Book review
Blended learning: how to integrate online and traditional learning
Kogan Page, March 2003
Author: Kay Thorne
In the introduction to her new book, Kay Thorne says
that it is written for trainers and development HR professionals,
line managers, training consultants, lecturers, learning designers
and senior executives. A diverse audience. Maybe it is in trying
to address such a diversity of needs that the book falls down, because
to my mind it meets the needs of none of these people.
At the outset, in the section on definitions, 'developing
an employer brand' is given strong prominence. This seems odd. Branding
is a highly relevant issue for implementation, but surely starting
with needs and benefits would be more logical?
As the book progresses, my worries multiply. No space at all is
given to cost or organisational benefits, factors which surely any
reader, whatever their role, would need to consider in designing
a blend. In the chapter headed 'How to Support Blended Learning',
the author embarks on a whistle stop tour of theories on learning
styles, multiple intelligences and Kolb's learning cycle, a selection
that feels at best arbitrary and at worst irrelevant. Learning theory
is pertinent to all learning but attempting to cover it with integrity
and meaningfulness in a matter of paragraphs is, frankly, over-ambitious.
The change management steps outlined are practical - strategy,
sponsorship, champion, discussion paper, internal cross-function
teams, along with an audit of current provision, identification
of suppliers and tendering. However, they represent a well-trodden
path for change management and do not address the specifics of organisational
and cultural change when related to a shift in the learning culture.
Where you expect to get to the real meat - in the section on designing
blended learning - the book again disappoints. The piece on creativity
seems bizarre and completely misplaced in such a book. Where there
should be practical advice on how performance needs are understood,
audiences and content are analysed, media selected, developed and
tested, Kaye Thorne explores concepts of inspiration and stages
of creativity. In my experience, defining blends does need an element
of creativity, but analytical skills play a far more important role.
The section on Training Needs Analysis (TNA), when it does come,
is cursory. And much store is put on reflection and evaluation -
important for sure, but later in the order of priorities.
When Thorne does eventually get into design principles the guidance
is superficial and overly e-learning focused. There is no sense
of integration and building learning through the blend.
So does this volume have any redeeming features? Well yes. The
case studies are excellent. Ranging from Rolls Royce, via Ashridge
Consulting to Thinq, they give practical insights into blend implementations
from key stakeholders themselves. Indeed Epic's work with Diageo
is well documented here.
However, taken as a whole, the book manages not to engage with
the main issues relating to blended learning in any coherent or
detailed way. It encompasses an eclectic set of topics, but few
of these sit comfortably in a relevant discussion about blended
learning. And the omission of any discussion of cost benefit analysis
and return on investment seems, to my mind, extraordinary.
Okay, I'll stop sitting on the fence… I didn't like it.
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