plans?
established learning priorities?
formulated mechanisms for feedback and assessment?
made sure youre prepared to act quickly to rectify
problems, foreseen or unforeseen?
Have you the ability to:
maintain focus?
manage diversions?
energise others?
manage stress levels, your own and others?
let off steam, and lighten stressful situations with
good humour?
Continued
715
7A
continued
COMMUNICATE
Yes/No
Do you:
speak and write clearly and succinctly?
deliver all the appropriate information in a concise form?
use the appropriate channels for delivering this
information?
ask open questions (that is, questions that are not
leading, or misleading, or which already contain their
own answers)?
listen attentively, and keep yourself open to the
thoughts, ideas and suggestions of others?
identify and take account of what people want?
use positive body-language that supports what you say?
gain mutual agreement on objectives and terms
of reference?
MOTIVATE
Yes/No
Have you:
got to know each team member as an individual?
made sure every participant feels included and involved?
identified the needs and abilities of each learner?
ensured they realise their contributions are valued?
applauded learner achievement?
provided opportunities for enhanced achievement?
always attempted to bring about joint solutions to
problems, and engender win-win situations?
ensured youll identify positive benefits and overcome
gripes and objections?
continued
716
7A
continued
INSPIRE
Yes/No
Have you:
worked to inspire a group ethic?
inspired commitment, and common understanding of
objectives?
consulted with the group on all key issues?
used a group approach to problem-solving?

made clear under what conditions, and in what way,
the learners will be accountable for their progress?
Action Plan
Area in which further
work is needed
Action to be taken
By when?
717
Negotiation
Stationery
Costing
Equipment
FINANCE
Reference
material
Physical
Software
718
People
Assess and
recruit
Hardware
Electronic
and
computer
RESOURCES
Offline
materials
Production
Production
Learners
Online
materials
Coordination
COURSE PLANNING
Training Programme for XYZ Ltd. Overall Coordination
Client
Trainers
COMMUNICATION
This partial diagram is to show you the sort of thinking needed to set out a hierarchical method for
ordering activities and sub-activities into a stage-by-stage plan for achieving your organisational goals or
your learning outcomes. Construct the diagram from the top downwards, with the major activities
directly underneath. Each of these is further broken down into all the various sub-activities that are
necessary to support them. As it becomes more detailed, the plan can be broken out into different pages.
7B
Work Breakdown structure
C = Coordinating
S= Office
staff
4.3 Trainers
S = Supporting
S= Office
staff
4.2 Client
M = Main responsibility
S= Office
staff
4.1 Learners
3.3 Offline materials

M
3.2 Online materials
4 COMMUNICATION C
3 COURSE
PLANNING
3.1 Coordination
2.2.2 Hardware
2.3 People
IT
Software
Manager specialist
2.2.1 Software
Resources Office
Acctant
Manager Manager
Director
of
Training
2.2 Electronic and

computing
2 RESOURCES
2.1 Physical
1.2 Negotiation
1.1 Costing
Managing Finance
Assigned Director Director
personnel
1 FINANCE
C
M
Activity
Hardware
specialist
7C
Responsibility assignment matrix
Use this tool when allocating tasks for your project, to ensure
everyone has a clearly defined role, without overlapping, doubling or
missing out of tasks. This tool is a next step after the Work
Breakdown structure from Tool 7B. It presents only a partial picture.
A full matrix would involve the further breaking down of sub-groups,
as in 2.2.1 and 2.2.2 below.
719
Finalise course objectives
Learner questionnaire
Course definition
Agreement of timings
Requirements definition
720
10
Communicate with learners
10
Sourcing physical resources
Production of offline materials
Sourcing hardware
Production of online materials
Sourcing software
12
Discussion with client managers
Recruitment of necessary support
Price negotiation
Draft proposal agree with client
Costing
Draft proposal formulate
Days
Client requirements detailing
Activities
PROJECT
OM/OS
DT
IT/DT
RM/OM
IT/HS
IT/SS
RM/DT
RM/FD
DT/RM
DT
DT/OM
DT
DT/RM
MD/FD
MD/DT
ACC/FD
DT
MD/DT
Who
Week 1
Week 2
MONTH 1
Week 3
Week 4
Week 1
Week 2
MONTH 2
Week 3
Week 4
Starting your Gantt Chart.

Below is a simplified example, using some of the information from Tools 7B and 7C. It adds the timedimension to your work breakdown. Use it when you are calculating the time period of any particular
event, and determining how these events relate to each other chronologically. The next item in this tool is a
commercial Gantt Chart, with fuller detail on it.
Key: MD = Managing Director; FD = Finance Director: DT = Director of Training; RM = Resources
Manager; OM = Office Manager; ACC = Accountant; IT = IT Manager; SS = Software specialist;
HS = Hardware specialist; OS = Office staff.
7D
Gantt Chart
Continued
Draft manual inserts
Final acceptance of product by BRG
Brand review accepted operational

feasibility
Agree future order lead times
R&D approve 1st pilot product
Pilot run 2, R&D sign off to TS
10
10
Order placed with supplier(s) for first time
R&D action manual sheet production
Purchasing advise stock of product
10
Marketing Ops final acceptance
Draft product specification
BRG advise RT which product new

