9 New Year’s Resolutions eLearning Pros May Want To Add To Their List (2019 Edition)

9 New Year Resolutions For eLearning Professionals To Add To Their List - 2019 Edition
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Summary: Have you already set your resolutions for 2019? If you’re still trying to formulate your list, this article will help you make, and keep, your yearly resolutions to achieve eLearning success.

9 New Year’s Resolutions For eLearning Pros To Add To Their List In 2019

We may already be well into 2019, it’s never too late to reevaluate your objectives and create a plan for professional growth. Setting resolutions gives you the opportunity to focus your efforts by fine-tuning your talents or researching the latest tech and trends. In other words, continue your journey of lifelong learning so that you can understand your audience more effectively. Not to mention, achieve success on your own terms, regardless of your niche or career goals. Below are 9 New Year’s resolutions you may want to add to your personal list.

1. Conduct A Tool Check-Up

It’s good to do a clean sweep every now and then to determine which tools are still useful and then get rid of the rest. For example, outdated software that you haven’t accessed in years or has been replaced by more robust platforms. This also gives you the chance to reevaluate your current tools and figure out if they’re still worth the investment. For instance, you need to renew the licensing fees annually, but aren’t sure whether it deserves a spot in your budget this time around.

2. Carve Out More Time To Research Tech And eLearning Trends

Time always seems to be running out, especially when you’re working on multiple projects or juggling tight deadlines. However, there’s always room in your schedule for eLearning homework. By that, I mean researching the latest eLearning trends and technologies that can help you create more effective eLearning experiences. It can be something as simple as subscribing to eLearning blogs or reading new articles. Set a Google alert for keywords that pertain to your niche so that you get relevant articles delivered right to your inbox.

3. Enroll In An eLearning Course

eLearning professionals help others expand their knowledge and achieve their goals. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t occasionally take on the role of "student" ourselves. Enroll in an eLearning course periodically that cater to your interests. This also gives you the ability to "spy" on what other designers are doing and learn from their mistakes. For example, the eLearning course lacks interactivity or the layout is too cluttered.

4. Reach Out To Your eLearning Audience More Regularly

Make a point to connect with your target audience on a regular basis. Create a social media group where they can share their feedback and ask questions or launch a blog that allows you to share your own thoughts and gain valuable input from readers. You can also post polls and surveys so that online learners can let their voices be heard. The key is to form a comradery with your online learners as it makes them feel like they’re part of the process. Another way to interact is to host monthly webinars or other live events that encourage the two-way dialogue.

5. Choose A Niche Or Specialty

If you haven’t done so already, now might be the time to choose your niche and/or venture out on your own. Reflect on your strengths and areas of interest, then determine which specialty allows you to pursue your passions and aligns with your long-term career goals and suits your lifestyle. It is really important to find those top tips that can help you find the ideal niche based on your talents, skills, and personal preferences.

6. Join An Online Networking Group

I know what you’re thinking, who has the time to join a networking group and talk about eLearning when you’re busy creating eLearning content? However, there is a lot to be gained from these online groups. And don’t need to make much room in your schedule to participate. Join a social media group or online forum and take a few minutes every day to skim the articles. Offer bits of advice when you can, and read up on the latest eLearning news.

7. De-Clutter Your eLearning Course Design

eLearning professionals who have been in the industry of a significant amount of time can accrue an impressive eLearning course catalog. Regardless of whether you’re selling them online or deploying them in-house, courses require periodic maintenance. Take a closer look at your deliverables, and figure out new and innovative ways to modernize them. Specifically, how can you de-clutter the layout to reduce cognitive overload and increase knowledge retention?

8. Organize All That Big Data You Have Lying Around

It’s not just your eLearning course design that collects clutter, but your Big Data pool. This includes LMS reports, survey findings, assessment results, and site stats. Organize all the information you have and get rid of the extraneous data. More importantly, use this opportunity to evaluate your data and pinpoint areas for improvement. For instance, online training modules or activities with low participation scores that may need a major makeover to bring them up-to-date.

9. Think Of Innovative Ways To Repurpose eLearning Content

Do you have any outdated eLearning content lying around that can be repurposed for your current eLearning project? This resolution does require some lateral and creative thinking skills as you need to be innovative and break online resources down to their basic components. Then, figure out how to restructure them in new ways for modern online learners. For instance, that hour-long webinar you recorded 2 years ago may not be relevant now. However, you can take bits and pieces from it to create an engaging online training tutorial that caters to online learners’ needs today.

These resolutions can help improve your work practices, stay on the cutting edge of eLearning tech, and create more effective eLearning courses. Of course, you can personalize them to suit your needs and professional goals, but these ideas may be able to springboard your 2019 to-do list and rethink your current eLearning course design approach.

Are you interested in a career in eLearning but aren't sure where to start? Have you considered transitioning your current eLearning freelancing into something a bit more permanent? Do you get bored working in just one eLearning niche? You have the knowledge, but how do you get the clients? Download our free eBook How To Build A Successful eLearning Career to find out how to start your eLearning Career, how to identify the right eLearning niche, how to expand your client base, how to market your services and much more.

Originally published on December 31, 2018