A report by IBM found that “84% of employees in Best Performing Organizations are receiving the training they need compared with 16% in the worst performing companies.” To ensure that employees are receiving the training they need, it is important to stay up training trends. Learning and development is an ever-evolving concept that adapts to enhance the experience and the outcomes of learners.
Here are the top 4 training trends of 2017:
1. E-learning
E-learning is simply the method of learning through the use of electronics. E-learning has been on the rise and is expected to continue to rise. The advancements in e-learning such as videos and microlearning (more on that later) has enabled more flexibility for the modern learner.
E-learning is also a great tool to enhance the traditional learning experience. This method is known as blended learning. The use of on-demand videos is being used for the learner’s reference during the course and even after the course is taken.
2. Microlearning
Microlearning is a focused, more compact way to learn. Microlearning refers to bite-sized courses that can be consumed in a short period time with the content being rich in substance. This way or learning is great for efficiency.
According to Bersin by Deloitte’s Future of Corporate Learning research, “the ‘average’ US workers works 47 hours and 49% work 50 hours or more per week, with 20% at 60+ hours per week.”
With the utilization of microlearning, this allows employees to have the time to continue their education without adding even more hours to their work schedule.
3. Gamification
Gamification is the use of using “game” elements to captivate learners. Training Industry notes that “in game-based learning events, learners compete directly against one or more individuals or participate individually in an interactive experience that rewards learning performance in some way.” Gamification is not necessarily designed to be “fun” but that may be a byproduct of the engaging architecture of the course.
eLearning Industry reported that 79% of their survey participants said that “they would be more productive and motivated if their learning environment was more like a game.” This statistic enforces that gamification learning is expected to continue to grow.
4. Content Curation/Aggregation
Content curation is a trend that also seems to be developing. It is no longer enough to collect and curate learning resources to make available for employees.
Bob Mosher, Chief Learning Evangelist at APPLY Synergies, notes that “collecting information is one thing; distributing it in a meaningful way and easily assessable way is another! In 2017, we’ll see a deeper focus on the aggregation of content, both learning and support, in a more powerful way.”
