The New Normal: Online, Classroom or Blended Training?

In a post COVID world we are evolving and shifting. The need for adaptive delivery of training has meant a shift that cannot be ignored. Students are now familiar with online training as their preferred method and those who have managed to sustain employment are now prioritising that.

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Many providers learnt early on, online learning is not an easy translation from face-to-face delivery. Students studying online may struggle to comprehend key subject matter and may require additional support measures that RTOs have not thought of. They may also require more regular check-ins and contact to ensure comprehension. This is in line with Clause 1.7 of the Standards for RTOs 2015 to ensure that students are well supported throughout their studies.

As we return to a “COVID normal” and our communities and world begin to settle in to a new way of living, blended delivery may be the middle ground to move us forward.

From a business point of view, education institutions are paying for training facilities and buildings to deliver education and it would be beneficial to be utilising this investment. From an education perspective, students will be more engaged and your retention can be increased by face to face workshops or activities.

Blended learning also caters for those students who need to continue working and manage a family. The classroom sessions are minimal but consistent and the online learning can be completed around their other commitments. This style of delivery also means a cohort has less time on campus which can facilitate higher volumes of workshops with less frequency to ensure social distancing and density requirements are met.

COVID-19 has impacted us in many ways, including by changing the way education is delivered and that change is now here to stay.

Please note, ASQA defines a full-time course as a minimum of 20 scheduled course contact hours per week.