Virtual Blended Learning

IN PLAIN ENGLISH

What is Virtual Blended Learning?

Is online learning right for my company?

Questions you need to ask.

Virtual Blended Learning and ROI.

Copyright Ad_Lib Language Service Ltd. 2010

Is there a business case for investing in foreign language training for employees?

In the current economic climate every investment tends to come under close scrutiny and training budgets usually are thefirst to get cut. Yet, a recently published research suggest that even though cost cutting might be in order in many areas,neglecting language training can have a very detrimental effect on the company's reputation and revenue.

The data quoted in this document comes from a report published recently by TIRF - The International ResearchFoundation for English Language Education - a non-profit organization whose goal is to generate new knowledge aboutEnglish language teaching and learning.

“Plurilingualism, and proficiency in English as a second or foreign language in particular, matter greatly in the global economy, and they matter to employers as well as to individuals. Indeed, it is possible to estimate the effect of language on business performance.”(The Impact of English and Plurilingualism in Global Corporations - TIRF Report)

The  key  areas  that  may  negatively be  affected  by the lack of language proficiency  in corporations are:

buyer/seller  relationships, foreign market expansion, joint  ventures, headquarter-subsidiary relationships, staffing  policies

“The  literature  and  the  data  from  the  corporations  we  surveyed strongly suggest that there are measurable economic returns on English and  plurilingual  skills  for  individuals,  corporations, and  economies. TIRF’s findings also suggest that there is a considerable price to be paid if corporate global and local communications fail, or are ineffective due to  poor  language  proficiency  of employees.”

(The Impact of English and Plurilingualism in Global Corporations - TIRF Report)

Other negative effects of the lack of appropriate language training include: Revenue Impact: Lost Opportunities: Decreased customer satisfaction due to inaccurate and incomplete information or slower

response times due to language barriers. Reduced sales performance due to missed opportunities and inefficient communication affecting

sales cycle, close rates, and order sizes. Reduction in expansion speed due to a lack of a common language and poor goal alignment due

to inadequate communication. Increased merger and acquisition issues such as lack of company-wide proficiency to facilitate

cultural integration and business process alignment. Cost Impact: Decreased Productivity: Increased response times Losses in productivity due to translation demands. Increased need to provide organizational supports to verify accuracy and quality of work, which

can be costly. Reduced opportunities in succession planning due to the lack of language-related qualifications. Increase in resources diverted to translation.(Source: TIRF Report)

Language impact on the employee: Employees feel increasingly pressured to

use English, but feel they  are not  always prepared. There is a large and growing English gap, with 91% of employees indicating English is critical or important for their  jobs, but with only 8% stating that their current English abilities are adequate to be successful in their jobs.

The need for English is spreading, affecting all levels of an organization, a broad array of employees, and a growing number of work situations where English increasingly matters for both internal and external communication purposes.

English-speaking employees in non-English-speaking countries have a job advancement advantage relative to those  who  lack proficiency in English.

(Source: TIRF Report)

Areas positively affected through language training include:

employee satisfaction performance productivity attendance mobility

Blended Learning refers to a mix of different learning environments. In a language-teaching context it usually refers to combining synchronous, face-to-face instruction (i.e. live lessons carried out in real-time) with asynchronous, usually computer assisted learning.

In the case of Virtual Blended Learning offered by Ad_Lib Business, both synchronous and asynchronous learning takes place online. It comprises:

• (asynchronous) an online learning platform accessible to the students 24/7 and consisting of:

• a series of Interactive Learning Modules• a series of Email assignments; corrected and annotated by a tutor• a series of Forum tasks which allow the student to interact with each other in

English and practice newly acquired skills

• (synchronous) live lessons taking place in a virtual classroom and using VOIP solutions or telephone

Introducing Virtual Blended Learning .

Traditional Language Training Virtual Blended Learning:

Placement • Paper assessment test • Online test

Scheduling Training • Schedule the course• Organise the venue or travel arrangements

• Schedule an online event (via email)

Delivering Training • Local or remote ‘bricks and mortar’ venue• 1-to-1 or group tuition

• Interactive Learning Modules (ILM)• Live online tutition (1-to-1 or groups)• Online learning communities • Unlimited email support

Tutors • Tutors available locally • Wide choice of tutors who are:– native speakers of English– fully qualified to teach– LANCELOT-trained (i.e. qualified to deliver training online)

Live learning activities (synchronous learning)

• Introducing and explaining new material• Pairwork and group practice• Discussion• Exercises• Listening activities, video• Pronunciation practice

• Targeted explanations (explaining the material already introduced in ILMs)• Pairwork, breakout groups• Discussion• File and application sharing (if appropriate)• Live chat• Audio and video activities• Pronunciation practice

Homework (asynchronous learning)

• Exercises• Writing assignments

• Introducing new material through ILMs• Reading and listening practice• Interactive exercises• Email tasks and support• Forum tasks

In Person Training: Virtual Blended Learning:

Contingencies (employees unable to attend classes due to business travel, illness, etc)

• Students who are absent receive a hard copy of the materials (handouts, etc) and try to 'catch up'.