lines required
15
Purchasing confirm cost estimates
Agree volume requirement to

Purchasing/R&D
R&D costings to Purchasing
R&D/
TS
AS
R&D/
TS
HS
HS
HS
AS/
MW
BRG
PS
PS/
AS
BR
PS
AS
HS
AS
TS
AS/
PS
Confirm final concept of product
10
Supply product samples to R&D with costings 5
PS
EG
MRCO
EG
PS
BRG
AS
TS
PS
AS
10
R&D receive MR results from BRG
Trawl market for products
BGR receive MR results
20
Market research company briefed
Research carried out
Selected proposals to research
R&D present proposals to BRG
BRG select from R&D proposals
R&D develop response to BRG brief
Days Who
BRG brief and R&D of concepts required
Activities
PROJECT
21
28
12
19
December
26
16
23
January
30
13
20
February
27
13
20
March
27
10
17
April
24
15
May
22
29
12
June
19
7D
Gantt Chart
continued
Continued
721
Menus printed
Product test in branch, staff training
Menu launch
Working outline, manual inserts
Product delivered to branch volume
Confirmed costings and GP rates produced
10
Product in all distribution depots
Product delivered to branch test kit
Product delivered to Central Distribution
15
Order 1 signed off, incl. bacto result
Bulletin details to BRG
First order completed
10
Production of first order commences
Production of training video
10
Final product specification confirmed
OPS
OPS
DIST
HS/
DIS
PS
R&D
DIST
MANF
R&D/
HS
PS
RD/
TS
MANF
PS/
AS
MANF
TS/
R&D
Days Who
Activities
PROJECT
21
28
12
19
December
26
16
23
January
9
30
13
20
February
27
13
20
March
27
17
April
10
24
15
May
8
22
29
12
June
19
7D
Gantt Chart
continued
722
7E
What people do you need?
Assess your need for both technical skills support and teaching
skills support.
What people and specialisms do you need? Add the names under each
category, making it clear where you still have someone to find.
Have you put the following in place?
Function
Tick
Description
MENTORS
These instructors are available

online (asynchronously) to
answer queries, advise and
provide feedback. For the
trainer, they are valuable
personnel to bounce ideas off.
COACHES
Coaches talk through practical

problems with the learner, and
demonstrate tasks and skills.
They can also help you to
develop or at least fully
understand any technical skills
that form part of your learner
outcomes.
IT EXPERTS
IT experts are there to meet

any e-learning needs your
learners may have. They will
be useful to you when talking
through the technical side of
your training programme, and
if you need to create new
software.
723
7F
Ingredients for successful teamwork
You are building a team, involving supportive managerial personnel,

complementary instructors, and the learners themselves. Below are
seven essential requirements for successful teamwork.
You should be able to answer Yes to each of the following questions.
Use the Action Plan which follows, to set your goals for any
requirements which you have not fully met.
PURPOSE
Do you:
Yes/No
know what your goals are?

communicate these goals clearly to all concerned?
have a clear strategy for implementation?
TIME PLANNING
Will you:
Yes/No
schedule discussion time?

discourage time-wasting?
keep your time productive?
PREPARATION
Have you:
Yes/No
allowed time for preparation?

clarified what you are attempting to do?
pilot-tested and revised where necessary?
Continued
724
7F
continued
UNDERSTANDING
Have you:
Yes/No
made sure everyone knows what is happening?

clarified each individuals role?
ensured two-way communication between the
team-members and the leader?
encouraged learners to raise issues and concerns?

listened and shown you understand?
FOCUS
Are you:
Yes/No
keeping the group on track?

avoiding false trails and red-herrings?
sticking to your agreed agenda?
alert to the risk of going over the same ground
needlessly?
PARTICIPATION
Are you:
Yes/No
involving and encouraging all learners to participate?

recognising and making use of the full range of skills
available?
keeping louder and more pushy learners from
monopolising your time in group sessions?
continued
725
7F
continued
CREATIVITY
Are you:
Yes/No
stimulating ideas and team creativity?

building on others ideas?
exploring all possibilities?
recording all suggestions and concerns?
Action Plan
Area in which further
work is needed
Action to be taken
726
By when?
Train any new

IT skills that will
be needed
Brush up other
learning skills
Online
Summary of course
E-mail
Instant
message
Chat rooms
Meet additional
instructors,
coaches,
mentors in
person (live or
online)
Bulletin/discussion
boards
Ensure structured and

informal access to other
learners
2. ONGOING WORK
Hand out
materials (live
or online)
Classroom
sessions
Real world practice sessions
Ceremony: presentation of
certificates, celebration
(champagne?)
3. END OF PROJECT: RETURN TO TRAINING ROOM
In person
Ensure continuous and timetabled access to trainer/coach/mentor
Introduce the
project
1. INTRODUCTORY TRAINING SESSIONS

Encourage a
group ethic
(becoming one
of the gang)
Details of follow-up work:

revision, reinforcement, justin-time aides mmoires
Mutual feedback with

fellow-learners
Quizzes, tests,
questionnaires,
surveys
Build in feedback loops
Assignments
Introduce
learners to
each other
This is a typical example of a Blended Training flowchart, from start to completion of the project.
7G
Blended Training project flowchart
727
7H
SMARTER and SWOT
Use this tool when analysing and assessing your project goals. The
seven criteria in SMARTER apply equally to your learner objectives
and your learning outcomes. When you have completed this section,
move on to the SWOT tool which follows.
Your project goals are:
Yes/No
SPECIFIC
clear
single-focused
unambiguous
MEASURABLE
in terms of:
cost-assessment
time-management
learner progress
standard of achievement
ACHIEVABLE
taking into account:
the real working environment
budget and resource limitations
the individual needs and abilities of the learners
Continued
728
SMARTER and SWOT
7H
continued
RELEVANT
your learner outcomes and objectives:
Yes/No
directly address the needs of the client organisation

are realistically attuned to the abilities of your learners
TIMEBOUND
your project model incorporates learner deadlines, and

a target date for completion
each learning event is ordered so that they all
chronologically build to the desired outcome
EXCITING
managers, trainers and learners have all fully bought
in to the project
managers, trainers and learners are motivated and
committed
the learners appreciate the benefits to themselves of
spending the time to undergo new training
RECORDED
every stage of the project will be written up for the
purposes of ongoing assessment, and post-project
review
continued
729
SMARTER and SWOT
7H
continued
SWOT
Use this as a Thinking In/Thinking Out strategy. (See ADDA in Unit 3
Planning a Blended Training project.) First Think In to analyse the
strengths and weaknesses of your programme; then Think Out to
identify the chief opportunities for, and threats to, your project.
STRENGTHS
WEAKNESSES
What useful resources does the

client organisation already have
in place?
What is the extent of their
buy-in and commitment?
What factors might hinder the

success of the project? What time
and budget constraints are there?
What resistance may you
encounter?
OPPORTUNITIES
THREATS
What opportunities will the

programme afford the learners
in terms of enhanced abilities
and skills; and what
opportunities are there for the
company in terms of Return
On Investment?
What outside factors might

threaten the success of the
project?
730
8 KEEPING CONTROL OF
YOUR PROJECT
Description
In this unit, there are three tools:
Tool 8A Learner satisfaction questionnaire: a feedback form
covering materials, technology and progress
Tool 8B Effectiveness assessment: a feedback form covering
individual modules, with interpretative guidelines
8
Tool 8C Measures of success: assess your progress and the
effectiveness of your course through the measuring of your
learners achievements
Purpose
All the tools in this unit are about feedback and evaluation. Tools
8A and 8B are to enable your learners to assess their own
progress, and how they think the course is achieving its overall
objectives. Guidance is given on how you can, in turn, assess
their assessments, and respond appropriately. Tool 8C is
specifically for you to evaluate your learners progress, and thus
assess how far you are in control of your learning programme.

