New Research from the May Institute Highlights the Impact of Blended Learning and Importance of Learner Engagement

Relias Learning to publish study conducted by the May Institute, which highlights superior results from combining online and live training efforts.

CARY, NC, March 31, 2015 — Relias Learning, the leader in online training and compliance solutions for the health and human services market, announced today the findings of a research study conducted by the May Institute, using Relias’ proprietary training materials.

The study found that blended learning, the combination of live and online training, was more effective than using live training alone. The May Institute, one of the largest and most well-respected providers of educational and behavioral services for children and adults with autism and other special needs in the U.S., conducted this comparison study to determine best practices for training their staff and ensuring the impact of training in staff’s day-to-day interactions with clients.

The May Institute conducted internal research on staff that completed live training, labeled “Training As Usual” (TAU), versus staff that completed a combination of TAU and online learning, labeled “blended learning”. Their hopes were to discover any differences in 1) the knowledge acquired by staff and 2) time and cost between the two methods of training.

Their results show that their staff who completed blended learning out performed those completing TAU only. Additionally, the staff who participated in online learning acquired more knowledge than those in the typical training program without Relias’ online learning. Built on the principles of adult learning, the Relias training materials focus on:

• Building on prior knowledge
• Striving for goal-oriented learning
• Making training practical
• Answering the question: “What’s in it for me?”
• Respecting your learners
• Promoting self-direction and internal motivation

“One challenge that trainers and HR directors at all organizations face is making sure that training is truly impactful,” says Eric Masters, Vice President of Marketing at Relias Learning. “The information gathered from this study highlights that blended learning can be more effective than the standard approach, and will result in substantial savings for the organization.”

To highlight the research, Relias will be releasing a white paper and conducting a webinar featuring Megan Robinson Joy, Ph.D., of the May Institute. Dr. Joy will give viewers an overview of the findings and how blended learning proved to be more effective in regards to training time and cost. After this webinar, viewers will understand:

• The components of an effective training program
• The advantages of online instruction
• The benefits of including online instruction in a comprehensive training program
• How to conduct their own internal research using the Relias Learning Management System

About May Institute

May Institute is an award-winning nonprofit organization with 60 years of experience in serving children and adults with autism spectrum disorder and other developmental disabilities, brain injury, mental illness, and behavioral health needs. The organization provides educational, rehabilitative, and behavioral healthcare services to individuals, as well as training and consultation services to professionals, organizations, and public school systems. At more than 160 service locations across the country, highly trained staff work to create new and more effective ways to meet the special needs of individuals and families across the lifespan.