E-learning in 2020
E-Learning
in 2020
In December 2019, I began working on
my e-book and this article on e-learning trends in 2020. This is ninth entry in the series of posts and
e-books about e-learning trends in the past three years.
To distinguish this release from other
offerings, I was mulling over the approach I could use to thread together
various trends, and I came up with three important aspects:
· Look at various trends from the lens
of how relevant they are for learners, businesses, and L&D teams.
· Evaluate how well they align to meet
the expectations of each of the stakeholders.
· Assess how they align to what we see
as the workplace learning in the future.
With this backdrop, here is my list of
e-learning trends in 2020. I believe these will be an integral part of
workplace learning for the near future.
E-Learning Trends in 2020
Given the large number of trends, I
have grouped them into three sections.
· E-learning trends in 2020
that will help you achieve high learner engagement, performance gain, and
behavioral change are:
· mobile learning
· mobile apps for learning
· personalized learning
· digitization of ILT to blended or
fully online learning
· performance support tools
· informal learning
· social learning
· self-directed learning.
· E-learning trends featuring
learning strategies that deliver high impact and immersive learning experiences
are:
· microlearning
· microlearning
· gamification
· video-based learning (videos and
interactive videos)
· AR/VR and MR or immersive
· curation and user-generated content.
· Trends that will help you
assess the impact and aid you in maximizing the ROI are:
· learning experience platforms (LXPs)
· learner analytics
· artificial intelligence (AI) in
learning.
Let’s take a look at each one.
Section 1: E-Learning Trends in 2020 That Will Help You Achieve High Learner Engagement, Performance Gain, and Behavioral Change
Mobile Learning
The term e-learning is being replaced
by mobile learning as more organizations use this approach as the significant
mode for training delivery. Accelerated by what learners ask for as well as
with the wider adoption of microlearning and video-based learning, this trend
continues to be on top.
Loved by learners, businesses, and
L&D teams alike, mobile learning will continue to be the dominant mode for
online training delivery and to supplement facilitated or instructor-led
training (ILT).
You can use it to meet the entire
spectrum of your training needs, including:
· formal training
· instant/just-in-time learning aids
· informal learning
· self-directed learning
· social or collaborative learning.
This must-have trend will continue to
see accelerated adoption in 2020.
Mobile Apps for Learning
Mobile apps for corporate training
provide learners the flexibility to learn anywhere and anytime. They can be
used to offer formal and informal learning. In fact, they can also be used to
digitalize facilitated training or ILT.
Microlearning and gamification
techniques can be used effectively to offer gamified learning featuring a
series of microlearning nuggets and can be easily personalized (based on the
learner’s role, region, proficiency, or interest).
Here are some insights into these
techniques:
· As a series of microlearning
nuggets, they can be used to offer formal training.
· Their real impact can be felt when
they are used to offer performance support tools to provide the required
on-the-job support.
· Mobile apps can be easily updated
and quickly deployed, and you can easily push relevant notifications to the
learners.
· You can also personalize the assets
for each learner (based on pre-tests or surveys).
With reducing costs and lower
development time, mobile apps for learning are worth the investment in 2020.
Personalized Learning
This is the next big trend (after
mobile learning and microlearning) to invest on. My assessment is that over the
next two years, this will emerge as the “new normal” in workplace learning.
· Learners see value in personalized
learning on account of the highly relevant, custom content it offers. This
customized journey can be drawn on their current knowledge, interest, future
needs, or simple cues like role/region. It gives them complete control on what
they want to learn, how they want to learn, and at the pace that works best for
them.
· It enables L&D teams to align
the learners to business goals, upskill, or reskill them far more effectively
as compared to generic training. It also fosters a culture of continuous and Self-Directed
Learning.
You can use personalized learning for
employee training needs at various levels to:
1. Leverage instant or just-in-time
learning aids/job aids within the learners’ workflow.
2. Practice and hone skills to manage
the current job better.
3. Developing specific skills that
align to the business goals.
4. Discover new skills and grow in the
organization.
5. Gain leadership skills.
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Personalized learning is an approach
that will positively affect your ROI and is absolutely worth investing on in
2020.
Digitization of ILT to Blended or Fully Online Learning
With increasing pressure on training
budgets and the need to maximize the expenditure, more organizations are
undertaking a digital transformation of learning.
A notable part of this exercise is
converting the facilitated or ILT to a fully online mode or a blended
mode. During this transformation, you can opt for online resources to
support ILT or transition to a blended/fully online training delivery.
To support core ILT programs, include
pre- and post-workshop resources. You can also add online assessments.
Evaluate the transition from ILT to
blended or fully online programs to leverage the best-in-class solutions from
mobile learning, microlearning, and video-based learning. Also opt for trending
approaches from virtual reality to gamification to create immersive learning
experiences.
