Top Trends in E-Learning for 2017

According to e-Learning Market Trends and Forecast Report by Docebo, the global corporate e-Learning market is expected to reach an estimated revenue of USD $31 billion by the end of 2020.

Now that 2017 has already begun, let’s take a glimpse at what e-Learning experts are calling the top e-Learning trends for this year:

Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality

Augmented Reality (AR) leverages existing environment to superimpose new information (images, sounds etc.) and adds reality to it by changing the user’s view whereas Virtual Reality (VR) includes a computer generated environment that helps beginners with practicing beforehand. According to a recent report by IDC, AR and VR are expected to generate a combined revenue of $162 billion by 2020.

With products like Oculus Rift and dropping prices of headsets, augmented and virtual reality will drive innovation in the corporate and academic sectors in the learning technology market in 2017.

Artificial Intelligence

AI simplifies the process of e-Learning by making it easy for students to explore topics in depth and test their knowledge in intricate situations. Also, AI instructors are highly knowledgeable, dedicated, and most importantly, less error-prone as compared to human instructors. According to Ray Schroeder, director of the national UPCEA Center for Online Leadership, artificial intelligence is going to be an important aspect in the field of e-Learning this year.

Differentiated Instruction

Differentiated instruction is a way to design and deliver instructions that best reach out to students. According to Jeffrey Bradbury’s prediction for 2017, differentiated instruction will lead to professional development practices that will further create differentiated instructors in this year.

By designing lessons based on learning styles, grouping students based on interests/topics, or continually assessing and adjusting lesson content, it is expected that differentiated instruction through content, processes, assessment, and learning environment will be on a high note in 2017.

xAPI

Although the current rate of xAPI adoption is comparatively low but, it won’t be a surprise to see it trending in the year 2017. It gives you the flexibility to gather learning data and accordingly create personalized learning routes for employees. This means a highly-personalized training experience, much to the relief of L&D trainers.

According to the current favorite SaaS/ Cloud platform for e-Learning, Docebo, learning in a virtual environment has reached new horizons ever since the evolution of xAPI, so it will definitely not be a passing fad in the coming year as well.

Cloud Computing

Amongst other technological trends, cloud computing is expected to transform the e-Learning landscape this year. A huge number of cloud-based solutions, including Learning Management Systems (LMSs) will be opted by companies in 2017 and cost-drivers will be the moving force behind the cloud-based technologies. These cloud-based applications do not require any installation on the computer as it was in the case of “traditional” LMSs which reduces L&D costs by eliminating the need for expensive online learning infrastructure.

With technology moving forward unstoppably in long strides, these e-Learning trends will play a pivotal role in reforming the learning environment, paving the way for effective training techniques.

What other e-Learning trends do you see emerging in 2017? Let us know in the comment section below!

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