Title: Top 5 eLearning Trends in 2021

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The year 2020 was transformative for the business operations of various industries. And the learning industry was no exception.

Staying updated with the latest trends can mean the difference between failure and success. Skills for jobs are constantly shifting; employees require cross-training and reskilling.

When administrators don’t upgrade their tech and training strategies, the operation and ROI of the whole company pay the price.

With skills evolving, eLearning adapts to improve training and make it more manageable. Here we discuss the top five most popular eLearning trends in 2021.

Mobile Self-Learning

There are more than 5.27 billion unique phone users. People across the globe spend an average of 4.2 hours per day using mobile apps.

This creates vast opportunities for the developers of eLearning apps that can target large groups of people.

Moreover, during the Covid-19 pandemic, 1.6 billion students in 195 different countries were unable to attend in-person classes.

This led to enormous growth in eLearning — both in computer-based studying and mobile self-education.

The recent developments prove that the momentum of mobile learning is nowhere near slowing down. Its evident benefits include time-efficiency, retainability, and cost-effectiveness.

As a result, many schools, universities, organizations, and agencies invest in mobile learning or implement it.

Video Learning

In 2021, synchronous and asynchronous video training is also gaining popularity. In fact, Google insights indicate that daily views for videos with keywords like “home school” increased by 120 percent since March 2020.

After all, videos are a popular medium to provide information, and an in-depth study reveals that video learning improves retention rates by 9%.

During the pandemic, organizations of all sizes leveraged technology to improve learning via innovative eLearning tools.

Synchronous virtual instructor-led and interactive videos are easy to develop, allow students and employees to work together, and facilitate effective communication.

Consequently, video-based learning has gained significant prominence among knowledge seekers worldwide.

The videos can include other helpful elements such as:

  • branching
  • embedded links and items
  • popup texts
  • questions and quizzes
  • surveys

These interactive tools help learners understand concepts on a detailed level rather than just accumulating surface-level knowledge.

Gamification in Learning

Video games are well-known to be one of the most addictive forms of entertainment, and for a good reason. Adding fun game mechanics and flashy visuals to non-game environments can help boost participation and inspire learners to interact and collaborate more.

Research shows that the gamification industry will be valued at US $38.42 million by 2026 and demonstrate a CAGR of 25.10%.

One of the top reasons gamification is on the rise is because this tactic motivates and engages the learner, ensuring they become active participants.

It encourages them to use what they’ve learned and showcase it. This way, learners get an opportunity to track their study goals and achievements as well as compare their results with other users.

It also allows organizations to access insightful data that helps them reach performance goals, improve their marketing campaigns, and get their desired ROI by getting more out of their training sessions.

Here are a couple of examples of gamification in e-learning:

  • A timed quiz
  • A gamified quiz with badges and rewards to motivate learners
  • Games with challenging scenarios where the user is the character
  • A story-led game

Microlearning

Microlearning refers to small, bite-sized information that helps learners develop an extensive and valuable skill.

It provides learners with a succinct focus on specific training areas to learn a new skill, solve a problem, or answer a question.

Microlearning is one of the least daunting approaches to skill training since it makes information digestible.

Thus, it’s likely we’ll see more companies shift to curating eLearning courses focused on developing a specific area.

Microlearning streamlines elements of training that could potentially cause information overload. Modules usually last no more than five minutes, which ensures better knowledge retention and more active participation.

Modules may include attention-grabbing presentations, short video tutorials, and games. Plus, microlearning is mobile-friendly, which means your content is easily accessible for everyone.

Artificial Intelligence

Another eLearning trend that’s been exploding is AI. Chatbots have become a valuable tool for accelerating customer service and fields that require quick answers. Now chatbots are entering AI tutoring.

Apart from answering the learner’s queries, they can also offer resources and suggest content that can help solve learners’ issues. Using AI provides learners with a personalized approach to learning programs based on their preferences, pain points, and experiences.

The Bottom Line

With business needs and workplace culture evolving continuously, implementing innovation becomes a necessity. With the help of technology, learning management systems become more sophisticated, engaging, focused, and effective.

Content creators and instructional designers use social learning, microlearning, AI, and gamification to offer digestible and retainable information. Leveraging eLearning trends is a cost-effective way of providing employees and students with training and skills.

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