The COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on every conceivable industry in the world, including the eLearning and Development industry. As billions of learners got affected by schools and colleges being closed due to lockdowns and preventive safety measures, the global education system responded by shifting focus to eLearning solutions such as online classes and various other distance learning programmes.
So, with digital learning evolving at such a rapid pace, what trends can we expect to dominate in 2021? Here is a quick rundown:
Mobile Learning: The overwhelming usage of mobile phones across the globe has generated a need for all eLearning solutions to be developed specifically for mobile platforms. Since many students are using learning applications on their mobile phones rather than on their computers, we can expect mobile learning to grow exponentially in the coming days.
Micro Learning: When it comes to micro learning, ‘Small is beautiful, simple and effective’. Micro learning is a quick and efficient elearning solution that seems to work wonders with the tech-savvy youth of today. Moving forward, we can expect to see more small chunks of eLearning content being developed in brief modules, highly targeted towards helping learners grasp a specific topic or subject within a short frame of time.
Immersive Learning: The rise of AI-enabled interactive media technologies such as Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) has directly benefited the eLearning industry too. Not only can interactive media help learners visualize content in a better manner but also help improve their overall focus and engagement. Unsurprisingly, the creation of more immersive and interactive content is a major expected eLearning trend in 2021.
Gamification: Gamification, the usage and integration of game mechanics to improve learning and boost retention rates, is still considered to be an experimental eLearning solution by many experts from the industry. However, it is a concept that is gradually finding more and more traction amongst the eLearning community. Some educators now believe that the gamification method of teaching can help foster an enjoyable yet effective learning experience amongst people, especially the youth.
Learning Analytics: eLearning without learning analytics is akin to a football game without a scorecard and winner. As the eLearning and Development industry undergoes such a massive overhaul, the future success of any kind of eLearning solution thus relies heavily on analytics. Measuring a user’s learning experiences will help companies serve them better through increased customization and personalization of learning content.
Finally, with an increased demand for online learning under the present circumstances, eLearning solutions, as a whole, can be expected to become more and more advanced in 2021. This obviously bodes well for the future of the eLearning and Development industry, as well as end-users like us.