Integrate augmented reality (AR) based
on learning assets to support the classroom sessions. Use mobile learning apps
to handle the facilitated session.
In 2020, this trend will see further
acceleration in adoption.
E-Learning Trends in 2020: Performance Support Tools/Just In-Time Learning Aids
Today’s learners are an impatient lot!
Multitaskers and pressed for time, they don’t want to log on to an LMS to
locate a course that may have the answer to their need or their challenge.
They want learning resources to be
within their workflow (read: on their phones) and packaged specifically to
address their needs.
Performance support tools can address their wide-ranging needs, including how
to:
· Apply what they have learned.
· Gain further on a given topic.
· Study new concepts.
· Solve problems.
· Clear a bottleneck or a showstopper.
The extensive use of PSTs or instant
learning aids and job aids will continue in 2020 to help organizations improve
employee performance.
Informal Learning
Most of us are familiar with the
70-20-10 model for learning and development that maps the learning to be:
· predominantly experiential
learning (70 percent) that happens on the job.
· social or collaborative
learning (20 percent) that happens by learning with or from others
· formal training (10
percent).
Organizations are realizing the need
to shift their training spending, which is being used predominantly for formal
training, to a more balanced approach. This is reflected in providing avenues
for Informal learning.
This trend will accelerate in 2020 and
will offer a strong support to formal training.
Social Learning
Learning with and from others
continues to be a significant way people learn, from childhood to adulthood.
During the last few years, many
organizations have invested in providing platforms to promote social or
collaborative learning. The Next Gen LMSs as well as the LXPs (learning
experience platforms) provide a strong core to leverage Social Learning and
foster a culture of continuous learning.
While determining the impact of social
learning is difficult, the technique works at several levels. It helps
create communities of practice that can be used as a great lever for change and
continuous learning.
This is a must-adopt trend in 2020!
Self-Directed Learning
A part of informal learning,
self-directed learning (SDL) is a great way to empower learners and provide
complete control of learning to them, such as:
· the onus of learning, determination
of learning paths, and how they consume it is with the learners
· the ability to pull learning
resources from the organization’s knowledge base or from external resources to
meet their specific learning goals.
As this is not tracked, organizations
are rather wary of this. However, the investment cost (of providing relevant,
curated resources and possibly rewards or recognition for consuming them as
well as contributing to the repository) is not high. It would help you
see a more engaged learner pool that is motivated and committed to this model
of learning.
I believe this trend will be an
important part of workplace learning in the future and is worth investing in in
2020.
Section 2: Trends Featuring Learning Strategies That Deliver High-Impact and Immersive Learning Experiences
Microlearning
Microlearning recently has been the
most talked about training approach.
As short, focused bites that
can be easily consumed on-the-go, it is certainly learners’ favorite format to
learn, explore further, or meet specific on the job needs. It is
action-oriented, and each bite helps learners meet a specific outcome.
Its versatility makes it a great
choice for L&D teams to use it for:
· formal training
· just-in-time job aids
· learning aids to recap, reinforce,
or challenge the learners to review the primary learning
· ILT/VILT programs (pre-workshop
assets, during-workshop assets, and post-workshop connects).
The wider adoption of microlearning
doesn’t mark the demise of macrolearning or traditional e-learning. They will
continue to co-exist and microlearning will be used to supplement or complement
traditional e-learning. In fact, traditional e-learning courses will leverage
the best microlearning techniques to increase learner engagement.
While it is not the answer to meet
every kind of training mandate, it will continue to lead in 2020. This trend is absolutely a
“must-have” in your training delivery this year.
Gamification for Serious Learning
Despite the big question mark of the
impact of gamification, it continues to be an important learning strategy to
engage learners.
Learners are drawn to it because it
makes learning fun and doesn’t appear to be a chore anymore. It can be used
effectively to engage today’s multigenerational workforce.
For L&D teams, its variant
of “Gamification for Serious Learning” is the one that
delivers the required ROI as it focuses on delivering specific learning
outcomes (much the same way any other learning strategy does). Well-crafted
gamification for serious learning will help you achieve:
· a high-engagement quotient
· better completion rates.
· higher recall and retention
· quicker application of acquired
learning on the job
· proficiency gain (practice and move
toward mastery)
· influence or trigger behavioral.
You can multiply its impact by
combining it with other successful techniques like microlearning and mobile
apps for learning such as gamified:
· mobile apps for learning
· microlearning
· virtual reality (VR)
· interactive videos.
Gamification techniques can be applied
across all corporate training needs.
With reducing costs, shorter time to design and deploy, several use cases and success stories, this trend is worth a serious look in 2020.
With reducing costs, shorter time to design and deploy, several use cases and success stories, this trend is worth a serious look in 2020.
Video Based Learning (Videos and Interactive Videos)
With an acceleration in the adoption
of microlearning and reduced costs of development, videos will continue as an
upward trend in 2020.
