eLearning Trends To Watch Out For In 2024

The eLearning industry is poised for significant growth, with projections suggesting a 200% increase between 2020 and 2025, mainly due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

To succeed in this market, businesses must prioritize user experience and consider various factors. It remains to be seen which new eLearning trends will emerge in learning and development and how companies will integrate them.

Specific established tools and delivery methods, such as gamification, microlearning, and video in online courses, have maintained their popularity in 2022 and are expected to continue enhancing their learning experience and effectiveness.

This article will not cover the well-established trends but focus on new elearning trends expected to emerge in the coming year and become standard in online learning and training. 

List of top 8 eLearning trends to watch out for in 2024  

Drawing on insights from thousands of customers and their e-learning courses and online academies, we have identified the top 7 eLearning trends for 2023.

1. Cohort-Based Learning - A Pivotal eLearning Trend Shaping 2024

As the eLearning landscape continues to evolve, Cohort-Based Learning (CBL) has emerged as one of the most fascinating trends in 2024.

This innovative educational approach focuses on fostering a sense of community and collaboration among students, addressing the social isolation commonly experienced in self-paced online learning environments.

By grouping students into cohorts, or smaller learning communities, CBL encourages interaction, engagement, and peer support, thereby improving the overall learning experience.

Key Features of Cohort-Based Learning

1. Synchronous learning sessions: Unlike traditional self-paced online courses, CBL incorporates synchronous learning sessions, where students and instructors interact in real-time. This allows for immediate feedback, clarification, and discussion, making the learning experience more dynamic and engaging.
2. Collaborative projects: Students in CBL courses work together on projects, applying the concepts they've learned to real-world scenarios. This promotes teamwork, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills, which are vital for success in today's professional landscape.
3. Peer feedback and support: In a cohort-based learning environment, students regularly provide feedback and support to their peers. This not only enhances their understanding of the subject matter but also fosters a sense of camaraderie and accountability, leading to higher levels of motivation and commitment.
4. Dedicated instructors and mentors: CBL courses often feature dedicated instructors and mentors who guide students through the learning process. These professionals provide personalized feedback, support, and encouragement, ensuring that each student receives the attention they need to succeed.
5. Community building: A major goal of CBL is to create a strong sense of community among students. Through online discussion forums, group chats, and virtual events, learners can connect, network, and build lasting relationships that extend beyond the duration of the course.

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Key Teachfloor LMS Features for Cohort-Based Learning:

1. Real-time communication: Support live video conferences, group chats, and instant messaging to facilitate synchronous learning and collaboration.
2. Collaborative project management: Assign and track group projects, set deadlines, and monitor progress to ensure your students are on track.
3. Customizable discussion forums: Create online spaces where your learners can engage in lively discussions, ask questions, and share insights with their peers.
4. Comprehensive analytics: Track student engagement, participation, and progress to make data-driven decisions that improve your courses.
5. Seamless integration: Connect Teachfloor LMS with your favorite tools and platforms, making it easy to streamline your workflow and enhance the learning experience.

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2. Artificial intelligence (AI) - One of the most fascinating eLearning trends in 2024

Artificial Intelligence (AI) plays a significant role in improving the learning experience for users by providing personalized suggestions, deep search functionality, and tools that cater to learning disabilities.

AI is also beneficial for creators in terms of saving time and effort. AI tools automate content translation, tagging, grouping, assigning courses to users, and quiz generation. AI's most significant feature is in-depth data analysis. Learning analytics tools provide insight into every aspect of an online course and learner behavior. This also allows training providers to improve their offerings.

Moreover, AI's role in eLearning extends beyond data analysis. Natural Language Processing (NLP), a subfield of AI, allows chatbots to become virtual assistants, responding to simple queries with information retrieved from a pre-determined knowledge base. This facilitates the lives of both learners and instructors.

3. Virtual reality and augmented reality (VR & AR) - One of the most exciting eLearning trends in 2024

Perhaps you're familiar with the game “Pokemon GO” which took the market in 2016. Based on Augmented Reality (AR), this game may not be everyone's cup of tea. But it undeniably presents an exciting and engaging concept for game-based learning.

