Top E-Learning Trends For 2019

We are in the last month or so of 2018, and as the year is coming to an end, it’s this time of the year when we look expectantly towards the new one and the trends that will affect the learning industry—specifically the e-learning landscape. Let’s look at the top e-learning trends for 2019 that will become stronger as we move forward:

1. Adaptive Learning

The advances in Adaptive learning are pushing the boundaries of what is achievable with learning. The inclusion of analytics, training evaluation, measurement and assessments really support learning and what it is trying to achieve for organisations and the employees within.

Very soon, adaptive learning will make further strides in the e-learning marketplace. Organisations and learners will benefit as organisations ensure that there are better competition rates, and learners will enjoy the learning process as they get to see only that content that is personalised to them. When the learners are also encouraged to use assessments, which help them identify where they are lacking, they can adapt their learning needs accordingly.

LMS’s are slowly gearing up to compete and include elements of platforms that are offering adaptive learning, which means it is an interesting concept to keep an eye on. The inclusion of adaptive learning in our learning and development plans can only be a positive thing.

2. Microlearning

Microlearning has been a strong trend in 2018. We have seen that organisations and businesses are increasingly looking at microlearning as an important solution. It is a great method of implementing learning in small chunks that are objective driven and can be easily and quickly rolled out across the board.

Organisations that are looking to take advantage of microlearning will continue to benefit from this interesting and innovative mode of learning that allows learners to ‘chunk’ their learning into bitesize areas.

Microlearning can be advantageous to learners as it allows them to fit learning in with their work and it provides ‘just in time’ development.

Microlearning should not be necessarily be considered as a ‘separate’ learning intervention and many of the existing learning can be broken up to become ‘micro’. Really it is a methodology, rather than a new practice in its own right. Microlearning can be implemented as e-learning modules, videos, small games, quizzes, and infographics.

Another great advantage of microlearning is that it can usually be implemented on any device. Microlearning, we predict, will continue to be a strong trend in the year 2019 and beyond.

3. Artificial Intelligence and Learner Assistance

Artificial Intelligence assistance has picked up in the e-learning space. Organisations are now offering innovative solutions where bots are able to guide learners both on the learning path, as well as during the courses.

Artificial Intelligence will be used to predict learner behaviour, as well as help,  personalise the learning. Based on the modules that were taken by learners and the difficulties or challenges faced, better personalisation will be brought about. Voice-guided bots can also be used where learners need to search for key content throughout a learning module and can quickly get them what they need without intense searching. As we see it, organisations will be implementing newer methods of Artificial Intelligence support for their learners in both the learning process and during the moment of need. One use of intelligent chatbots could be in acting as a method of learning support for technical queries.

Our view is that Artificial Intelligence will continue to be a very strong trend and that it is something that will change the learning landscape in 2019 and in years to come.

4. Gamification and Game-Based Learning

Gamification and game-based learning has grown as a trend over time. We actually think the concept has been around for year, but the name may have been missing in the past. Regardless, organisations are increasingly looking at investing in game-based learning to empower and engage their learners better. Advocates say that gamification  improves retention rates and means that learners become better able to apply the subject matter they have learned back into the workplace.

Organisations will look to implement more game-based solutions, as they see them as value adders for the organisation-wide learning. Gaming elements can be developed quite simply and do not have to be extremely advanced in nature. As long as that thought has gone into their development and they are well designed they can be effective. They key consideration should be how much they engage the learners. 

Game-based learning should be seen as another tool in the armoury of  any learning organisation.

In our opinion, game-based learning is here to stay and will continue to be a strong trend in 2019 and grow stronger in the years to come.

5. AR/VR/MR

Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality are both becoming a large part of how learning is implemented and its advances are really interesting. Many primary and secondary schools have adopted Augmented Reality in a rapid way to teach various subjects, such as Science and Maths. Talking of science, AR and VR are widely used by people in the medical profession to help develop their surgery and other skills.

Augmented Reality provides the opportunity to overlay graphics and images into real life scenarios that can enhance learning, provide a chance to see things ‘come to life’ in a way not done before and really enthuse and excite learners. Of course, this added excitement can also help learners connect with the content better and the novelty increases knowledge retention. How long that novelty will last remains to be seen.

Virtual Reality will continue to play a big part in classroom training for things such as health and safety and areas where practical implementation is difficult. Organisations are now looking at Virtual Reality as an important solution, as e-learning companies use effective Instructional Design strategies to enhance the VR experience. VR is certainly interesting and advances in this area are exciting. After all, who can not be wowed by the appearance of visual elements and interactivity outside our natural environment? Organisations are also investing in cognitive learning products that are augmented by VR especially for children and people with special needs.

The new term of Mixed Reality (MR), is taking all of the technology of AR and VR and putting them together to make some really impressive concepts. This is being picked up by large organisations and big investors as the next big thing.

Organisations will continue to take advantage of this interesting trend in the year 2019 and beyond.

6. Video-Based Learning

Videos have become a mainstay of e-learning and learning in general. The popularity of video-based sites like YouTube has meant organisations have become more keen to adopt more videos into their training. Be it Instructor-Led Training that is interspersed with anecdotal or contextual videos, or e-learning where videos play an integral part in disseminating information, videos are here to stay.

Because video can now be compressed and added to learning interventions quite easily, it is going to become a natural part of all learning. Video-based learning will continue to develop and will be an important trend to watch out for in the year 2019 and beyond.

7. Social Learning

Learning has always been a social concept. However, with the growth of social media platforms it seems to have come to the forefront of people’s learning strategies. Really, social learning is just people working together to solve problems and develop their knowledge and skills. Besides social media platforms, it can take various formats, which might include; forums, informal chat sessions, sharing sessions, and learning circles. Social learning has picked up in the last few years thanks to the emphasis on building a learning organisation. It’s clear that social learning in all its formats will continue to grow in the year 2019 and beyond.

8. Content Curation

Content curation is the method of collecting information and providing learners with just-in-time information as and when they need it. LMS’s will continue to grow and offer content curation as an important method of sharing information, provide the right experience to the learners and it will definitely be a strong trend in 2019.

Conclusion

These are the trends that will be used as preferred modes of learning in the coming years.

We would love to hear from you with suggestions on what other trends can contribute to enhancing the e-learning space during 2019.