Evergreen eLearning: 7 eLearning Trends For 2019 That Have Stood The Test Of Time
eLearning professionals need to keep up with the current eLearning trends to ensure that online learners get the best eLearning experience. There’s also the small matter of being able to live up to the clients’ expectations by incorporating the latest learning technologies and design methodologies. The question is: Are you someone who’s always in the know about the newest LMS features, delivery methods, and support tools? Or do you always seem to be running after the bandwagon after it’s already been boarded by other eLearning pros? This checklist will tell you if you’re on the cutting edge of eLearning trends for 2019. If not, you may need to bring yourself up to speed by adding one, or all, of these tried-and-true innovations to your current eLearning strategy.
1. Virtual Reality
From immersive simulations that reduce on-the-job risk to engaging serious games that blend reality with virtual elements, Virtual Reality has proven that it’s one of the most beneficial real-world experience builders in online training. Since tech is evolving rapidly and related hardware is becoming more affordable, it’s sure it will gain even more ground in years to come. If you aren’t ready to dive headfirst into VR training, why not wade into the waters with AR? It allows you to blend real environments with virtual objects to enhance the immersion, while still providing practical know-how.
2. Responsive Design
eLearning innovators adapted to the mobile-friendly revelation long ago. However, there’s still time to ride this particular wave by adopting a responsive approach. Responsive design tools feature specific breakpoints that you can use to develop different versions of your eLearning course. The system automatically adjusts the layout based on the user’s device. As such, your L&D team doesn’t have to create separate iterations for every platform and can invest their time elsewhere, like creating fresh content to keep your online learners engaged or researching the latest eLearning trends for 2019 to keep you on the ‘innovators’ list.
3. Microlearning
Microlearning has been trending for a number of years. However, in 2019, it’s heading for new horizons. The future of bite-sized learning is all about personalization. Employees will be able to piece together à la carte microlearning, online training resources to pave their own learning paths. At the same time, organizations will invest more in just-in-time libraries to offer ongoing support and improve workplace productivity. Another trail-blazing application for microlearning that you may want to consider is learner-generated online training repositories, whereby users are encouraged to create their own eLearning content for the benefit of their peers, such as 5-minute podcasts or easily digestible infographics based on their area of expertise.
4. Custom-Tailored Training Assistants
Sure, Artificial Intelligence is not yet at the level of Sci-Fi blockbusters or Utopian novels. We probably aren’t going to have to worry about Siri taking over the world any time soon - Fingers crossed! But voice-enabled assistants are becoming more prevalent. The caveat knows how to use chatbots to enhance the eLearning experience instead of distracting online learners. One of the most exciting applications is resource accessibility. Online learners can simply ask a question or state the topic to immediately view related infographics, articles, and videos. Training personal assistants may eventually take the place of eLearning course guides, given that they can offer on-the-spot tips and tricks by quickly scanning the web.
5. A Whole New Level Of Personalization
Organizations must be able to provide each employee with customized content based on their needs. Likewise, corporate learners need to be empowered and feel like they’re playing an active role in their own development. Personalized learning paths and contracts are yet another trend to watch in 2019. I know what you’re thinking: Haven’t they been around for years? The twist is that adaptive learning technologies and Big Data are taking it to a whole new level. eLearning innovators are always coming up with bigger and better ways to address individual needs and bridge gaps autonomously. For example, they conduct pre-assessments to create distinct learner profiles that can be used to automatically adjust learning paths accordingly and offer targeted recommendations, or they base an entire online training plan on simulation/branching scenario performance to fill skill gaps more effectively.
6. Embedded Social Learning
Once again, the Millennials and younger generations are shaping the future of learning. We have to adapt to keep up with their traits and learning needs. In this case, their need to interact with peers, even in asynchronous learning environments. Social learning also bridges the geographical divide and makes them feel like they’re part of a larger global community. Social media groups, online discussions, peer coaching, and live events are just some of the ways to incorporate this trend into your eLearning strategy this year.
7. Ongoing Onboarding
As more and more organizations realize the importance of ongoing employee development, the onboarding landscape is broadening to encompass long-term support. It isn’t about providing one-off new hire training to bring fresh recruits up to speed. It ’s about giving them access to continual support tools during the first phase of the employment cycle. In 2019 and beyond, onboarding will offer new hires targeted guidance to address performance issues before they become ingrained behaviors. One-time workshops with final exams will give way to more holistic and immersive online training experiences that occur gradually. And, for the most part, organically. For example, group collaboration and simulations will help new employees identify areas for improvement autonomously.
If you’re investing in Learning and Development, you need to ensure that you diversify your online training strategy to ensure that your organization stays competitive. This means keeping up with the times and not automatically subscribing to every eLearning trend that passes by. Instead, be choosy about which technologies and techniques you adopt in order to maximize resource allocation. It’s important to stay innovative by differentiating long-term eLearning trends from passing fads. The established eLearning trends for 2019 in this article are a great springboard for inspiration.
Are you looking for ways to make your eLearning course stand out from the crowd? What is AR/VR’s true potential for online training? What are the things to avoid when integrating AR & VR into your eLearning course design? Download our free eBook Step Into The Screen: AR/VR Technology's Role In The Future Of eLearning to discover the benefits of using Augmented and Virtual Reality technologies in eLearning, how to integrate AR/VR into eLearning courses and some of the best practices to create online training courses with AR technology.
