Learning Management Systems and eLearning on the Rise
Learning management system trends in 2021 is a continuation of similar trends that occurred in 2020. Additionally, the coronavirus pandemic changed the marketing landscape and the norms of conducting in-person business. As a result, eLearning and learning management systems have become an integral part of a growing business. Therefore, employees need continuous training, students must adapt quickly to online learning, and learning management systems need to be able to deliver.
eLearning Instructors Will Need More Training
The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic left many businesses scrambling for how to not only conduct work but train new hires. According to Business 2 Community, prior to 2020, 7 million people were already working remotely in the U.S. Over the last five years, remote work has grown by 44 percent.
What is often forgot about is not the need for more learning management systems, but proper training. When businesses switched to remote work, employees and employers had to adapt. In order to continue a business’s success, in-person training needs to be on an online learning platform.
Data Tracking and Analytics Will Play an Increased Role
Firstly, data drives a company’s direction and decision-making. Secondly, the same can be said for learning management systems as data drives how an eLearning course can be built and personalized. As a result, analytics will play a major role in a company’s development by gaining valuable insight into its workforce and needs.
“In 2021, it is expected that this trend is going to explode in growth and allow companies to increase their training ROI by gathering relevant information of their learners’ experiences so they can present them with suitable training formats.”
Jet Saini quoted from eLearning Industry
Using data collected from LMS allows an organization to pinpoint specific training techniques and craft quality online courses. Finances Online states “Big Data” helps organizations stay on top of their learning strategies.
Select Hub provides a list of analytics LMS administrators can track:
- Course completion rates
- Learner progress
- Surveys and other feedback forms
- Popular lessons
- Customized learning paths
- Worker strengths and weaknesses
- Use of information within the workflow
- Learner engagement and social learning
Features and Personalization for Learning Management Systems Will Expand
The advancements of eLearning have shifted the old practice of a standardized curriculum to a new approach of more personalized course content. According to Brightwave, 77% of learning and development professionals feel personalized learning is vital to employee engagement.
In the absence of in-person learning and training, engagement and personalized content will make or break your online course. LearnDash states one easy way to adjust content is to make it role-specific; using examples and scenarios can accurately present course materials in a real-life adaptation.
Mobile Accessibility Will be a Crucial Part of Learning Management System Trends
In today’s technologically advanced age, web design must accommodate mobile-friendly devices. Statista reports the number of unique mobile internet users stood at 4.28 billion, indicating over 90 percent of the global population use a mobile device to go online.
In order to market a successful online course, it is imperative to ensure your materials are accessible across all devices. Verified Market Research reports the mobile learning market is projected to reach $280 billion by 2027. The days of building online courses for desktops are well behind us as eLearning must prioritize mobile learning to facilitate a progressive online course experience.
Soft Skills and Well-Being Courses Will be a Priority
The importance of soft skills or “people skills” is being recognized by more organizations as an integral aspect of employee training. A study from Zety shows employers are looking for personal skills like teamwork, communication, and time management in 2021. Remote work requires people to adjust their day-to-day work approach, and refine their soft skills to perform on a remote team.
Much like soft skills, well-being courses will also be prioritized by organizations in 2021. Eurofound and the International Labour Office reported 41% of employees who more often worked from home vs. on-site considered themselves highly stressed, compared to 25% of those who only worked on-site.
“There’s no doubt that the biggest stress for professionals working from home is this change in routine and structure”
Christopher M. Palmer MD, Director of the Department of Postgraduate and Continuing Education at McLean Hospital.
Looking Ahead at Learning Management System Trends
Learning management systems will quickly be at the forefront of training for companies and eLearning for students. Remote work and learning have been gaining traction for years and 2020 proved to show the necessity for online, adaptive teaching methods. The trends outlined in this article will continue through 2021 as well as the overall growth of LMS usage and eLearning platforms.
Check back to see what other LMS trends we explore in future blog posts.
