eLearning Trends
1. Spacing
We
all know that people retain very little of what they learn in a classroom or
e-learning event—some sources say as little as 10 percent. Instead of wasting
90 percent of training effort, many organizations are realizing the benefits of
"spacing," which provides ongoing learning over extended periods of
time.
Spacing—or
interval reinforcement—provides information to learners in a repetitive and
consistent way that reinforces a prior learning event, such as a workshop or
e-learning session. Research into cognitive learning and memory is helping us
optimize the spacing effect for maximum mastery of knowledge: We've learned how
frequently we need to deliver training bursts and feedback, and which time
intervals between each instance are optimum.
Spacing
can be used to enhance traditional e-learning sessions, or daily to deliver new
learning. Regardless of the goal, spacing allows organizations to create a
continuous learning environment by weaving learning into every workday.
2.
Chunking
Most
memory experts acknowledge that the capacity of short-term memory is about four
items, but it can be expanded by chunking the information. Chunking means
creating small units of information that can be combined into larger more
meaningful ones. Overall, chunking helps people take in more information, and
remember more of it.
In
today's learning environment, chunking usually is manifested as short bursts of
learning—anything from 60 seconds to 60 minutes. Combine chunking with spacing
to deliver these short bursts on a consistent basis, and you begin to create a
continuous learning environment.
3. Mobile
learning
Mobile
devices in business are becoming ubiquitous (even in unexpected places such as
retail and hospitality), and it makes sense to deliver learning to employees on
a platform that is integral to their personal and professional lifestyles.
Mobile
is suited to short bursts of information, which allows you to integrate
on-demand learning into your performance support system. Deliver information to
employees when it’s most important that they receive it, such as for:
v preparation
prior to a learning event
v just-in-time
learning to deal with a specific situation
v consistent
reinforcement after a learning event.
4. Social
media for learning
People
often learn as much from one another as they do from the course materials. And
better than 50 percent of the workforce (and growing) is plugged into social
networks as a way of life.
Organizations
already are incorporating social media into their core training strategy,
including:
v using
Facebook to provide advanced materials, conduct intersession activities, and
build learning communities
v using
Twitter for introductions, pre-training preparation and instruction,
conversations, debates, reflecting, brainstorming, and polls
v using
YouTube for training videos
v creating
blogs for additional learning information
v creating
wikis for learning resources
v creating
discussion groups around specific topics, such as onboarding for new employees
v creating
more immersive learning environments such as virtual experiences, which are
particularly useful when hands-on or experiential training is required.
5.
Gamification
One
of the key challenges with training always has been to get people engaged.
Using game mechanics is proving to be one of the most important measures to get
people eager to learn, and continue to learn.
In
addition to being fun, gamification offers other key benefits.
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v It can
engage learners of all ages.
v The fun
aspect creates less resistance to learning.
v It can be
used to teach a variety of subjects.
v It’s
suited to different domains of learning, including knowledge, skills,
attitudes, and beliefs.
v It
encourages experimentation, which often leads to innovative thinking.
v It’s less
stressful than traditional learning with lectures and formal tests.
v It can be
used to encourage a competitive spirit and teamwork.
Whether
your gamification strategy includes video games, games of chance, role play and
adventure, simulations, building and construction, or puzzles, you can be sure
that it offers a strong engagement element to your training approach.
6.
Personalization
Learning
is an individual experience, but corporate training programs traditionally have
been conducted in groups. With the advancement of learning technologies,
businesses now can implement a more personalized approach to employee training,
based on each individual’s unique competencies and learning preferences.
Personalization
involves providing employee learning in a way that maximizes retention and
application on the job. Personalization considers
v the
learner's preferred and habitual mode of learning
v their
current state of knowledge—What specific knowledge, skills, and attitudes are
required, and where are the gaps? What learning can be skipped, and what needs
to be repeated?
v other
considerations that may impact learning: Are there any generational, cultural
or language considerations that need to be addressed to improve learning?
By
creating a personalized learning experience, businesses can address knowledge
gaps and performance improvements at the individual level, which improves the
overall knowledge and ability level of all employees.
7.
Experience API
Experience
API (xAPI) is a game changer. No longer do we need to guess how well employees
are learning, or wonder what is the value of learning support mechanisms. Now
with xAPI, we have the ability to capture solid information on all diverse
learning experiences that employees participate in—information that is
quantifiable, sharable, and trackable.
In
contrast to manual data collection such as surveys, observation, and reviews,
the xAPI technology allows all kinds of applications and systems to track
employee knowledge and performance, including whether e-learning, mobile
learning, interval reinforcement training, games, online reading, social media,
performance management systems, and even equipment safety check systems. xAPI
records employee activity, and sends this information to a Learning Record
Store, which can be accessed by a learning management system or reporting tool
to generate meaningful data.
Armed
with granular details about employee learning experiences, you can evaluate
which types of experiences provide the best learning for each employee, as well
as identify where knowledge needs to be increased—across all learning
experiences.
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