Top Five Predictions for 2022 – eLearning Edition

We’ve been in this business for a while, so here is what we predict will be the top trends for 2022 for online education and training.

1. Flexible Education Options for Learners of All Ages

We all know that the world has changed a lot since 2020, especially in the way we do business and deliver education. While many organizations are re-establishing their in-person set-ups, they are also contending with a push to keep activities online. Lawmakers in Virginia, for example, are advocating for an increased investment in online education, even though schools have reopened. In a survey conducted by The Digital Learning Pulse, 73% of respondents agreed they wanted to take fully online courses in the future. Many professionals who are seeking certifications will opt for the online experience over in-person because of its flexibility.

2. Professional Training Gets an Online Boost

Just as educational institutions across the land discovered that there’s an entire segment of students that would prefer to continue their education online, many businesses are discovering that their employees prefer online as well. It’s no surprise that businesses have seen a boost in learning and development budgets for employees. (According to LinkedIn’s Workplace Learning Report, budgets for learning and development increased by 57% in the last year).  Whether the business chooses to remain fully remote, or is offering a hybrid option, Chief Learning Officers everywhere must adapt their professional learning and development programs to meet the needs and demands of their teams. We predict that more and more businesses will be joining the online forces so they can reach more of their staff and provide flexibility. Businesses who accelerate their digital professional training offerings will not only improve their own workforce development, but also their operational efficiency and agility.

3. High Demand for Instructional Design Experts 

The Great Resignation is hitting every single industry, yet the industries that are standing strong are those in tech spaces, such as EdTech.  Whether it is for traditional educational spaces, or businesses and corporations, the demand for experienced instructional designers is high. Employees that are looking for a career change have a lot more exciting opportunities to consider. The Metaverse is upon us, and honing those instructional design skills – gamification anyone? – will keep employers begging for more.  The Great Resignation also brought a shift to the employer/employee dynamic, putting employees in the driver’s seat. We predict that instructional designers will be a hot commodity and will get to write their own career path.

4. Inclusive, Accessible and Equitable Digital Abundance

The last few years have taught us all that there’s a lot we still do not know, and that there is always room for improvement. Instead of seeing learners as another number, organizations are leaning into the collective idea that each learner is an actual person with different needs, strengths, ideas and experiences. Based on that, organizations are working to ensure their digital offerings are inclusive, accessible and equitable and keeping themselves open to not only teaching, but also learning along the way, themselves.

5. Big Data Improves the Learner Experience

The concept of big data is not new, but the adoption of it in education is. Big data – the voluminous amount of records, documents, facts, figures, files, statistics, etc. that is then stored, analyzed and managed to identify patterns to design and develop smart solutions – is used in various industries such as medicine and agriculture. So how can the eLearning industry use Big Data? Scrubbing and analyzing data from learners can spur a more personalized education. An educator or trainer can study a learner’s behavior and performance and develop custom learning pathways. The data can also better track student performance to help learners reach the desired outcomes and understanding. Big Data is also already helping education systems improve, and some are integrating its applications into their curriculum. We predict more educators and trainers will tap into the myriad benefits of Big Data in the coming year. 

CourseArc is a content authoring and management system that facilitates the collaborative creation of engaging and accessible online learning. CourseArc was built as a tool and team to support organizations as they build online content. Check out our resource site to see how we can help your team. See our tool in action and then check back to our blog and social media feeds for additional resources and case studies on how our clients are using CourseArc to move their education and training programs online. 

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