Gadoci says they ve already had nibbles from non-salespeople meeting planners and the like who will probably sign up for the PCMA course next year. In the meantime, with the evaluations from the second class still coming in, her division is beginning to look at ways the blended-learning approach can translate to other kinds of training. According to Morrow, PCMA is working with the International Association for Exhibition Management to roll out another facilitated online course next fall. The two associations have worked with Morrow during the past two years to write the textbook and to edit the teaching modules. For Morrow, who clearly loves being in the classroom, teaching the CASE program offers her the best of both worlds.
Training can be a bit like politics at times.
On one side of the aisle, you have the e-learning believers those who are committed to delivering 100 percent of their courses using technology. On the other side, you find those who cling to the notion that the only place to learn is in the classroom. But if you pay attention to the buzz at training and e-learning conferences, you ll notice the two sides are starting to come together. The idea of using a blend of technology and classroom training to provide the most effective experience is finding a place in a number of organizations. To get a better idea of the extent to which this hybrid approach is being embraced, we asked our readers about their use of blended learning.