Acceptance of Blended Learning is on the rise as organisations across the UK seek flexible, cost-effective training solutions.

New research from QA, a leading UK provider of training and consulting, found that 81% of organisations surveyed believe Blended Learning is an effective means of learning. The report, independently analysed by Twelve Consultancy on behalf of QA, surveyed over 1,700 training buyers and delegates to ascertain their major views on training provision.

Brian Sutton, Chief Educator at QA, commented: "Organisations want cost-effective means of improving job performance. Blended Learning is about developing skills, knowledge and a winning attitude by engaging and challenging people in many different ways. Blended Learning is not simply a buzzword - it's about educational excellence and getting the most from training investments"

Blended Learning employs an appropriate mix of delivery media such as classroom training, web-based training, virtual classrooms, books and mentoring to create flexible, cost-effective solutions that ensure individuals achieve the optimal learning experience and develop their skills to their maximum potential.

"Rogue solutions that simply bolt a standalone classroom course to a standalone piece of e-learning, for example, still exist," added Sutton. "But training buyers now have a much better understanding of the potential of Blended Learning and are looking for learning solutions that can integrate existing training material and cater for a variety of learning styles and experiences."

David Pardo, Director, IT Skills Research, commented: "Our own research has found significant resistance, on the part of both IT professionals and end users, to the use of e-learning as a straight replacement for instructor-led training. But there is a growing acceptance that the ideal solution is one which capitalises on the respective strengths of classroom, e-learning and other delivery media to provide a flexible, integrated blend."

The research also exposed significant regional variation with 85% of Scottish clients preferring training in the classroom with only 63% of London-based respondents preferring this method.

Management and professional skills have also increased in importance, the survey revealed. 64% of respondents believe that these skills are essential for employees, compared with just 49% in the same survey in 2002. The result reflects a growing awareness of the importance so-called "soft skills" for building productive teams and ensuring effective communication across organisations.