Trends in Learning Technology

Now is the time to plan ahead and see what the Learning and Development (L&D) year holds. With learning trends embracing technology on a larger scale, one thing we can say for sure is that emerging technologies are transforming the world. Especially in relation to technology in learning. Similarly, companies must reconsider their approach to training and development. As a result, an increasing number of people and organizations now depend on emerging technologies to obtain the desired competitive advantage.

However, with such rapid changes happening all around us, most people face challenges in terms of keeping up with the technology itself. For example, 65% of business leaders feel that AI is a very important aspect of human capital. But only 26% of companies feel they are ready for such a proliferation. So given these massive technology disruptions, there is a pressing need for universities to respond effectively and focus on the future of L&D.

Trends in Learning Technology

Let’s explore the top six trends in learning technology and engagement in learning that universities can use to bolster their training and development initiatives in the years to come.

Artificial intelligence (AI)

AI bots are set to drive 85% of interactions by 2020, while 20% of business content will be created by AI. The availability of limitless analysis of data on hold for actionable insights has enabled global organizations to take advantage of artificial intelligence. In the same way, they have managed to facilitate the enormous impact on training and development. Today, AI is helping training and development leaders deliver training in more ways than ever thought possible.

AI is able to help training and development leaders personalize training content to meet learner needs.This is accomplished through data-driven content recommendations, learning patterns (mapped), styles and behaviors, role-based learning, along with real-time self-generated learning content. Adaptive / personalized learning enabled by AI can also go a long way in transforming employee engagement. However, AI is still believed to be in its developmental stage in learning with tools and solutions for many services that are not yet available. Be that as it may, universities are hard at work preparing to adopt platforms that can be used to create AI solutions. Data, however, remains a top priority and your analysis in terms of AI adoption.

Geofencing

Geofencing has become one of the main trends in training. So what is geofencing? Used primarily in marketing and retail, a geofence can be defined as a boundary (electronic) line etched around a specific zone or area. Organizations use them to track the movement of their target customer base in the established zone to drive deals and / or coupons. Although geofencing may have started as a marketing gimmick, it can be a real game changer in business training and development. Therefore, in terms of workplace learning, organizations can use geofencing technology to provide on-the-job training. This by using on their smartphones or other devices whenever they are in a specific site or on campus.

Big Data and Learning Analytics

Achieving or, more importantly, showing the ROI of learning has worried L&D professionals for years because it’s not easy to link employee training to ROI. Nearly 2.5 trillion bytes of data are created every day, but the data does not generate much value until it is organized and analyzed. This is where analytics comes in. It is fast becoming an essential tool for all industries. One of the industries where analytics is making a big difference quickly is the learning industry. The “raw” or “big” data collected from student activities, performance, and completions is refined and analyzed by L&D professionals to obtain actionable insights. Like any other role in an organization, L&D exists to develop the skills of students to reinforce their performance. And learning analytics is a must-have solution for all training and development functions in your organization.

Self-Directed Learning: Learning Experience Platform (LXP)

Learn-Tech professionals have also seen a huge boost in recent years in self-directed or pull-learning. This rather than a push-learning or top-down approach. Forward-thinking organizations are already at the forefront of taking advantage of a learner-centered approach. According to Towards Maturity, nearly 19% of students are taking advantage of healing tools, and this space is expected to experience a high rate of growth. An LXP is an advanced, more intuitive and flexible version of an LMS. It is designed to drive learning engagement through easy discovery of relevant and recommended. WhiletheLearningManagementSystem or LMS

it is still widely accepted as the go-to solution for training. However, an LXP offers a new and more convenient experience. Especially for today’s students, who expect simple and engaging learning environments. An LXP provides an increasingly self-directed approach to learning by selecting content, recommending skills, and developing learning journeys, among others.

Virtual reality and augmented reality (VR / AR)

Virtual reality and augmented reality (VR / AR) in training are on the rise and promise to be a truly holistic solution for each and every industry. VR / AR has been around for quite some time and its adoption in organizational training has been limited to certain specific industries such as aviation (pilot training), manufacturing (simulations, testing), the military, etc. But today VR is slowly finding its way into more industries in the form of engaging and effective simulations to do a test of skill before applying it on the job.

Similarly, AR offers several benefits. From customer interactions to healthcare, enabling the workforce to test critical skills with the least risk. Similarly, virtual reality and augmented reality also give novice or inexperienced employees the opportunity to practice their newly acquired skills in a safe environment. An organization that hires candidates fresh out of school with no prior experience (millennials and Gen Z) has more technical knowledge and understanding, but little experience with their application. VR / AR can help guide such an inexperienced workforce to rapidly increase productivity.

Out-of-the-box e-learning: online content marketplaces

Organizations around the world turn to training and development when faced with key business challenges that warrant instant upgrade / upgrade of employees. As a result, L&D professionals need an instant solution that can quickly start training their employees. In such scenarios, training managers don’t have the time or resources to develop custom content, and an online content library becomes their go-to resource. An online content library offers several benefits. These range from ready-to-use courses on various topics, including management skills, information technology, sales and marketing, finance, and more. With organizations and universities willing to spend millions of dollars on training for a future-proof workforce, online content libraries can offer an instant and cost-effective solution. They have a great return on investment in learning.

Conclusions

One of the key changes is learning that everything makes more and more sense as we live our connected lives in this digital world. Meanwhile, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping the way universities teach, organizations do business, interact with clients, and manage their operations. As we enter this new decade, it is clear that people are in favor of technology. In the same way, they expect a high technological commitment in all areas of life, including retraining / updating for the future.

However, technology remains an enabler and its adoption will be more effective. This coupled with an effective learning strategy and a culture of learning across the organization. Especially when companies want to reinforce the soft skills of their workforce, such as communication, customer service, etc. The LMS remains a priority for organizations looking to align training and development with business goals. And, coupled with these latest learning technology trends, organizations can achieve greater engagement in learning and greater long-term productivity.

Trends in Learning Technology