Of course, a learning management system offers a cornucopia of functions to organize employee and student learning experiences, all without having to pay for gas. Whether it’s in real space or in cyberspace, most agree that speech is generally preferable to typing. A learning management system may be integrated with social software programs that provide virtual space for conference calls and meetings. In addition, we may even be able to talk to and hear back from programs using speech synthesis and speech recognition software.

But as technophile and BBC contributor Bill Thompson reflects, there’s “something special about being in the same space as someone else. However good the video link, however clear the audio…sharing the same space and breathing the same air makes a difference to the quality of interaction.” This is true with all kinds of communication–not just the use of a learning management system. With this in mind, employers and educators should strive to create blended learning environments whenever possible.

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