Tool 8A should be used to gain feedback directly from the
learners about themselves, and where they feel they are in the
course. Are they feeling comfortable with the e-learning
components of the programme, for example? Use this tool at
what you feel to be critical points in the development of the
course.
Use Tool 8B to gain feedback about how your learners evaluate the
particular modules or learning events. This is a more specific and
detailed tool, and could be used at particular stages throughout
the programme or, if you prefer, after each learning event.
81
Tool 8C enables you to use the above information to evaluate

your learners progress in the training programme, and thus
check how far you are on track for achieving your learning
outcomes. It will also indicate to what extent you are in control
of your programme, and if there are areas or aspects that should
be tightened up, or otherwise adjusted.
82
Background
We established in Unit 3 Planning a Blended Training project, that
a strategy for assessment should be built in to your design model,
to allow you to remain fully in control of the learning process at
all times. As well as this vital function of keeping on top of your
project, constant feedback and assessment provides three other
fundamental benefits.
Continuous evaluation:
Enables coordinated progress (slower-paced learners can be

brought up to speed).
Helps the trainer deal with expected and unexpected problems

(the trainer knows at every moment what point in the
programme has been reached).
Helps maintain learner motivation (the trainer can recognise

and reward good work, applying sticks as well as carrots).
You have various avenues of assessment open to you. Clearly,
online testing, assignments and gleaning feedback from chat
rooms will be good sources, but there is one direct and obvious
source of feedback you can access asking the learners
themselves!
Build in continuous feedback

Of course you need continual assessment information for the
purposes of your own course evaluation; but learner feedback
has other benefits as well. Lets examine the effects it has on the
learner. For one thing, if learners know and understand they are
being listened to, that concerns are being heard and problems
taken seriously basically, that their views matter, then their
confidence and commitment are reinforced, and morale is that
much higher. Much essential feedback can be gleaned from set
assignments, knowledge tests, online mentoring, and just by
paying attention to how the learners interact in virtual
classrooms and chat rooms; this is all vital, and will play a big
part in your deciding whether to make any modifications to your
learning programme, and, indeed, what changes to make. But it
is also important that time should be set aside for learners to
reflect on the course so far, and give their opinions as to how
83
they think it is developing. At critical points in the learning

programme, they can be given questionnaires and surveys in
which they are asked to assess themselves, their degree of
satisfaction with the course, and what progress they think is
being made towards the overall course objectives. They can be
asked how far they have understood the purpose of the training
their learner objectives and to what degree they feel these are
being accomplished.
This sounds, and is, simple enough. However, you should be
wary and bear in mind that your learners responses can reflect
other concerns which they do not always make explicit. For
example, if a particular learner feels uncomfortable in any way
about a certain aspect of the course, they may express this as a
negative response about the course material, or how it has been
organised or about you and your deficiencies as a trainer.
These replies are not necessarily to be taken at face value. You
have to use your judgement, and try to fathom what lies beneath
the comments. In other words, in evaluating your learners
responses, the question of interpretation is fundamental.
Evaluating learners responses

A learner may respond negatively to a question about the
relevance of a particular segment of the course, and insist that
they did not find it at all useful. You should not be too dejected by
this, as it may simply reflect some personal difficulty the learner is
having with the material. The comment could in fact be
signalling a learning or performance gap. So in the end, despite
the negative feedback, you could well decide that this aspect of
the training is in fact the most relevant and useful to the
participant, and that, contrary to what they claim, their progress
here should be reinforced, and their confidence boosted. Consider
closely what your learners are telling you, but first and foremost,
trust your own judgement. Remember, you have other avenues of
feedback, and your direct responses from learners should be
compared with these, before making any course decision.
Introducing the concept of feedback how satisfied

are your learners?
84
Introduce your feedback sessions by outlining the reasons why

you think these questionnaires are valuable. Explain that you
are working in partnership with your learners to achieve their
objectives; that this course is essentially all about them, and

therefore what they think about it is of the greatest importance.
Tell them that the answers they give will also be useful to you in
improving the course for future learners. Then briefly go over
each of the questions, and, where they are not self-explanatory,
take a moment to outline some basic considerations that the
learners should bear in mind, certain factors you think they
should take into account while considering each question. This
may sound a little like leading your learners; so be careful to
make it plain that you are not indicating any particular right
answers to the questions, but simply pointing out all the relevant
issues. Then let them get on with filling in their feedback sheets.
Learner satisfaction
The first tool in this unit, Tool 8A Learner satisfaction questionnaire,
is the most general and also the most straightforward of the
surveys. Questions dealing with how comfortable your learners
are with the technology may be taken more or less at face value.
However, watch out for responses to the question on your (or
your supporting instructors) availability as an online mentor;
these can mask dissatisfaction with other aspects of the training.
Perhaps the main problem here is one of clarity, or even a
personality issue maybe you have failed to establish a sufficient
rapport with a particular learner.
A learner who claims to feel that the course is not fulfilling its
learner objectives may not have fully appreciated what these
objectives are. Perhaps you have not really made these objectives
clear or single-focused enough, and if you find many of your
learners are responding negatively to this question, that is
probably the case. On the other hand, if the comment represents
the view of a single individual, the low mark may indicate that
this person is simply not yet committed to the training
programme as enthusiastically as you would like them to be.
Perhaps there is still some resistance to new learning, and
e-learning in particular.
Similarly, a negative response to the question on relevance can
actually be an indicator of learner resistance or technophobia,
and could draw your attention to a learning or performance gap.
Before deciding that this response means exactly what it says,
check how comfortable the learner is with the available
technology, and also compare their performance with that of the
other participants.
85
A high rating on course relevance, on the other hand, reflects a

strong degree of learner confidence. We can assume the learners
see the benefits to themselves of the training, and have faith in
the course and in you as a trainer.
A high rating for enjoyment and motivation is likely to indicate
that the learner is achieving their learner objectives. A welldesigned course with clear objectives is essential for learner
enjoyment, and when a learner is enjoying a course, progress is
greatly accelerated. Consistent high ratings in response to this
question would also suggest that there is a strong group ethic
and that the learners are assisting and motivating each other to
a significant degree.
Assessment enriches the learner

