There is much debate regarding whether online learning or live instruction is a better method of instructional delivery for adult learners and corporate training settings. It’s true that there are advantages and disadvantages with both types of instructional delivery. It’s also true that online learning and “bricks and mortar” learning aren’t mutually exclusive propositions.

Theories about the best ways to design instruction indicate that the best training programs and materials utilize multiple methods of delivery to capitalize on individual learning differences. People don’t all learn in the same way or at the same rate of speed. Some people respond best to personal interaction and discussion, while others learn best independently, through reflection, reading, and/or writing.

There’s no sense in arguing whether online learning is superior to traditional learning, or vice versa. In some situations and for some learners, online delivery is the best and most practical option. The same is true of traditional instructional methods in other situations.

In many cases, it can be appropriate to combine online and traditional training methods. Hybrid learning, which by definition is a combination of online and live instruction, is growing in popularity. There is no reason that a training program can’t combine online and instructor led components, when warranted.

There is much to be said about the richness of the face-to-face communication that takes place in live instruction. However, it would be foolish to ignore the significant advances in instructional technology that make various types of computer mediated and online training possible. There are many practical advantages of being able to complete online training on-demand, at any time and from any convenient location.

Those who spend time arguing about which instructional method is superior lose sight of the fact that when it comes to training, the end really does justify the means. The desired result of training is the accomplishment of learning objectives. The delivery method is just the technique, or combination of techniques, that enables learners to master the material or skills.

The field of training is evolving at a rapid place, and hybrid learning programs are likely to become much more common in the months years, and decades to come. As training professionals learn to combine the power of technology-based training and live instruction, the end result will be training that simply works better. Rather than debating which type of instruction works better, it makes much more sense to focus on how all of the technological advancements that impact the fields of education and training can best be utilized to maximize instructional effectiveness.