Virtual Vs. Classroom Training:
What’s Your Organization’s Perfect Blend?
by Pete Weaver, DDI
In my 30 years in this industry, I’ve seen a lot of technological booms and busts. From U-Matic tapes to BetaMax to VHS; from videodiscs to laserdiscs, CD-ROMs, and DVDs; from CBT to WBT to virtual classrooms—there have been many changes. As DDI’s informal Chief Technology Officer and a lifelong “techie,” I’ve explored each technology to ensure that DDI would always be current and using the right mix of technologies for our clients. But what impresses me most is that through the changing e-atmosphere, one thing remains the same: No matter how advanced, easy to use, or promising, technology will never fully replace people when it comes to most kinds of learning.
Trainers have always innovated and used a mix of techniques to help their students learn. But with computers and the Internet came a new frontier for training as we experimented with various combinations of technologies. In fact, we at DDI coined and trademarked the phrase The Magic is in the Mix® even before the industry adopted today’s common term, blended learning. But by using either term, we mean at least a combination of classroom and online learning. And as advances expand the Internet’s potential, the definition of blended learning broadens as well.
Today we have virtual classrooms, Web-based training, online performance support, practice labs, games, simulations, blogs, and Podcasts, and the list goes on. But how do you know what the right mix is for your organization? How do you know which technologies are worth investing in, and how you can ensure that your organization supports and sustains them?
To learn more, I invite you to download a copy of my new white paper, Technology and Leadership Development: Blending with the End in Mind and visit our blended learning website. The white paper addresses the benefits and pitfalls of the many technologies available for leadership development professionals and offers five best practices to consider when implementing a blended learning initiative. I suggest you read it quickly—technology continues to outpace its analysis!
About the Author
Pete Weaver is senior vice president of DDI’s Leadership Solutions & chief learning officer. He oversees the development and implementation of DDI's leadership development systems, e-learning systems and other emerging technologies. Contact him at pete.weaver@ddiworld.com.
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