Blended learning: going according to Plan

Last night I attended an award ceremony for the UK National Training Awards and was delighted to see one of my blended learning designs for the child development charity Plan International recognised with a national award. The Plan Certificate in Management, a one-year programme for middle and senior managers around the world, was designed in conjunction with Learning and Development Manager, Karen Coleman and course tutor, Gary Ford. The solution had not only to be economical in terms of travel requirements, but also practical in the way it could be deployed in third world countries where Internet connections weren't always guaranteed. The blend included a wide range of elements:

• Commitment to a learner's and manager's contract before the start of the course.
• A 360 degree feedback survey, delivered at the beginning and end of the course, using online software from Track Surveys.
• Coaching sessions with the learner's manager, before and after each unit of the course.
• Online self-study content from Harvard Business School Publishing, supplied through LMMatters.
• Regular live online sessions, featuring experts from Plan itself, and external speakers; all delivered using Elluminate with funding help through the LINGOS programme for NGOs.
• Individual and collaborative activities, including learner blogs, managed using Moodle.
• A three-day, face-to-face, skill-building workshop.

It has been great to see Plan able to deliver a top-quality management development programme at minimal cost to such a far-flung audience. An interesting side-effect has been a much greater awareness of the potential of online tools, the impact of which extends far beyond training.