We have shown the various ways in which assessment is essential
to the trainer in the essential task of keeping control of the project.
Course evaluation is also an extremely valuable exercise for the
individual learner. The intellectual task of reviewing and assessing
(for example) the previous days work not only reinforces the
impact of the learning content, but also assists the learner to
conceptualise the material. By this we mean, not simply regarding
it as an item to be memorised and stored gathering dust on some
mental shelf until needed, but rather being aware of the material
as part of an ongoing organic process, with relation to the
working life of the learner and a living, changing environment.
In the process of review and assessment, the learning material
comes to mean more to the learners. They are having to ask
themselves the question: What benefit is this material to me? In
what way is it doing me any good?
By relating themselves to the learning material in this way, the
learners begin to realise how this material would (and will) be
used by them in actual work situations.
This encourages the learner mentally to reach forward, out into
the real working world, and envisage themselves using this
knowledge, this skill, as part of their working lives.
Conceptualising the learning experience, then, is an important
step towards effective worker performance. This is perhaps its most
significant benefit to the learner and indeed to their employer.
This aspect of learners identifying themselves in a work
situation was one of the elements missing from previous training
86
models that relied solely on self-paced computer-based learning.

Studies (of which there is a recent example in the Appendix) have
shown that a more blended mix of synchronous with
asynchronous training speeds up learners acquisition of skills,
and the basic accuracy with which they perform their tasks.
In addition to this major benefit, assessment also highlights any
unresolved issues still hanging over from previous sessions, and
provides a forum for raising new issues. The learner also benefits
from a feeling of inclusion as opposed to the isolation which is a
constant danger in unsupported self-paced study. Because they
are asked to give their opinions on how the course is developing,
learners feel involved in the nuts and bolts of the learning
programme. Frequently they feel encouraged to suggest
modifications and extra topics. You, however, will use your own
judgement in deciding how far to go along with these suggested
course adjustments.
How to accept and respond to feedback

It is not enough for the trainer merely to receive and assess
feedback. You will also be expected to respond, comment and
reply to concerns. In doing this, you should take into account
the personal characteristics of each particular learner. How
motivated are they? How do you rate them in terms of selfesteem? Are they unbearably sure of themselves, or are they shy,
unassuming types who would rather die than bother the trainer
with what they see as their petty concerns? Here are a few
general donts with regard to responding to feedback.
Dont:
Be personal. In other words, focus your attention on the

problem, not the individual. In this way you will avoid
conferring any sense of blame on the learner for their situation.
Make assumptions. Always base your comments on firsthand observation. If in doubt, ask.
Be judgemental. Remember, you are there to help, not
reprimand. If you have a critical comment to make about
someones attitude or behaviour, deliver it in terms of an
objective description of the situation, and its consequences.
In dealing with learners with low self-esteem, the focus should
naturally be heavily biased towards the positive aspects of their
87
coursework. You will be constantly seeking to bolster their selfimage. At the other end of the spectrum, arrogant personalities
should be made aware of the consequences of their behaviour,
and how they appear to the rest of the group (disruptive, a
nuisance, a hindrance to others learning, and so on). Either of
these extremes of behaviour is, of course, exceptional. They do
exist, and you will come across them; but most of your learners
will be somewhere in between; tending more towards the
introverted than the extremist, or vice versa. There are also
learners who present a mixture of both characteristics.
Sometimes unbearable cockiness is used by a learner to mask, or
overcome, a basic painful shyness. You may have to recognise
and deal with this in some appropriate fashion; though how far
you, as a trainer, wish to move into the sphere of psychoanalysis,
is a matter for careful personal consideration.
Here are some basic things which you should do when
responding to feedback.
Do:
Focus on the positive aspects of a particular situation first,
and try to finish an interaction on a positive note, even where
the initial content was negative in some way.
Be specific. Keep focused on the essential nature of the
comment.
Be relevant. Make sure your comments are entirely related to
the individual.
Be prompt. Respond to the feedback as soon as possible,
ideally immediately.
Be consistent. Always try to recognise and applaud good
work, and offer encouragement and support where needed.
Now you have received your feedback, and responded
appropriately. How are you going to make best use of the
information you have gathered?
What to do with feedback
88
Avoid major changes

Ideally you should change as little as possible, beyond responding
to individual concerns, remedying under-performance by setting
extra tasks where needed, or supplying just-in-time tools as
reinforcements. Negative responses and any other difficulties you
face, foreseen or unforeseen, should now be surmountable

within the framework of the learning programme as devised,
and should require only minor adjustments to be made. In any
case, to undertake any major changes would have a disastrous
impact on the whole fabric of your training programme. It is too
late in the process for such changes. You would destroy the basic
integrity of your programme, and grievously undermine
learners confidence. Your learners road map would become
irrelevant and your learners would be disoriented and
destabilised.
Even if you identify a basic structural flaw in your programme, it
is better to admit it, and work with it or round it, than to try to
redesign your parachute in mid-fall, so to speak. Put it down to
experience, and regard it as a valuable lesson when designing
future learning programmes.
Hopefully though, your design model contains no such

unexpected flaws. Its built-in flexibility and carefully planned
contingency strategies allow you to adapt and improve as you go
along; and the small adjustments you make only serve to
enhance the quality of your individual learners experiences.
Since you have been constantly evaluating these experiences,
you know precisely where you are at each and every stage of
your learning programme. In other words, you are in control.
You now need to know exactly how well you are actually doing.
It is time to measure the success of your learning events, using
Tool 8C, to evaluate the current standard of learner
achievement, and to decide from that what, if any, adjustments
you may have to make.

