L&D professionals have been chasing the concept of blended learning for decades—and they seem to keep missing the mark. I think one of the first items we, as an industry, need to agree on and understand is what blended learning really is.

Is blended learning  a term that we use to denote training that is "cheaper" because the training experience and content moves out of the classroom? Is blended learning mostly e-learning with a little bit of classroom thrown in? Practitioners seem to have many answers to these questions.

Some have even latched onto the idea that blended learning might actually be a magic bullet. Granted, blended learning can be a cost saver, as well as increase retention and improve performance—but only when done purposefully and with thought behind it. 

The Blended Learning Certificate program is not only a certificate program, it is one of immersion. It allows the participant to experience a blended format and discover what it means to design, develop, and deliver a blended learning program.

Through pre-work, classroom experience, and online participation, each participant comes away with an understanding that blended learning is more than e-learning. Indeed, a great deal of emphasis is placed on discussing not only what blended learning really is, but also what methods are used in a blended curriculum. Learners discuss a strategy for developing a blended program, as well as how to build a business case.

Join me in Chicago on July 14, 2014, or in Boston on August 4, 2014, for my next Blended Learning Certificate Program.