Top ten trends for eLearning and Live Virtual Learning

With the growing adoption of online learning, it’s more important than ever to have a clear view of how it is likely to develop so that you can make informed decisions on the strategic direction your organisation should take. 

We reviewed what leading online resources in the field, such as eLearning INDUSTRY, eLL (ELearning Learning), Training Journal and Finances Online, believe will be the most significant trends in this field over the next 12 months. Here, in no particular order, are their top ten picks:

1. Mobile learning - as the number of mobile users grows, L&D courses that are easily accessible through mobile devices will be ever more popular. With 99% of mobile learners claiming that mobile learning enhances their experience, businesses are making mobile learning part of their learning and development strategy. It can cover a wide spectrum of needs including formal training, just-in-time learning aids, informal learning and self-directed learning
2. Microlearning – this is an increasingly popular method of supplying learners with bite-sized content that can be consumed on-the-go to facilitate quick knowledge consumption and better retention. These short learning nuggets can be used to learn, explore further or meet specific on-the-job needs. They are typically action-oriented, with each nugget helping learners to meet a specific outcome. It allows organisations to deliver unbiased and purposeful knowledge tailored to the needs of each learner, that can be accessed via any device, including desktop, video and mobile
3. Personalised learning - modern learners want the flexibility of being able to ‘pull’ the required resource/course rather than being ‘pushed’ to a generic one. With personalised training, they can prioritise the time they spend on training, on the basis of their current knowledge, interests or future needs, with complete control over what they learn, how they learn, and finding the pace that works best for them
4. Gamification - in eLearning terms, this refers to the use of game elements to drive learner engagement. It helps to boost motivational levels and enhance the retention of content. According to MIT, “Gamification has incredible potential for learning and education. It teaches people to practice persistence, attention to detail, risk-taking and problem-solving skills”. An example might be an online course that is designed to reward learners with points or badges based on the modules they complete 
5. Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality (VR/AR) – these immersive technologies are already making a significant impact in eLearning. While some people prefer textual content, many are visual learners who prefer to get immersed in training to acquire knowledge. One way to cater to these learners’ needs is through reality technologies.  With the cost and lead time required to develop these solutions coming down, their adoption is likely to increase further
6. Video-based learning – many learners prefer to see things like demonstrations, interviews and how-to’s in video format rather than in plain text instructions. Video is visually appealing, interactive and more engaging, it can help to hold the learner’s attention longer than other forms of learning, it is quick to distribute and easy to absorb and deliver in bits. Interactive videos will continue to gain popularity in online learning
7. Big data and learning analytics – the focus here is on collecting the mass of raw data arising out of learners’ activities, such as progress, test results and course completion rates, analysing these and presenting the results in a suitable format. The results can be used to validate what is working and what is not by, for example, keeping track of learner activities during training, such as the mistakes they make or the difficulties they face. The results might lead to delivering more personalised training or changing the current approach to better meet the organisation’s goals
8. Artificial intelligence – one of the hottest online learning trends in the corporate and business world, AI can be leveraged to offer highly customised pathways for the learners. AI-powered models use algorithms to collect data such as learners’ strengths, weaknesses, interests and proficiencies. The results can help L&D professionals to personalise training content to suit learners’ needs through data-based content recommendations, learning patterns, style and behaviours, and role-based learning
9. Content curation – learners have a mass of potentially useful data available to them, both inside and outside the organisation; the key is identifying the resources that will be of use in a timely manner. Content curation is proving increasingly popular by making it easier for learners to find the valuable information they need. It can help users create learning paths and take advantage of existing knowledge bases, both internally and from the public domain (without the need to recreate these), in order to support formal training and, importantly, keep costs down
10. Learning Experience Platform (LXP) – in essence, this is an advanced, more intuitive and flexible version of a Learning Management System (LMS), which is designed to drive learning engagement through the easy discovery of (relevant and recommended) content. It can enhance the online learning experience of the users by providing a personalised experience. Providing a single point of access, it can undertake many tasks, including creating content, recommending skills, developing learning journeys and tracking learning activities.

Hopefully, the above trends will give you food for thought in terms of your overall Learning approach. For example, what role will immersive technologies play in your overall strategy, what are the most appropriate means of delivering training for today’s employees and how will you better understand their learning styles and behaviours? 

And if you want any further information or an informal chat about your learning needs to find the best training solutions for you and/or your organisation, give our friendly training experts a call.