These evaluation tools should be used to enhance your learners
involvement, to assist their conceptualisation of the learning
experiences, and to help to coordinate the progress of the group.
Tool 8A should be used when you want the learners to give an
indication of where they feel they are in the learning
programme. This is a straightforward tool that can be taken
more or less at face value. You have an opportunity here to
address any central concerns the learner may have.
89
With Tool 8B you gain learner feedback on what they feel about
a particular module or series of modules. You have to be careful
though, as responses, particularly negative ones, can mask other
concerns. You should always take the personality of the
individual learner into account and relate their responses to
what else you know about them through other avenues of
feedback.
Tool 8C is a self-assessment tool which tells you where you are in
the learner programme by clarifying the progress of individual
learners towards pre-defined knowledge and skills outcomes. On
the basis of information gained with this tool you may decide to
make some modifications and adjustments to your training
programme, in conjunction with your learners. Do not, however,
embark on any significant or fundamental structural alterations
as this is likely to destabilise your course and your learners.
810
8A
Learner satisfaction questionnaire
As Blended Training incorporates elements of distance learning and

self-directed learning, learner satisfaction feedback is doubly
important. Silence does not necessarily mean that everything is
going well.
Dissatisfaction may be expressed in a number of ways but will, on
analysis, fall into one of three categories: the materials, the
technology and individual progress. A general validation
questionnaire asking learners, for example, what they found most
useful or what else should be included, is not likely to be very
productive. The answers could conceal structural problems in the
Blended Training project that it would be easier to discover using
more specific questionnaires.
The materials
Course title/Unit no.
Name:
Date:
Please take a few minutes to complete this Materials questionnaire.

Your comments will enable us to make sure you are getting what
you need and to make necessary improvements during the
timetable of this course.
Please grade the following statements, circling the number which
best reflects your view and feel free to write additional comments
in the space provided.
Agree Disagree
The workbooks are clear and easy to follow
123456
The time allocated for each task is about right
123456
The further reading in the Intranet Library is helpful

and relevant
123456
continued
811
8A
continued
Agree Disagree
The video clip was worth the effort of downloading
123456
The feedback forms are quick and easy to complete
123456
The technology
Name:
Date:
Please take a few minutes to complete this Technology

questionnaire. Your comments will enable us to make sure you are
getting what you need and to make necessary improvements
during the timetable of this course.
Agree Disagree
The Internet connections are stable and fast
123456
My computer is giving me no problems
123456
The search facility on the intranet is easy to use

and accurate
123456
I have no problems loading and using the CD-ROM
123456
E-mail to my coach/mentor is responded to promptly 1 2 3 4 5 6
continued
812
8A
continued
Progress
Name:
Date:
Please take a few minutes to complete this Progress questionnaire.

Your comments will enable us to make sure you are getting what
you need and to make necessary improvements during the
timetable of this course.
Agree Disagree
The course is achieving its stated objectives
123456
The course is proving relevant to my job
123456
I am up to date with all my coursework
123456
I have completed all the assessment and

questionnaire forms
123456
I am enjoying the course and feel motivated
123456
813
8B
Effectiveness assessment
This tool comprises a series of statements covering individual

modules to which the learners are asked to respond, on a scale from
Strongly agree to Strongly disagree, with a corresponding box for
their comments. Guidelines for interpreting responses can be found
at the end.
Strongly
agree
Agree
Indifferent Disagree
Strongly
disagree
1. The pre-course
briefing helped
me understand
the need for this
training
2. The material was
easy to follow
3. Too much time
was spent just
listening
4. The basic ideas
and concepts were
clearly presented
5. The sessions
flowed well into
each other
6. There was a clear
sense of direction
throughout
7. The handouts
were clear and
useful
8. The course was
not participative
enough
9. There should
have been more
practical work
Continued
814
8B
Effectiveness assessment
continued
Question 1 obviously pre-supposes there was some pre-course

briefing. You may get a number of answers all asking What precourse briefing?. Alternatively, assuming there was little or no
briefing, learners may make up what they think the aims of the
course are. At any rate, here is an opportunity for you to set out,
and/or clarify, the course objectives.
Question 2 is self-explanatory.
Question 3 will tell you if learners do not feel involved enough in the
session.
Question 4 will tell you whether you are being specific enough or
perhaps over-generalising.
Question 5 will tell you if the learning events reach forward sufficiently
towards the later events, and, in conjunction with Question 6, whether
there is a strong sense of these events building towards their learner
objectives.
Question 7 is self-explanatory.
Question 8 is a good measure of overall course enjoyment. People
like to participate; it is social and fun. If learners say there is the right
amount of participation, they are probably enjoying their
synchronous learning sessions.
Question 9 Hands-on work is obviously more relevant to some
learner outcomes than others.
815
Knowledge outcome
How to identify fire

hazards
Knowledge outcome
Learner
Junior Assistant
Learner
Measure
80% or above pass

score on Part I test
Measure
Example: Measures of success for Fire Monitor
Skills outcome
Ability to carry out

Fire Risk Assessment
Skills outcome
Measure
80% or above pass

score on Fire Risk
Assessment test
based on videodelivered scenario
Measure
Tool 3A is a learning outcomes tool which provides the information for this survey. With this tool you can
match up what someone should know and be able to do, when they have completed this Blended Training,
with measures of whether they have achieved it or not.
By matching learners progress with your required knowledge and skills outcomes, you can see where you
are in the course, and how well your programme is succeeding.
8C
Measures of success
816
Continued
8C
Measures of success
Measure
continued
Learner
Knowledge outcome
Measure
Skills outcome
817
818
APPENDIX
Case Studies
Scottish Enterprise Premier Adviser programme.

The Chartered Institute of Library and Information
Professionals (CILIP) programme.
A training provider adapts.

Blended Training a proven success
Thomson report increased productivity.

Further examples of Blended Training in action
Multinationals.
A small-scale example.
Other comments.
Reference
5 Star Instructional Design Rating.
A1
A2
Case Studies
1. Scottish Enterprise Premier Adviser programme

This is an ongoing Blended Training programme for business
advisers in Scotland.
Primary aim
To enhance and deepen guidance given to existing Scottish
businesses, and especially to assist in the development of new
ones.
Learning outcomes
That the advisers should:
Acquire new skills in absorbing and delivering business advice.

