Did you know that critical thinkers can be trained? And did you know that blended learning can play a big role in this training?
Being a critical thinker is beneficial – especially in the learning process. Regardless if you are a student or an employee undergoing training, learning this type of thinking will bring a lot of improvements. It will help you be more independent. It will also give you the initiative to be more aggressive in your learning experience. Learners who are proactive in their learning or training are more inclined to experience growth.
Not only that, critical thinking, can translate well after the training program. This is especially true in the workplace. It creates an environment that is not built on assumptions but instead, strives for accuracy and efficiency. When an issue arises, people are more inclined to find not just one, but multiple solutions. This way of thinking also keeps employees from being stagnant. It leads to innovations and that is very beneficial for any company.
So if you wish to create a workplace that is filled with critical thinkers, you may want to create training programs that use blended learning strategies first.
This learning strategy is also known as hybrid learning. It combines various methods and strategies to relay the lesson to participants. In today’s educational system, experts encourage elearning practices that go beyond the mere transfer of information. The new practices should help learners to improve their thought processes. Learners should not only rely on what teachers and instructors give them., they should also have the initiative to take charge of their own learning curve. They should learn to explore problem solving on their own so they can go beyond what is given to do their own research.
Blended learning can help develop these skills. By using both traditional and virtual classrooms, learners are exposed to different learning experiences. This can train them to adapt to various situations – one of the important characteristics of critical thinkers. Using both classroom settings will allow participants to train their minds to adapt to the changing environment. It makes them more inclined to be alert and effective in dealing with issues regardless of the situation around them.
You see, the traditional classroom setting provides group learning possibilities. On the other hand, online learning allows for self-paced learning. When you combine these two, you get to increase the impact of the elearning experience. The self-paced learning allows them to improve their ability to think independently. When they are immersed in the group through the traditional classroom setting, they get to be exposed to the different perspectives of the participants. This gives them the chance to look at other angles about the lesson. This gives them a broader perspective and allows them to learn how to accept other opinions other than what they have formed in their mind. This combination gives them the chance to practice critical thinking. They step out of a discussion with their own opinions and the collective knowledge taken from the group.
This is the primary reason why training programs should use blended learning to help learners become critical thinkers.
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