Our top 4 predictions for Learning & Development changes.
1) Micro-Learning (e-learning) Via Video Will Continue To Grow
Video learning materials have been around for decades, but experts have long understood that video length is a significant impediment to delivering value to learners. In our Learning and Development predictions, we can expect to see educators embrace this limitation and turn it into an asset by chopping the length of educational videos down significantly.
The CEO of E-Learning 24/7, Craig Weiss, predicts that videos in the 90 to 120-second range will become the norm over the next year. Karl M. Kapp, an instructional technology professor at Bloomsburg University, agrees with this assessment. Kapp believes that the rising popularity of micro-learning videos is attributable to the increased ease of delivering such materials to learners. There’s also significant research data validating the utility of learning delivered in bite-sized chunks.
2) Learning And Development Will Still Be A Key Benefit For Millennials
Millennials value training and professional development more highly than all other potential employer benefits according to the Bersin by Deloitte Future of Corporate Learning report. According to this survey, 22 percent of millennial workers want learning benefits. Compare this to 19 percent who want schedule flexibility and just 14 percent who want cash bonuses and you can how important this aspect is. We shouldn’t see any change in this trend; we can expect training to be a major draw for millennials at the start of their professional careers so to attract great staff AND retain them, then training is going to be an essential component.
3) Learning Experiences Will Benefit From More Gamification And Virtual Reality
According to Kapp, gamification has a number of benefits backed by neuroscience. Introducing game elements to the learning process helps make learners far more engaged with their progress, producing significant motivational benefits. Learning and Development seems to indicate that virtual reality is going to become an increasingly common component of corporate learning programs that already make extensive use of gamification concepts.
Professionals in many different fields are already taking advantage of virtual reality to refine their skills in near-real-world conditions before they start their careers. Gamification and virtual reality are likely to be especially prominent in the scientific, manufacturing, and transportation sectors.
4) Mobile Learning Will Allow For More Ambitious Development Goals For Work
Learning professionals are only now getting started with the vast potential of mobile devices to help them distribute educational content. Look for an explosion of interest in mobile learning. Many industry leaders believe that the unique combination of features and benefits offered by mobile learning programs is going to guarantee them a permanent place in the corporate educator’s toolbox. Some of the advantages gained through mobile learning include greater flexibility and portability, faster access to key materials, and the ability to initiate learning sessions at will whenever learners are ready to study in a distraction-free environment.
Predictions in summary
Educational researchers have already started to see that learning via mobile devices delivers significant benefits in a corporate environment. Examples include more widespread adoption of development programs, greater knowledge retention, and more engagement with training materials. The rise of remote workforces in more industries and an increased desire by managers to connect with their remote workers are likely to be contributing factors to the increased adoption of mobile learning.
Watch out for these trends in your own learning and development planning. By keeping abreast of the latest developments, you can ensure that your company stays competitive and beyond.
Feel free to contact us to book a course or enquire about how Woking Voices can help you maximise your return on investment for your L&D.
