Trends in eLearning You Should Get Familiar With

If you’re interested in enrolling in a degree this year, to equip yourself with some new skills and/or learn about a particular topic, you may be wondering how to get the qualification you want without giving up a full-time job or getting a nanny. If so, keep in mind that there are now all sorts of excellent programs online, which include benefits such as the ability to study at whatever time of the day or night suits you.

There are numerous other benefits to be enjoyed from eLearning, too. For example, online study can save you time and money, allow you to avoid costly relocation, give you flexibility to concentrate on your class when you’re feeling most fresh and make it simple to repeat tutorials until you grasp information.

Thanks to technology, online study is now widely available and continues to improve. As such, it pays to keep up to date on the various trends having an impact in this arena, so you know what to expect and what options are available to you.

Whether you’re keen to enroll in a short course on computers, a bachelor degree in business or a top online master’s degree in education, once you learn the latest online trends you’ll be as prepared as possible for study success. Read on for some key trends in eLearning to get familiar with now.

Micro Learning

Micro learning, a term coined for situations in which training is broken into small chunks to be learned in 10-, 20- or 30-minute sessions, has been growing in popularity in recent years. In online learning, it’s definitely a growing trend, too. This is because micro learning works well for people who are incredibly busy and who need to be able to fit their educational progress in around work, family and other commitments.

There is another key benefit to micro learning: For people who struggle to concentrate for longer periods of time, because they have short attention spans, learning difficulties or other challenges, it is a plus to take in small doses of information in easily digestible chunks.

Gamification

Another trend that has been growing exponentially is gamification. This trend began in the gaming industry, hence its name, but recently, this learning style has taken off in other fields. For example, just a couple of years ago the world was rocked by how big of a phenomenon the Pokémon Go app became. It quickly demonstrated to businesses, governments, learning organizations and others that gaming styles can be utilized for a variety of different formats and uses.

In the eLearning arena, gamification is handy due to the fact that it assists students to engage with and understand content better. It also helps with the retention of new knowledge. While using games in classes is particularly popular with young generations because they grew up with video games, this trend works well for any age group and can be set up for any type of course.

Another bonus to come from the incorporation of gaming into learning is that this style takes some pressure off students. It allows them to make mistakes as they learn while at the same time to feel more pleased with their progress. In turn, this means students are more likely to stick with their studies.

More Breadth in Topics

As online learning continues to grow around the world, learning institutions are developing more online content for courses. Not long ago, you could only enroll in a select few eLearning programs; today there is much more breadth in the topics offered digitally.

For example, even though you might think of more “hands on” fields like agriculture, fine arts and fire science as ones that need to be taught in person, even these courses are now offered online. These typically are short courses designed for particular customers (often those working in niche fields).

Artificial Intelligence

Of course, it’s likely no surprise to hear that artificial intelligence is increasingly used in eLearning. Today, new developments in AI are starting to translate to training, as this kind of tech can help teachers to design, build, test and then evaluate learning offerings. In particular, artificial intelligence is being used to create virtual teaching assistants that help educational organizations by generating and delivering content, communicating with students and providing support as required.