Why read about digital learning trends?
If you’re a student, you’ll know the best educational practices that the most innovative online platforms use. So you’ll make a better choice for your future.
Or maybe you’re a business owner? Then you’ll have a better idea of how to choose the best courses and programs to make your employees more skilled and productive.
But if you’re an educator, then you’ll probably be interested in innovative methods of knowledge delivery (you’re going to love them).
Whoever you are, enjoy this list of seven major digital learning trends this year.
Lifelong Learning
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About 73 percent of American adults consider themselves lifelong learners [Pew Research Center]
Digital learning has finally made education available almost everywhere. That’s why the interest in learning new knowledge, explore more career paths, and get practical skills has reached its all-time heights.
The best digital learning platforms will offer courses and skills that are relevant to students of all ages and walks of life. The providers will define these skills on customer survey findings and labor market trends.
Digital Learning Becomes More Profitable
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The global e-learning market will grow by 14 percent annually between 2020 and 2025 and reach $70 billion in North America alone [PR Newswire]
Digital learning becomes a major industry. Gone are the days when online courses were scarce, as large online knowledge platforms like Coursera are popping up all over the place. Learning online is slowly becoming a norm in society, and online businesses can earn big bucks for being there for students of all ages.
Digital learning platforms today have two models of making profits. The first one including free lessons and learning materials but paid certificates and diplomas. The second one is 100 percent paid courses led by renowned educators.
Increased Demand for Corporate Online Learning Programs
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About 98 percent of US corporations planned to incorporate online learning into training programs and employee development initiatives [Techjury]
Personal and professional development are important factors for many job seekers. That’s why they often prefer companies that invest in their talent. The range of skills goes beyond professional ones and includes soft skills like persuasion, creativity, writing, empathy, and analytical thinking.
This trend should continue into 2021 and well beyond. The companies that have the ability to assist employees with learning will continue adding online courses to training programs. Many courses being are affordable, so startups and small businesses should also be among these companies.
The Rise of Mobile Learning
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The global mobile learning market will grow to $78.5 billion in 2025 [Globe Newswire]
This comes as no surprise: digital learning providers will have to accommodate the needs of smartphone users who prefer to learn on mobile. This means they have to ensure that the design is mobile-friendly and provides the most comfortable user experience.
A nicely-designed mobile learning platform is compatible with the most popular mobile devices and has all controls readily accessible. Also, it has scrollable content to avoid having users click multiple pages to get to the content.
Besides the design, mobile learning platforms must allow users to download and access materials offline. It’s a useful feature for mobile learners who use apps in places where network quality might be subpar.
Better Cybersecurity
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The number of DDoS cyberattacks on educational resources out of the total number of attacks in 2020 increased by 550 percent compared to 2019 [Kaspersky]
In fact, education remains the highest-targeted industry due to outdated security and lots of frequent users. Launching a successful cyberattack on an online university remains a more plausible project for hackers than targeting online businesses.
That’s why digital learning platforms will continue to build up cybersecurity defenses to protect the private data of students. Cybersecurity is also likely to become a consideration when choosing a learning platform. Many students will trust educational providers with secure payment methods and data storage. Those with a history of losing private data are likely to suffer massive reputation damage.
Learning with VR and AR
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About 41 percent of people say that immersive technologies like VR (Virtual Reality) and AR (Augmented Reality) are applicable in education [Perkins Coie]
Immersive technologies help learners achieve better outcomes by making education more engaging and interactive. Being able to practice skills in real-life situations on-demand can make a lot of difference for learners, so the interest in programs involving VR and AR will increase.
A great thing about these technologies is that one can create custom learning situations to train specific skills and qualities. Many typical work tasks and situations can be replicated, from operating a crane to performing surgery. That’s why AR and VR-based education should continue to enjoy a lot of interest from both educational institutions and companies looking to upgrade workforce skills.
Challenge-Based Gamification
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Students who learn with challenge-based gamification methods are highly likely to perform better than students learning with traditional methods [The International Journal of Human-Computer Studies]
Educators have been successfully using gamification - the use of game elements like competition and scoring in learning - to increase learner motivation and overall performance. That’s why gamification is common anywhere from elementary schools to corporate training programs.
The providers of gamification learning platforms create courses that involve a high degree of personalization to suit different learning styles. These courses will become a more popular tool for increasing employee motivation and improve their performance, as well as help students enhance learning outcomes.
The Latest Trends in Digital Education: Summary
So here you go, the seven most important trends in digital education that will make a difference in 2021 and beyond. With the global COVID-19 pandemic still ongoing, the e-learning industry has been massive momentum, and both universities and businesses begin to realize the value of this educational strategy.
Knowing these trends can help software developers, business owners, students, and educators prepare for the new era in learning. Business owners, for example, can discover new ways to improve the expertise of their workforce if they know the latest, most effective, and innovative methods of knowledge delivery.