•Students can accless ILMs 24/7 from any computer connected to the internet•Students can access live sessions from any computer with a good broadband connection.•1-to-1 tuition can be rescheduled 'no questions asked' with a minimum of 24hrs notification

Progress assessment • In-house paper or software test • Online test

Speed of learning • Standard • Accelerated

The benefits of Virtual Blended Learning:

flexible easily adapted to the level of individual students standardised content, yet easily customisable to meet

specific objectives of each client / student time and cost-effective; eliminating the expenses

associated with travel or booking a venue faster progress with fewer live lessons 'green', environmentally responsible, training solution increases confidence when dealing with long-distance

communication (telephone, email, web) increases web literacy and web-engagement (indicated

greater engagement on company's intranet) entirely browser-based solution with no need for any

installation or download integrated VOIP; telephone conference calls also available

(headset needed) experienced, LANCELOT-certified, tutors; native speakers

of English

When is online learning particularly appropriate?

The target audience is large and/or geographically dispersed. The students are located in places where availability of highly-qualified native speakers

might be limited The students work away from the main office and would not be able to attend regular

classes The students' role in the company requires them to travel frequently. They can learn

asynchronously in their own time and access live lessons from any place in the world providing they have got good internet access

The students need to master long distance communication in English (web interactions, email and telephone etiquette, cold calling, video conferencing, etc)

You should consider more traditional training methods when:

1. You cannot be sure that all students will have access to computers with sufficient broadband speed

2. You need to teach absolute beginners students with no knowledge of English whatsoever will probably struggle with using

programmes where the interface and language of instruction is English. They will also probably benefit more from real-life interaction with a tutor, ideally one who also speaks their native language

3. The computer literacy of the potential students is very low this does not necessarily disqualify these students from benefiting from online learning.

However, what needs to be taken into account is that a lot of time that otherwise would be spent on improving their language skills will go towards increasing their computer literacy. A language tutor is not necessarily the best person to deliver basic IT training.

4. Students exhibit very low motivation towards learning again, this does not mean that these students will not benefit from training at all. Yet, the

fact the asynchronous component plays such crucial role in Blended Learning, requires the students to take some responsibility for their own learning. A certain degree of self-discipline is required in order to make the most of the online learning platform available to the students as a part of the course.

Traditional Language Training Virtual Blended Learning

Requirements: Synchronous Off Line Synchronous Online Asynchronous Online

Highly mobile studentsNO YES YES

Geographically dispersed students NO YES YES

Students need to master long distance communication skills DIFFICULT YES YES

Students need to be introduced to new technologies

NO YES YES

Learners need high levels of guidance YES YES DIFFICULT

Low learning motivation levels YES YES DIFFICULT

High Internet connectivity costs YES NOT RECOMMENDED NOT RECOMMENDED

Poor internet connection / low internet speed YES NOT RECOMMENDED NOT RECOMMENDED

Shift work, difficult to schedule training NOT RECOMMENDED YES YES

Limited computer experience YES YES DIFFICULT

Content involving interpersonal skills YES YES YES

Return on Investment - ROI

How much should we spend on training?

1)Ask yourself how much your employees' lack of necessary skills is costing you in revenue?

2)Then ask yourself how much of an increase in revenue you expect in connection to your staff's language proficiency?

3)Then calculate how much the training is worth to your company.

How to ensure ROI on language training?

ROI is a difficult concept in training and one that is notoriously difficult to measure. In languagelearning, any good training provider should carry out initial, diagnostic, assessment of the students‘ language skills, as well as a final test to measure the students' progress.

ROI however depends not so much on the objective increase of your employees' language skills,but on whether their newly acquired skills are relevant to the company's needs and if the traininghas improved their performance at work.

On the following page we have listed steps that can be taken to ensure that money spent ontraining brings rewards in the shape of increased productivity and revenue.

How to ensure ROI on language training?

Define the problem Create a baseline by benchmarking current performance Translate the problem into specific individual learning competencies - what is it that your

employees need to learn? Establish which group of people needs to receive training Make sure you get the employees' support for the training Define a quantifiable organizational result - in what way do you expect their performance to

improve after they have acquired the necessary skills? Decide on a type of training programme required - is it going to be training delivered in a

traditional way, blended learning or other solution Choose a training provider Appoint a person responsible for the training - a person to manage the LMS, and ensure

good communication between your company and the training provider. Have a strategy in place to discipline employees who are reluctant to learn.

About Ad_Lib Business

Ad_Lib Language Service Ltd, trading as Ad_LibBusiness and Ad_Lib English, is a limited companyregistered in the United Kingdom (CompanyNo.6612718)

We offer a range of both 'off-the-shelf' and highlycustomised online English language courses, includinglive 1-to-1 and group tuition, as well as blended learningcourses.

To find out more about our courses please visit ourwebsite: www.adlib-business.com

Or contact us directly:Suite 12501 2nd Floor 145-157St John StreetLondon EC1V 4PYUNITED KINGDOMTel / Fax: +44 208 3503644 Email: office@adlib-business.com

OUR PARTNERS: