Top e-learning courses production trends of 2021
2021 was an unprecedented year in general and particularly for the e-learning industry. The coronavirus pandemic inspired a lot of interest in e-learning.
Traditional courses and learning programs were quickly adapted for virtual learning.
New virtual learning courses were also created in the year. With the premise of 2021, the e-learning industry is bound to still gather interest in 2021. This article shares expected e-learning trends of 2021, as shared by industry experts.
1) Blended learning
According to the director of e-Learning Light, David Patterson, the rebalancing of learning models is an expected e-learning trend of 2021. Patterson believes that as normalcy is steadily restored, organizations will deliver more of blended learning which will be a mix of traditional face-to-face learning and e-learning.
The pandemic inspired organizations to abruptly adopt e-learning. These organizations have noted the benefits associated with e-learning and are bound to incorporate it into regular operations.
2) Improved LMS functionality features
LMS functionality features are bound to improve in 2021. Several experts agree with the expected trend and highlighted features that will most likely be included in LMS in 2021. The experts also stated that although the change will not exactly be drastic, the changes will improve virtual learning experiences.
According to Michael Sheyahshe, a developer and technologist at alterNative Media, more communication features will be included in e-learning platform LMS solutions. This is because of the enhanced dependence on video calling during the COVID-19 lockdown.
He also shared that the communication options on LMS are bound to significantly improve to allow more robust communications. He shared that a major communication feature that could be included in LMS is the tracking of attendance of meetings.
It is also believed that data tracking and analysis will significantly improve in 2021. This expectation was shared by Andrew DeBell, a professional training consultant that works at Water Bear Learning. He believes that as more investments are made into e-learning, organizations will expect a higher level of monitoring to ascertain the ROI from e-learning.
A high level of adaptability and personalization is another expected functionality trend of 2021. This was shared by Clark Quinn, an executive director and cognitive science and learning technology at Quinnovation.
Chatbots are another functionality feature expected in 2021. Experts shared this view because of the potential of chatbots to serve as teaching assistants in all kinds of learning environments and institutions.
3) Robust and high-quality e-learning content
Several e-learning experts have shared that they expect an improved quality of e-learning content in 2021.
The enhanced e-learning content will be a result of practices such as hands-on learning. With hands-on learning, the focus will be on doing rather than knowing to improve the effectiveness of e-learning.
Clark Quinn believes that to create high-quality effective content, principles of instructional design should be applied. He believes that the creation of learning content will be better guided by the principles of instructional design and that there will be an enhanced focus on learning science as a whole.
4) Humanized learning
The enhanced humanization of learning content in 2021 is an expected trend shared by different professionals. They believe that the humanization of e-learning content is important for improving general effectiveness.
The e-Learning Guild’s director of research, Jane Bozarth, believes that humanizing learning content will help combat the loneliness associated with virtual learning. She suggested measures of humanizing e-learning content such as creating learning content with the names and voices of real people and carrying out VILT sessions using virtual whiteboards.
5) Immersive content
Several e-learning experts shared the creation of more immersive content as an expected e-learning trend of 2021. Immersive content will be created with the application of tools and technologies such as virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR).
VR and AR will be applied to create real-life simulations that will be included in e-learning content. This expectation is part of the overall expectation of enhanced learning content in 2021.