Acquire e-learning skills.
Two factors were identified as having been most crucial to the
success of the project:
There was a compelling case for the initiation of such a project.

There was complete management buy-in (in this case the
Scottish parliament).
One factor was identified as representing the chief obstacle to
success: resistance from the learners, many of whom were
already experienced business advisers. Some (though not all)
had entrenched attitudes towards their jobs, and considered
re-training pointless. There was also a marked resistance to
e-learning.
This learner resistance was assuaged to some extent by the
development of an official accreditation system. Participants
who achieved a certain standard at the end of the course
received a Diploma in Business Counselling, which counted for a
third of a Masters Business Degree.
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The programme was inaugurated with a one-day launch at
which learners received:
A complete programme outline, with synchronous events

scheduled, and deadlines for the performance of
asynchronous tasks.
An introductory workshop session on online learning modules.

A course mentor, allocated to them.
An outline of a Continuous Professional Development plan
(CPD) an online self-assessment tool with which to record
monthly progress; in particular, how the learners were
developing their strengths and overcoming knowledge or
performance gaps.
The programme
The year-long programme comprised:
Access to 72 hours of online learning material.

Support and advice online from a mentor.
Occasional one-day workshops.
Chat rooms.
Monthly virtual classroom learning groups.
Feedback and assessment via the mentor, to whom the
learners had to deliver their monthly CPD, workshop
assessments, tests and case study assignments.
Trainers reported that after a period of about four months,
learner resistance to the training programme was beginning to
disappear, and that motivation and commitment improved
steadily throughout the year.
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Completion
The course was completed with a ceremony at which successful
learners received their diplomas. Those experiencing difficulty
were given a finite amount of extra time and support to achieve
the standard for accreditation.
Summary
The programme was recognised as an outstanding success, and
expanded and extended to hundreds more Scottish business
advisers. In June 2002, 450 Premier Advisers were participating
in the programme, with 2025 additional advisers joining every
fortnight.
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2. The Chartered Institute of Library and

Information Professionals (CILIP) programme
This is another successful ongoing Blended Training programme.
CILIP is the institute which represents all sectors of the Library
and Information community. Their training programme was
specifically designed for school librarians and teachers.
Primary aim
Improving the knowledge and skills of teachers and school
librarians, with regard to Information and Communications
Technology (ICT) in schools.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the course, the learners had to know:
How to use state-of-the-art Information and Communications

Technology to develop and enhance the role of libraries in
schools.
How to use this technology to improve teaching practice.

How to manage resources effectively.
How to support the development of their pupils skills,
knowledge, understanding, and competence with regard to
Information and Communications Technology.
The following factors were later identified as having been crucial
to the success of the programme:
The participants, being already involved in education, were

wholly familiar with and committed to the idea of learning.
The trainers worked in close collaboration with an education

provider, long experienced in delivering professional training
using online materials Canterbury Christ Church University
College.
The management of CILIP were completely on board in terms

of preferring a wholly blended approach. As their head of
training put it, they were determined to avoid a dump-andrun model.
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The chief obstacles to success were that lack of funding meant
the scheme could not be pilot-tested and that there was some
learner resistance towards the self-directed segments of the
learning programme.
Learners were sent an Outline Pack and a password for a
supporting website. They were also sent a form in which they
were required to assess their own existing ICT knowledge and
skills. Then the course started with a one-day preliminary
session during which participants were introduced to the online
skills they would need during the training.
The programme
The programme was scheduled to run for one year (during three
school terms) and comprised:
The learners devising their own learning plan for self-paced

learning.
Access to 50 hours of online learning.

A second one-day session (after one month) focusing on the
application of ICT skills in a library situation.
Online discussion groups.

Learner assessment of their achievement after each separate
module, overseen and signed by the tutor.
A second trainer (mentor) whose job was to ensure that

learners were comfortable with self-paced, online learning.
Submission of a final action plan at the end of the course.

Completion
At the end of the third term, successful trainees received a CILIP
Certificate of Completion. They had the option of also
submitting a portfolio of work, which represented 2040 units
towards a further Higher Education qualification.
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Summary
CILIP recognises that this programme is successfully achieving
its course objectives. Since 1999, over 800 individuals have
embarked on the programme. It is sustaining and enhancing the
Institutes reputation as a provider of quality training in its field.
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3. A training provider adapts

Coming to terms with e-learning technologies is sometimes a
daunting task even for experienced trainers. Here is how one
traditional, classroom-based training provider adapted their
principles and practices to accommodate Blended Training.
The exemplary organisation is a distinguished soft skills training
provider. With the proliferation of Information and Learning
Technologies, the company felt the need to take on board Webbased methods of training. Soft skills, however, are by their very
nature interactive, and ideally acquired through role-play and
in-job practice. Do computer-based technologies have a role to
play even here? The company set up a product development
team to find out.
Project aims
To discover to what extent soft skills can be taught online.

To develop the technologies to deliver this.
The project
The first thing the team decided was that they needed expert
help. After shopping around, they enlisted the aid of two leading
designers of e-based learning modules; one focusing on the
development of asynchronous tools, the other on that of
synchronous tools.
The asynchronous vendors were assigned the task of designing
interactive programmes to be delivered over low bandwidth. The
eventual modules included read-only content for delivery of
basic knowledge and skills and more complicated and interactive
tools for learners who needed to acquire more complex skills.
The brief for the vendor of synchronous programmes was to
provide breakout rooms and opportunities to practise skills,
following up asynchronous work
When the team was happy with the technology, they put
themselves into the learners shoes and pilot-tested the material.
This led to modifications, before they eventually agreed the final
format.
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The final format

Learn how to learn online
This programme consisted of how to teach basic navigation
techniques, create tools, and provided ground-rules and tips for
an effective Blended Training programme.
Participant guides
This contained examples of pre-work exercises and Module
Instructions.
Asynchronous web modules
This programme examined the mechanisms relevant to selfpaced learning. It covered course content, reinforcement,
examples, interactive exercises, assessments and tools.
Live instructor-led events
This programme examined the advantages and techniques of
synchronous learning. It pointed out the opportunity for
learners to ask questions, interact with each other, practise skills
and so on. It emphasised the use of breakout rooms as an
essential online tool.
Just-in-time tools
This programme examined the re-use of asynchronous material
later as reinforcement tools. It also provided examples,
refreshment exercises, tip sheets and other supplementary items.
Later modifications
The team discovered that in practice there was often a major
difficulty in getting learners to complete asynchronous tasks;
and this had a knock-on effect in synchronous modules. They
decided that a facilitator should be added to the training team.
The role of this facilitator was essentially to:
Warm up learners before a classroom session.