You will see an extensive use of microlearning
videos as well as learning pathways (Read More/Explore
Further) [MD1] that are curated from public
domain assets.
You will also see an increase in the
use of interactive videos that provide a high degree of
engagement through learning interactions and assessments, similar to traditional
e-learning courses. Unlike classic videos, interactive videos can be tracked
from the LMS.
Videos are a high-impact medium and a
great way to handle your varied corporate trainings. They can be used to:
· Complement or supplement most of
corporate training needs.
· Act as a learning nugget (job aid)
or as a series of microlearning nuggets connected through a narrative or a
learning path (for formal training).
· Support ILT/VILT.
· Promote informal learning.
· Step up social or collaborative
learning.
Their versatility enables them to be
used across the learning and performance improvement mandate to:
· Create the buzz or awareness and
establish WIIFM (What’s in It For Me).
· Set the context or teach concepts.
· Offer learning followed by practice,
application, and summaries.
· Checkpoint learners’ progress and
understanding.
· Reinforce and keep the “Forgetting
Curve” at bay.
This trend is also a “must-have” in
2020 in your training delivery to offer highly engaging and immersive learning
experiences.
AR/VR and MR or Immersive Learning
While there is no debate on the
strength of immersive learning strategies like augmented reality (AR), virtual
reality (VR), and mixed reality (MR), for multiple reasons their use hasn’t
quite matched the hype. Given the higher costs and lack of justification of
ROI, there have been relatively fewer takers for these strategies.
With easily implemented solutions
(including from players like Adobe and Trivantis as well as niche AR/VR
platforms), the cost and the lead time to develop these solutions is going
down. There are also several use cases that apply microlearning-based nuggets
with AR/VR. With lower costs and high impact, the adoption of this kind of
solution will increase further.
In 2020, you will certainly see more
traction on this trend as these solutions become more affordable and can be
offered to supplement formal training.
Curation and User-Generated Content
Today, the Internet provides access to
information in seconds, but we still need to review the maze of data to
identify what’s really needed.
Content curation is emerging as a
great way to offset this challenge and offer on-demand, relevant content to the
users.
· It also enables users to find access
to information that they can use at the moment of their need.
· You can curate content from your
existing knowledge base as well as from the public domain. This can be used to
support formal training and keep the costs down.
· It offers a recommended learning
path that users can further customize.
· It is a great way to encourage
informal learning and, more significantly, self-directed learning at the
workplace.
· It can also facilitate user
contribution (user-generated content) to keep the knowledge base
current and relevant.
Section 3: Trends That Will Help You Assess the Impact and Aid Maximizing the ROI
Learning Experience Platforms (LXPs)
LXPs are a highly personalized
learning experience that can be crafted by the learner through learning
pathways. They leverage artificial intelligence to understand learning patterns
and make further recommendations. As a result, they encourage exploration and
self-directed learning. They offer inclusive learning and content curation and
facilitate user-generated content. They also feature social learning, offer
recognition to active participants, and feature assessments along with badges
and certification. LXPs are fun, more engaging, and relevant for learners, and
they help learners meet specific learning outcomes.
There is a major churn in the LMS
space, and there is clear movement towards the adoption of LXPs that will
continue in 2020.
Learner Analytics to Enhance Learning Experiences
As organizations increase the focus on
the impact of training on the learners as well as the gain for the business,
learner analytics is becoming a crucial aid in this endeavor.
Learner analytics can provide valuable
insights into the learner behavior to validate what is working and what is not.
It can also provide actionable insights to enhance or change the current
approach and align better to the goals.
It can also provide cues on what more
can be done to:
· Improve learner motivation.
· Improve learner engagement.
· Facilitate the application of
learning.
Besides SCORM 2004 and Tin Can API,
the AI techniques (that LXPs and the Next Gen LMS platforms offer) will be used
to mine the analytics to provide a more customized, personalized, and relevant
learning.
This trend aligns to the key area of
continuous improvement as well as provide actionable insights to enhance the
learning experience. Both go a long way in impacting the ROI on the training
spend positively.
This is an investment you must plan
for in 2020.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Learning
In the previous trend, I had
highlighted the use of AI in learner analytics. It will also be a trend to
watch out for in the context of enhancing learning in 2020. While it has been
the talk of the town for a while, we are seeing its practical value now.
It is being leveraged to offer highly
custom learning pathways for learners. Based on the data of their content
consumption pattern, further recommendations can be made.
The use of chatbots as virtual coaches
for learners has also begun. This offers a huge value-add to the engaged,
connected, and personalized learning experiences that learners want.
We can look forward to more
applications of AI for learning in 2020.
I hope my post stands out by giving you useful insights on each trend, its value, and how you can leverage it to create higher impact training and maximize your ROI.
Meanwhile, if you have any specific
queries, contact me or leave a comment below.