THE BLENDED LEARNING BOOK: Best Practices, Proven Methodologies, and Lessons Learned

The book starts with the introduction section explaining Internet based learning adventure and e-learning evolution. He defines Blended Learning (BL) as the combination of different training “media” (technologies, activities, and types of events) to create an optimum training program for a specific audience. Afterwards, Bersin presents us history of BL by asking “How did we get here?” in Chapter 1. He introduces the evolution of technology-based, instructor-led and main-frame based training and explains satellite-based live video, PC CD-ROM Era, development of LMS and AICC, the first generation in Web-based training and today’s wide range of options. This chapter tells us that BL is not a new concept, but the tools available to us today are new. The key issue is to fit “technology seamlessly into a program appropriate for the problem at hand”. And standards like AICC (and SCORM based on AICC principles) helps excellently track student progress in LMSs.