Recap on asynchronous work that should have been
completed.
Provide help with technical questions and problems.

Lead whiteboarding sessions.
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Help facilitate in breakout rooms.

Respond to chat notes.
Handle late arrivals and problems with disruptive learners;
personality clashes and so on.
Summary
The results for the training company proved revelatory. Not only
were traditional classroom techniques adequately simulated in a
virtual classroom, but they found that e-technologies provided
unparalleled opportunities for the expansion and assimilation of
learning. Many of the soft skills they were worried about are in
any case, they discovered, conducted these days largely via
e-mail and telephone, so the blended solution proved more
appropriate and realistic than the traditional model. It took the
team a few attempts to get it right, but in the end, the benefits
have proved well worth the investment.
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Blended Training a proven success

Thomson report increased productivity
Evidence of the efficacy of Blended Training in increasing
employee productivity is coming in from all sides. A recent
report by Thomson Learning (the most comprehensive such
report to date) found that learners benefiting from a Blended
Training approach, performed job tasks on average with
30 per cent greater accuracy, and 41 per cent faster, than those
in non-Blended Training programmes.
The report called Thomson Job Impact Study: The Next
Generation of Corporate Learning (see Further reading) is the
result of two years research into the effectiveness of Blended
Training techniques, undertaken in conjunction with a number
of companies including Lockheed-Martin, NCR, and the
Executive Service Corps of Chicago, plus various academic
bodies including Utah State University and the University of
Limerick. A standard for evaluation was established based on
Merrills First Principles of Instruction.
The report compares traditional classroom-based learning, and
unsupported online learning, with a Blended Training approach;
and analyses the results. It is the first report specifically to relate
learning techniques to performance in the workplace.
Three learning models were examined over a two-year period:
groups given a Blended Training course

groups given just online training, or a traditional classroom
approach
groups receiving no outside training (control groups).
The study demonstrated that the Blended Training groups
consistently and significantly out-performed groups given
traditional or online training when the participants applied their
learning in actual job situations. Incidentally, the Blended
Training groups performed tasks with 159 per cent greater
accuracy than those given no training at all. Thomson Learning
commented that they hoped that the study would set an
industry standard for performance and accountability.
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Further examples of Blended Training in action

Multinationals
The major users of e-learning at the moment are large
multinational companies with workforces of over 5,000. Smaller
businesses have been slow to see the advantages of this type of
training, or to realise that it can supply relevant solutions for
them. It should be clear however that a Blended Training
approach with its built in flexibility and client customisation is
eminently suitable for businesses of any scale. The benefits that
the huge corporations are discovering should be an inspiration.
IBM, in training a workforce of over 95,000, reports that it has
saved $200million per annum by the use of e-technologies.
Dow Chemicals, by switching 80 per cent of training for Health
and Safety procedures over to the Internet, reports savings of
$100 million a year. They identify these savings as coming
mainly from lower travel costs, smaller hotel bills, and less time
lost from work. E-learning courses are usually designed to fit in
with work requirements, and can be accessed at any time, so
employees are increasingly able to study from home.
But it is recognised that e-learning by itself can not produce a
well-skilled and motivated workforce. Some of the limitations
mentioned most frequently are:
There can be technical obstacles often a high bandwidth is

required.
Though off-the-shelf products are relatively cheap, the

products themselves are often poorly designed. It becomes
necessary to design your own customised software, and this is
likely to be expensive. It is estimated that while a traditional
classroom session averages 50 hours of preparation time, an
hours worth of e-learning requires 250 hours!
Though self-paced learning is seen as having the Triple-A

advantage Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere in practice
learners need to be encouraged, reminded and pushed to meet
deadlines or complete tasks.
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Games and simulations over the Internet can provide more

realistic in-work training, but instructor-led classrooms and chat
rooms are increasingly seen as essential environments to deliver
a fully-rounded learning experience.
The chief advantage of the classroom is that you can ask
questions. The chief advantage of CD-ROM is cost; however
with Web-based learning you get the best of both worlds.
(A managing director.)
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A small-scale example
Here is a smaller-scale business example of effective Blended
Training in action. The company devised a course for improving
sales techniques. It comprised:
A one-day introductory session, giving basic course

information and instruction in self-paced online learning.
A five-week course on advanced sales solutions during which

the delegates put into practice the basic knowledge and skills
they had acquired in a hands-on computer-simulated
environment. They were given online coaching and
mentoring, and case-study assignments which involved
negotiating business deals.
A final day-long session during which the staff received

