Vubiz Elearning

E-learning Trends: 2013

This time of year, bloggers and experts forecast trends for the elearning industry. In reviewing recent articles, and attending the recent ASTD Tech show in Silicon Valley (American Society for Training & Development) the three biggest trends being talked about by elearning bloggers are Games, Video and M-Learning.  Recent Ambient Insight Research predicts the worldwide market for elearning to reach over $51billion by 2016 proving that elearning is a solid, mainstream industry and growing rapidly. 

Many experts talk about “gamification” as an important emerging element.  As elearning evolves with better, less expensive software, the bar for interactivity is also elevating.  Games in elearning are easier to build and they add high levels of interactivity while enhancing the learning experience overall. Simulation games are also increasing in popularity as designers find them to be effective training tools which keep the learner coming back.  As with video games, elearning games require you to play until you win, which in instruction design terms, means you play until you learn it.  Games in elearning have become a hot trend mostly in the corporate sector, and gamification can be as simple as an interactive quiz or as elaborate as an animated simulation. 

With the changing technical aspects of elearning, from flash to html5, the importance of video in elearning is skyrocketing.  Improved internet and bandwidth combined with today’s social media/YouTube culture elevates video to an essential part of elearning.   Again, with elearning evolving, interactivity and visual appeal is no longer a luxury, but a necessity.  Video is a very engaging form of communication for the learner and it quickly adds interactivity, interest and tangible learning benefits.  Today’s less expensive cameras and video capture tools make video much more accessible for everyone.

Mobile Learning or MLearning was definitely the buzzword at the Tech show.  In 2013, elearning companies will have to accommodate learners who use mobile devices on a daily basis. The explosion of tablets has pushed mobile learning to the forefront.  And globally, MLearning is vital as countries in Africa and India have gone straight to the smartphone for access to learning materials.

Social Learning is another buzzword for 2013.  It basically means learning with, and from, others.  Today, social media gives learners a great platform for communicating information.  Twitter, Facebook and other social networking sites encourage people to connect and share information, which can enhance the learning process.It’s likely we’ll see brand new ideas in elearning from the social media phenomenon that we don’t see right now.  We’ll definitely see more apps to support social learning and MLearning.  

Social media is changing the way we do everything, and it will be exciting this year to see how it changes elearning.