You don’t need a crystal ball to know that technology has forced the world of eLearning into a constant state of evolution. Last year, mobile learning was among the hottest trends for corporate training and higher education organizations alike.
So what does the future hold for the rest of 2013 and beyond?
Here are five expert predictions from around the web on what to expect from eLearning and online training going forward.
#1. Cloud-based learning will become the norm.
Jeffrey Roth of Interactyx writes that the shift to more online training is unavoidable:
There is a growing need for affordable, high-quality training worldwide. Right now, companies are shifting from expensive in-person training to eLearning programs. In the next few years, any negative views on online learning will fade away. Instead, cloud technology will simplify corporate training processes and provide tailored learning options for small and medium-sized businesses.
#2. There’s no stopping BYOD.
Jane Scott Paul of AAT expects organizations to adjust to Bring Your Own Device trends:
“Learners at colleges and in the work place are becoming smarter about the way they learn, so organizations need to continually develop e-learning content to keep ahead of market trends… Like it or not, people of all ages are bringing their own devices into the work and learning environment and this will only continue to become more common moving forward.”
#3. MOOCs present a tremendous opportunity.
Justin Ferriman of LearnDash sees a major opportunity in regards to Massive Open Online Courses:
“MOOCs are very much in the early stages, still trying to figure out exactly what they will become. Because of this, the experience reported by many who take these classes is, to be blunt, terrible… Instructional designers have made their living creating training that is effective, engaging, and enjoyable. MOOCs, or perhaps the educational institutions themselves, are in desperate need of what instructional designers can offer.”
#4. More informal learning is on the way.
Rajesh Thambala of ValueLabs expects to see even greater recognition for the value of informal learning:
“With the easy availability of new social media tools, individuals are already managing their informal learning. This trend is only likely to catch up more in the future as the users increasingly search for and access learning resources freely available on the web, such as, podcasts, videos, and blogs, whenever needed.”
#5. Online video is set to become more popular than ever.
Clive Shepherd of Fastrak Consulting predicts more organizations will embrace video as an eLearning tool:
“I reckon we’ll see an even greater use of video in the workplace. Learners like it ([which] is not always true of e-learning) and it’s much easier to produce than it ever was… [It] is more engaging, more versatile and less impersonal. It can be used to trigger interaction, both individual and group – and can be blended with more reflective materials such as web articles, blogs and PDFs.”
Do you have any predictions of your own for the future of eLearning? Sound off in the comments and share your thoughts!