If you’re reading this, chances are, you know your way around digital devices. However, when it comes to learning, too many of us shirk modern technologies in favour of printed course materials.
There’s a reason we do this; it’s easy, it’s what we know, and there’s actually nothing wrong with print media, despite what your tablet manufacturer might tell you. However, whether it be print or digital, an overreliance on single-channel learning content doesn’t work for everyone. We all know that one person who can’t tell their left-click from their right, or the person so glued to their device it’s become a part of their arm.
Nowadays, leading L&D departments are shifting the way they work to accommodate these different learning styles. The Mimeo State of L&D Report has shown that 27% of learning professionals offer all of their materials in both print and digital format, with 70% offering more than half of their materials in a blended format.
However, overall, only 54% are looking to move to a blended print and digital solution – and this could be a risky mistake. Single-channel content may seem easier to manage, but it leaves some learners out in the cold.
Self-Directed Learning
Malcolm Knowles’ adult learning theory of Self-Directed Learning makes a distinction between self-directed learning, in which students take the initiative and decide what they should learn, and reactive learners that prefer to be led by an instructor in a heavily structured course.
Self-directed learners are, for want of a better term, power learners. You can throw all the textbooks in the world at somebody, but if they’re not engaged, none of it will stick – but these learners are already engaging with your content and using it to inform their learning.
Reactive learners will stick rigidly to your course materials as they’re presented; however, self-directed learners are going to want to choose how to tackle your course material, whether that means downloading it onto their device, flipping through an annotated copy, or a combination of the two.
Simply put, self-directed learners are more successful when provided with a blended learning solution, and are stifled by a lack of choice. In fact, by only presenting students with a singular option – printed, or digital content – you might be encouraging them to be reactive learners by removing choice altogether.
The solution? Offer a blend of print and digital.
Why Blended
There isn’t a ‘best’ way to deliver your learning content. In fact, there are myriad advantages to both printed and digital learning content.
While printed content is, arguably, easier to manage, digital learning introduces cost and time benefits and can remove course size restrictions. It’s also important to remember the true purpose of the Internet – to communicate with others. In fact, 61% of learners are motivated to learn online by using technologies that allow them to network and work with others. It also cuts down on waste, as you can update your materials on the fly.
Recently, there’s been a trend in studies seeking to prove that we learn and retain information better in a printed format. The tactile feel of physical learning materials could break through the digital noise of modern life, forcing executives to leave their devices at the door and actually concentrate on the course material. Plus, printed materials feature “always on” technology – you don’t need a charger for a sheet of paper.
Luckily, thanks to cloud printing and digital distribution, you can enjoy the benefits of both worlds.