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It’s not an understatement to say that a lot has changed since the start of 2020. We’ve had to adapt to new ways of socializing, working, staying healthy, and protecting others. It’s only natural that the way we think about eLearning is adapting, too. With over half of employees being given the opportunity to work from home, planned in-person and event-based training is likely not happening. So how can you retool your training? These five new trends for eLearning in 2020 can help ensure your learners are prepared for whatever else the year has in store.
Trend #1: Push, Don’t Pull
Outdated, mandatory training has relied on “pulling” learners along, forcing them into learning situations on a prescribed learning path—no matter what their needs are. It’s time to swap that mentality for a strategy that allows learners to push for their own growth. By creating individual experiences based on what a learner needs, you let learners choose what they learn, direct their own learning path, and advocate for their own growth.
Trend #2: Trim the Fat
Your learners’ attention is constantly being directed, redirected, and interrupted—especially if they are working at home—so you need to respect their time and interest with information that’s relevant and engaging. Micro modules, which break learning into digestible, impactful “chunks,” give learners the information they need and keep engagement levels high. Go through your existing modules and trim out the fat, asking yourself: What do learners need to know right now?
Trend #3: Show Me, and I’ll Show You
Retention improves when you show learners new skills, then let them show you what they’ve learned through practice and assessments. Examples include a section for key takeaways or interactive knowledge assessments.
Trend #4: Think VILT
Instructor-led training (ILT) still has a place in modern eLearning strategy, but it might look a little different than it used to. If you already have the materials for ILT, you don’t need to scrap them and start from scratch. It’s possible to pivot to virtual instructor-led training (VILT), but it’ll take more than just making your slides available online. Utilizing collaboration and conferencing tools with your slides can help your VILT feel more interactive, while online availability gives learners the flexibility to learn any time and anywhere.
Trend #5: When in Doubt, Copy Netflix
There are three reasons Netflix is the ultimate bingeable media machine: choice, flexibility, and an organic experience. When you’re watching Netflix, its algorithm automatically serves up content that you’ll be interested in based on what you’ve watched before, so you’re more likely to keep watching whenever, wherever.
In 2020, eLearning should feel a lot more like Netflix. A robust LMS can identify and deliver learning experiences based on the content learners have already consumed. Just like Netflix, learning is based on individual choices, and never feels forced or rigid. If you think like Netflix when building your training strategy, you’ll create binge-able experiences that keep learners wanting more.
Conclusion
If the first half of 2020 is any indication, the next six months will continue to bring change and growing pains for organizations and individuals. We see it as an opportunity to challenge some of the old rules for training and bring real progress to the eLearning industry.
How will you see it?
