Today's elearningpost Daily links includes a link to The Role of Different Media in Designing Learning Environments.

This article appeals to me because it goes some way toward dispelling the "one size fits all" of technology-based learning strategies. We often hear about "blended" learning which is most often defined as a "blend" of online and "live" or "face to face" components. I've often wondered if it would be possible/beneficial to think about "blending" different types of technology- or online-based training.

The article ends with a comparison of five types of media (i.e., Face to face; Text; Video; Software; Networks) and characteristics and relative merits of each. While there may NOT be a substitute for "face to face" interaction, there must be ways to "blend" different media which begin to address the "isolation" felt by the online learner.