Paul Dillon, over at The Learning Guys posted this week about how ChinesePod exemplifies ‘blended learning’, those hybrid combinations of online/offline ways that people are using to learn these days. There is much interest in the corporate world about the benefits of blended learning, and deserevedly so. As a consultant who actually implements these ideas, Paul seems to know what he’s talking about.
ChinesePod does indeed blend various means to enable the most possible convenience, relevance, time-effectiveness, etc. I guess the icing on that cake for him is the 8 Week Program that includes a daily phone practice session. It’s great to see someone realize the full value of what we’re trying to do.
Apparently Paul and his co-blogger will recount their experiences in the world of blended learning ( and, I hope, ChinesePod). I wish them the best of luck. At the same time I hope to elaborate (in some detail!) on my own ideas concerning this topic. Watch this space.
Ken Carroll
Ken
ChinesePod is a great example of what might be called Learning 2.0.
One of the characteristics of Learning 2.0 is providing the learner with a menu of learning options to choose from. I can select the ChinesePod learning options that work for me, and create a very personalized learning path.
In the Learning Guys blog, we explore how technology and social media are transforming how we learn and how we communicate. I intend to comment on my progess in learning Mandarin with ChinesePod on a regular basis (every week or 2). I am sharing my learning “story” with my clients and others as a way to begin a dialogue about how to implement Learning 2.0 in an organizational setting.
I am looking forward to seeing how ChinesePod evolves. And of course I will come along for the ride!
Paul Dillon