feedback and evaluation, and were presented with a Course
Certificate.
At the end of the five weeks, the Head of Training echoed the
comment quoted at the end of the previous section, in saying
that: Blended Training incorporates the best of both worlds.
Other comments
Blended Training is many things to many people. Here are two
further typical comments. In the first, the learning manager of a
consultancy firm said that he found that Blended Training:
Speeded up the lead time in briefing people ... meant we could
train large numbers of people quickly, with a minimum of time
spent off the job.
The priorities for a management consultancy group were that
Blended Training: was critical in shifting sunk-in attitudes ...
all about getting agreement and putting decisions into action.
Comments like this, from smaller-scale organisations, indicate
that there is a vast untapped market for Blended Training, and
that the possibilities inherent in this mixture of traditional and
modern methods are only just beginning to be realised.
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Reference
5 Star Instructional Design Rating
This article, by Dr M. David Merrill of Utah State University, links
with the principles of course design covered mainly in Units 3 and 4
of this Toolkit. Further details on this topic can be found at
http://id2.usu.edu/5Star/Index.htm and information on the author
at http://id2.usu.edu/MDavidMerrill/index.htm. The article itself
can be found at http://id2.usu.edu/5Star/FiveStarRating.PDF.
The rating system consists of five stars, one each for Problem,
Activation, Demonstration, Application, and Integration. Each
star has three levels bronze, silver, or gold depending on whether
detailed criteria are met for each category1.
Does the instruction teach kinds-of, how-to or what-happens?
Five star rating is not appropriate for reference material or
isolated facts and may be inappropriate for psychomotor skill
courseware.
Is the instructional architecture tutorial or experiential?
Five star rating is most appropriate for tutorial or experiential
(simulation) courseware. It may not be appropriate for receptive
or exploratory courseware2. A lecture is a typical receptive
architecture. In receptive courseware information is provided
but no effort is made to make sure learners acquire the
information. Receptive courseware is sometimes called sprayand-pray instruction. Unstructured problem solving is typical
exploratory courseware. Learners are given a problem to solve
and provided with a rich variety of resources but little guidance.
Exploratory courseware is sometimes called sink-or-swim
instruction.
Is the courseware Tell-&-Ask (T&A) instruction?
Many contemporary courses can be characterized as Tell-&-Ask
(T&A) instruction. That is, information is presented and a few
multiple-choice, true-false, or short-answer, rememberinformation-that-was-presented questions are tacked onto the
end of a module or the course. This type of course is
information-only and it does not meet the basic requirements for
certification. There is no need to apply the other criterion. T&A
instruction gets no stars.
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1. Is the courseware presented in the context of real-world

problems?
a. Does the courseware show learners the task they will be
able to do or the problem they will be able to solve as a
result of completing a module or course?
b. Are students engaged at the problem or task level not just
the operation or action levels?
c. Does the courseware involve a progression of problems
rather than a single problem?
2. Does the courseware attempt to activate relevant prior
knowledge or experience?
a. Does the courseware direct learners to recall, relate,
describe, or apply knowledge from relevant past experience
that can be used as a foundation for new knowledge?
b. Does the courseware provide relevant experience that can
be used as a foundation for the new knowledge?
c. If learners already know some of the content are they
given an opportunity to demonstrate their previously
acquired knowledge or skill?
3. Does the courseware demonstrate (show examples) of what
is to be learned rather than merely tell information about
what is to be learned?3
a. Are the demonstrations (examples) consistent with the
content being taught?
(1) Examples and non-examples for concepts?
(2) Demonstrations for procedures?
(3) Visualizations for processes?
(4) Modeling for behavior?
b. Are at least some of the following learner guidance
techniques employed?
(1) Learners are directed to relevant information?
(2) Multiple representations are used for the
demonstrations?
(3) Multiple demonstrations are explicitly compared?
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c. Is media relevant to the content and used to enhance

learning?
4. Do learners have an opportunity to practice and apply their
newly acquired knowledge or skill?
a. Are the application (practice) and the post-test consistent
with the stated or implied objectives?4
(1) Information-about practice requires learners to recall
or recognize information.
(2) Parts-of practice requires the learners to locate, name,
and/or describe each part.
(3) Kinds-of practice requires learners to identify new
examples of each kind.
(4) How-to practice requires learners to do the procedure.
(5) What-happens practice requires learners to predict a
consequence of a process given conditions, or to find
faulted conditions given an unexpected consequence.
b. Does the courseware require learners to use new
knowledge or skill to solve a varied sequence of problems
and do learners receive corrective feedback on their
performance?
c. In most application or practice activities, are learners able
to access context sensitive help or guidance when having
difficulty with the instructional materials? Is this coaching
gradually diminished as the instruction progresses?
5. Does the courseware provide techniques that encourage
learners to integrate (transfer) the new knowledge or skill
into their everyday life?
a. Does the courseware provide an opportunity for learners
to publicly demonstrate their new knowledge or skill?
b. Does the courseware provide an opportunity for learners
to reflect-on, discuss, and defend their new knowledge or
skill?
c. Does the courseware provide an opportunity for learners
to create, invent, or explore new and personal ways to use
their new knowledge or skill?
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1 The
author is from Utah, home for the 2002 Winter Olympics. The rating system has
no doubt been influenced by this event.
2 For a more detailed discussion of instructional architectures see Ruth Clark (1998),
Building Expertise: Cognitive Methods for Training and Performance Improvement.
International Society for Performance Improvement.
3 The consistency criterion should be applied first. If demonstrations are inconsistent
then it doesn't matter if there is learner guidance or if the media is relevant. If
demonstrations are consistent then additional credit should be awarded for guidance
and/or relevant media.
4 The consistency requirement should be applied first. If the practice and/or test are
inconsistent then a sequence of problems is irrelevant and guidance is irrelevant. If
the practice and test is consistent then progression and guidance should receive
additional credit.
5 Star Instructional Design Rating April 27, 2001 M. David Merrill
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The Blended

advice, templates and checklists

Mike Levy and Dai Jenkins

The Blended Training Toolkit

Fenman Limited 2002

Published by Fenman Limited

Commissioning Editor: Angela Wilde

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data.

FENMAN registered trademark

THE BLENDED TRAINING TOOLKIT AT A GLANCE

What is Blended Training?

Has it anything to offer my learners,

1A How blended are you

Use your experience to help

4B How do you learn?

Decisions about your project.

Costing and compromise

Looking at the needs of your

Skills needed to succeed with

2A How do you rate yourself?

Convincing yourself and

Resistance you are likely to

Making a case for Blended

Options for delivery.

5F Can I use it online?

Project management skills

7A Your project management

Analyse, define and develop

Reliability of your systems

5C Backup planning sheet

Find the assistance you need.

Learners objectives define

What might slow you down?

Analysis and design

3B Merrills First Principles

Learners road map

6B Learners road map

7E What people do you need?

What could go wrong?

Instructional design model

Develop a flowchart for your

7G Blended Training project

5 Star Instructional Design

The importance of feedback.

Branding, consistency and

How to evaluate feedback.

Measure the success of your

Blending your programme.

7F Ingredients for successful

Course objectives align

6E Smooth blend checklist

Foreword and sample case study

About this resource

A word about copyright

How to use this resource

How to use the CD-ROM

About the authors

The case for Blended Training

Selling the benefits of Blended Training

Planning a Blended Training project

Choosing the right delivery mechanisms

The e-element in Blended Training design

Blending your training

Managing your project