Blended Learning Essentials: Getting Started

Explore blended learning methods

This course is designed to help anyone teaching in the vocational education and training (VET) sector understand the benefits of blended learning. You will find out how to use technology more effectively to support your learners, and understand how to better embed it in your classroom.

Supported by industry experts, you’ll connect with teaching and training professionals who understand the practical challenges of using blended learning.

You’ll discover the importance of being able to blend digital learning methods into your teaching, to help your learners become familiar with the digital workplaces they’ll be joining.

Prepare to embed blended learning in your teaching practice

You’ll learn the principles of blended learning and will review a number of case studies to see how it can be applied in different environments.

After an activity that encourages you to review your own readiness to implement blended learning - and what processes you may need to follow, to develop it - you will explore how other educators have overcome similar challenges.

Consider how your VLE can support blending learning

You may be able to better support blended learning within your virtual learning environment, but it never hurts to have some extra resources ready. This course will review your current VLE options and offer a range of open educational resources to expand your options.

Design blended learning options that suit your learners

Once you’ve understood the principles and resources available, it’s time to look at designing your own approach.

Upon completion of this course, you’ll have a solid foundation in blended learning and a better understanding of your options when it comes to using it within your teaching. You’ll also be ready to move to the next course in this ExpertTrack, which focuses on implementation.

This course is aimed at everyone working in further education, skills training, vocational education, workplace learning and lifelong learning or adult education. Whether you are directly supporting learners or delivering training, this course will help you use blended learning more effectively.

This course is aimed at everyone working in further education, skills training, vocational education, workplace learning and lifelong learning or adult education. Whether you are directly supporting learners or delivering training, this course will help you use blended learning more effectively.

• Identify ways in which new technology can contribute to the difficult challenges facing the VET, FE and Skills sector.
• Evaluate the many free or affordable tools now available to enhance teaching and learning.
• Apply your knowledge of blended learning to develop training materials using appropriate technologies.
• Evaluate a variety of effective blended learning approaches and apply the most suitable to your delivery in order to improve the learners' experience and attainment.