“Online learning is not the next big thing, it is the now big thing.” – Donna J. Abernathy

In this digital world, the evolution of technology has tectonically changed the way society functions. Everything is just a click away!

Amidst this, eLearning has been rising steadily and we’ve watched it grow and create amazing learning experiences that we could only dream of a decade ago. And, we know that there are many more things to come.

Now that you must be packing for your 2021 voyage, you might want to take a peek at ‘what’s next?’ in the eLearning world so that you are all game.

To start off, let’s first understand how 2020 impacted eLearning.

What Changes did 2020 Bring?

2020 was quite the curveball, it transformed a lot of things around the world, including online education trends. It urged the global transition from in-person to online learning.

This resulted in wider popularity and acceptance of eLearning. According to a recent study, the eLearning market will reach $375 billion by 2026. The corporate e-learning market size is set to grow by USD 38.09 billion between 2020-2024.

There is no doubt that, in the digital workplace, the benefits of eLearning significantly weigh its worth in gold. It is flexible, cost-effective, convenient, improves productivity, and it’s right up the alley for tech-savvy millennials and Gen Z-ers.

So, let’s take a look at the top eLearning trends for 2021.

1. Make Way for Learning Experience Platforms

After the awesome Learning Management System, the new kid on the block is the Learning Experience Platform (LXP) and it is expected to push the paradigm of learning, especially with Gen-Z stepping into the workplace. The LXP market itself is over $350M in size and more than doubling every year. LXP users have access to a personalized online learning experience. With AI as a key component of LXP, every learner can decide what content they want to engage, add, or even create, which then becomes discoverable by anyone in the company.

2. Join Forces With Artificial Intelligence Tutors

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is stealing the spotlight in 2021 as well. According to a recent study, AI in the education market will surpass USD 6 billion by 2024. With AI tutors, users can get the personalized experience they crave and get highly customized training paths through the use of data analysis. These AI tutors can be available 24/7 on any device and students can have a better experience that boosts their engagement. For instance, SHERLOCK, an intelligent tutoring system, is used by air force technicians to detect electrical system problems in aircraft.

3. Tap Into Mobile Learning

Mobile learning, also known as M-learning, is the ‘on the go’ way to access learning content using mobile devices. Mobile is the future and it isn’t going away anytime soon. In fact, mobile users are predicted to reach 7 billion by the year 2021. To give your employees a 1:1 experience, it is crucial to create mobile-friendly courses. Organizations can use it to scale employee training, compliance training, or customer training all the while keeping pace with your growth plans.

It equips them to:

• Induct and onboard new employees across geographical regions quickly
• Upskill existing employees easily
• Improve productivity through personalized training
• Share information on safety, health, and security policies
• Assist customers with the onboarding of your product or service

4. Gamify Your Learning

Gamification rose to popularity in 2018 and 2021 will be no different. Games transform dull content into engaging and interesting experiences. In fact, according to the Association for Talent Development, gamification is an effective educational strategy. In a recent survey conducted, 82% of employees said a gamification system makes them happier, while 89% of employees said they’d spend more time on a gamified software. Additionally, reward systems incorporated with game-based learning make a better impact, make the learning process much more engaging, and encourage friendly competition among colleagues.

5. Embrace the Power of AR, VR, and MR

“The future of eLearning is virtual.” – Alexander Salas

The value of Augmented Reality (AR) in Edtech is predicted to surpass $5.3 billion by 2023 and we see more practical use cases of these technologies come into real-world, like rumii, a social virtual reality (VR) software, designed for enterprises or colleges to get their users together in a virtual environment.

AR and VR have continued to make waves in the eLearning industry and now a hybrid of AR and VR is here – Mixed Reality (MR). MR blends the physical and the digital worlds together so that users can experience and interact with virtual objects in a real-world environment. Here’s an example of MR in action – BAE Systems used the power of a mixed-reality system to help their factory workers visualize step-by-step instructions to assemble battery cells. This not only helped them to improve their assembly line operations but also train 30-40% of new workers efficiently.

With these technologies for your corporate eLearning functions, you can gain a competitive advantage. Additionally, they provide a fun environment to learn new skills and make learning more practical and engaging.

The eLearning world is going at a full-on throttle speed towards the future and these trends are all set to make your learning much more fun and interesting.

To play your eLearning cards right in 2021, talk to us.