Incorporating Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) into eLearning brings two significant benefits. An unparalleled level of immersion and faster, more comprehensive learning.

AR and VR technologies provide a secure environment for learners to practice and assimilate processes without the risks they might encounter in real life. Employees in heavy machinery operation, construction, healthcare, and emergency response fields can significantly benefit from using AR and VR technologies in their training. Simulations are an effective way to enhance learner retention and offer a distraction-free learning experience.

Virtual Reality is a more immersive technology than Augmented Reality. Learners typically wear a headset or visor that fully immerses them in the experience and separates them from the real world.

While Augmented Reality is more limited, it is still an impressive technology. It responds to users' actions, allowing digital elements or imagery to pop up when a user hovers their phone over an object. AR experiences require using smart glasses or a downloaded app on a smartphone.

AR and VR can also be used to provide game-based training, as this is what they were initially designed for.

4. Hybrid learning - One of the most trending eLearning trends among consumers

Hybrid learning, a term initially associated with K-12 education and academic institutions, has become a significant trend in workplace training. With most companies adopting a hybrid work model, employee training has followed suit.

Hybrid learning involves an equal combination of face-to-face classroom training and online learning. While it may be confused with blended learning, the two are fundamentally different: blended learning is primarily conducted on-site and complemented by online activities.

In a hybrid course, the online component includes real-time and self-paced learning. Learners access learning materials from a centralized online repository, such as an LMS or a Google Drive.

Hybrid learning combines the advantages of both online and on-site learning. Learners can enjoy the flexibility of creating their learning schedules and studying from their preferred locations while also benefiting from interaction with their peers and instructors, leading to social learning, engagement, and improved learning outcomes.

5. Content curation

Creating unique eLearning courses from well-curated content is challenging in today's information-driven world. This challenge becomes even more significant when the subject is subject to short information lifecycles. Given such dynamic content generation, how can eLearning content be curated uniquely?

The best approach is to understand your learning audience, their needs, and what they seek. With an intimate and in-depth understanding of who your course consumers are and why, curating helpful content for them will be easier.

Lastly, it is essential to understand how your audience intends to consume the content. For example, spending time and resources curating text-based content from authentic creators are futile if your audience prefers video-based eLearning content on their mobile devices.

6. Upskilling and re-skilling

By 2024, organizations will primarily focus on upskilling and reskilling their employees to address skill gaps. In addition to job-specific training, leadership will prioritize the development of soft skills and general skills such as customer service, project management, and communication. Due to limited training budgets, many organizations will opt for off-the-shelf or catalog courses rather than building their courses.

7. On-demand personalized learning

Personalization has become increasingly important in our technology-driven world, particularly in eLearning. Every learner has a unique learning style and needs, making personalized eLearning crucial for effective learning outcomes. A successful personalization process requires consideration of individual needs, learning objectives, skill levels, and learning abilities.

To ensure the efficacy of personalized eLearning, progress monitoring mechanisms must be used to validate its effectiveness. Regularly monitoring progress can adjust the personalization process as needed to ensure optimal learning outcomes for each learner.

8. Data analysis

The practice of data analysis is crucial in the field of eLearning, particularly in corporate training and higher education. Predictive analytics leverages past data to forecast future learner behavior, often with the assistance of AI, which interprets the data collected to produce reliable predictions.

Data analysis is pivotal in enhancing the effectiveness of learning. It allows learners to access their preferred learning materials and content, facilitating faster and more efficient learning. Furthermore, it can identify declining performance and alert instructors to provide prompt assistance to the learner.

Data analysis and data-driven learning will only grow in significance in the future. External factors continue to influence and shape learners' expectations and preferences, which are constantly changing. By closely monitoring their behavior as consumers and learners, course creators and training providers can provide learners with what they need anytime.

If you are in the eLearning industry, are a course creator, and want to create a training course for your employees but need help figuring out where to get started, what platform to choose?

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Learn more: 10 Top Nonprofit Management Courses.

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