Three BIG eLearning Trends For 2017
SO HERE ARE OUR THREE BIG TRENDS FOR
2017:
1. Mobile Learning. Or Better Make That Real
Mobile Learning
Mobile learning has been consistently listed as a trend for
almost 10 years now. In fact, it has already been adopted by a large number of
organizations in some form – initially by making eLearning available
on tablets, and more recently through responsive courses that
are accessible on smaller mobile devices as well. So in a way the ‘technical
hurdles’ for delivering mobile learning have been overcome.
We are now witnessing a move towards real mobile learning,
that is, mobile learning that really leverages the unique affordances of mobile
devices. There’s a growing demand for Mobile First design for bite-sized chunks
that can be consumed in less than five minutes as performance support or key point
recaps or continuous reinforcement over time.
2. Interactive Videos
Videos (including both real
life videos and 2D/3D animation videos) are regaining their lost glory.
In its heyday, video was THE
mode of training delivery via VHS tapes. Most organizations had a library of
such videos and a training room in which to view them. I myself have attended
such ‘training sessions’ when I worked in the logistics division of a large
auto manufacturer here in India.
But when training began to
shift to web-based delivery formats, the use of videos became almost impossible
due to low bandwidths available in the initial days. And video suddenly went
out of fashion.
Times have now changed and
today powerful mobile devices combined with Wi-Fi or 4G/3G speeds have led to
the resurgence of videos in training. YouTube is indeed one of the best
examples for video-based training that we all benefit from in both our personal
and professional lives.
3. Games & Gamification
There’s growing interest in
games and gamification and they have become buzzwords in the industry now.
However, we believe there is still some confusion surrounding these terms.
We’ve tried to distinguish between them in our previous articles on Games vs.
Game-Based Learning vs. Gamification and Gamification in
Learning.
With mobile devices now
firmly in the mix, there’s greater potential to implement games and
gamification. We’re much more likely to play a quick 5-minute game on our
phones while waiting for a bus than on our computers while at work. We’re also
likelier to catch up on comments, or give a quick nod – or tap – of
appreciation to a short piece of content from our phones and tablets. After
all, we’re accustomed to using these devices for such types of interactions on
social networking and content sharing sites.
Mobile devices also bring in
the opportunity to use geo-location and augmented reality, thereby adding to
the possibilities for creating game-based learning solutions.
Comments
Post a Comment