Learning Technology Challenges & Commitments for 2019─Part III

By Ramesh Ramani, CEO, Expertus

So far, we have covered my top seven analyst predictions for learning technology in 2019. Let us continue to see what three final solutions they believe will make the most impact on your learning organization.

#8 Lifelong Learning Begins Now

According to a recent McKinsey Global Institute study on workforce transitions, by 2030, as many as 375 million workers—or roughly 14 percent of the global workforce—may need to switch occupational categories as digitization, automation and advances in artificial intelligence disrupt the world of work.

In our era of rapid technological change, learning and development’s (L&D) role is to train employees for jobs that don’t yet exist. Thus, your L&D department must become a well-oiled “reskilling machine” and provide the tools to constantly reskill workers for new, emerging roles.

The analysts at The eLearning Guild agree…

“It’s hardly news anymore that the half-life of our skills is declining more rapidly than ever. Our ability to quickly learn new skills is the critical skill needed to navigate the choppy waters ahead. More and more organizations will commit to lifelong learning and skills development as a strategic imperative and a competitive advantage. L&D will become a key driver in preparing employees for the roles and skills of the future.”

#9 Big Improvements in Personalization

This year, I think we are going to see a lot of improvements in how we personalize learning, with xAPI and machine learning becoming the key drivers for this initiative. The capability and technology are there; we just need learning organizations to lead the way.

“The volume and ease of access to content has created a situation where context is more important than the content itself. Yet, we continue to spend large percentages of our L&D budgets on (creating or licensing) content. These investments need to be redirected to providing context. This can be accomplished by curation, by leveraging user-generated content, and by implementing solutions that enable collaboration.”

The eLearning Guild, 2019 Predictions for eLearning

“While ‘personalization’ has been a buzzword for a long time, it will now become more relevant with the development of tools that allow instructors, managers and admins to create not just personalized, but more engaging learning experiences. Drag-and-drop elements and simple authoring tools will be increasingly available to create adaptive multimedia learning content. Learners will also be able to self-direct their training through a project or a problem-solving narrative. Which will help move learners from a passive to a more active mode inside an experience that adapts to them.”

Five Predictions for the Future of Learning

“Learning will be increasingly provided in times of need, when the learner/worker is already busy with a workflow. There’s a shift taking place from courses to resources, which will also mean a shift from topic-centered learning design to user-centered learning design and technology.”

2019 Predictions: Learning & Development Best Practices

#10 Managing Video Content

Going hand-in-hand with personalized learning, video content will dominate in 2019.

Craig Weiss sees the increased use of video bookmarks, auto detection FPS and video streaming (What You Can Expect in 2019). And, according to Tubular Insights, 80% of what we consume will soon be video content.

“The trend of recording videos and ‘going live’ has grown with the likes of Facebook, Instagram and other social media platforms. Obviously, this is what we’ll have in learning as well. Many experts, including Skills Journey’s founding partner Clive Shepherd, mention a shift from classic instructional eLearning to the use of interactive video.”

eLearningIndustry, 4 eLearning Trends You Can’t Miss In 2019

Two ways you can be ready for the jump in video-based content include:

Adding a native content player to your learning platform for fast, seamless viewing of video content
Ensuring your LMS has a solid infrastructure for tracking, managing and reporting on video learning consumption
What Are Your Challenges & Commitments?

The past year has allowed us to make huge leaps as an industry with new technologies and insightful revelations. And we can only expect this to progress even further over the next year. Hopefully, this Top Ten list will help you set, and achieve, your own learning technology commitments for 2019.