I recently attended the Training 2016 Conference and Expo as an exhibitor. I was able to talk with many training and development representatives from a wide variety of organizations about their LMS needs. During these discussions, I asked, “what aspects or features are you looking for in an LMS? What excites you?” Rather than offer a list of features the industry thinks are trending, these are the features that people told me are important to them. These top 5 eLearning trends are gaining popularity in 2016 and beyond. Are they on your must-have list?
- Gamification
Once again Gamification tops the list of eLearning trends for 2016, as more training departments and continuing education providers seek new methods to engage learners and increase retention. In fact, Deloitte predicts that gamification “will grow to more than a $2.8 billion business” this year. Attendees at the Training conference were especially interested in badging and leaderboards to enhance training with competition and social sharing of achievements.
- Going Mobile
This is no longer a trend but a necessity. All LMS providers will be expected to provide a mobile responsive platform this year. A mobile responsive LMS is one that adapts to various screens, like an iPad or an android phone. Links are clear and usable, text is easily read and you can see whole images without having to scroll. With the proliferation of the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) movement in corporate training, the ability to take courses on any device will become less of a trend and more of an expectation for corporate training departments.
- Competency-Based Training Programs
Competencies are another area where training and development departments are getting excited. The ability to take an employee from new hire to promotion is proving valuable to organizations. The opportunity to self-assess, determine skill sets, and what skills will be needed to advance one’s career provides motivation for the learner and greater value for the organization whose learners are more engaged in training and developing demonstrable skills. Competency-based training programs provide learners with a learning path that compliments their career path, providing a roadmap for their professional journey. If you’d like to learn more about competency-based learning, join us for an IACET webinar April 20th.
- Social Learning
With the rise of features like social media integration, chat, and conversation threads, learners are engaged like never before. The ability to connect with peers, discuss content and learning objectives, and offer feedback provides greater depth to the learning experience. According to a 2012 Bersin and Associates research report, “By allowing users to actively engage and share knowledge with one another, organizations are not only empowering them to teach one another but are also actively assisting in fostering the types of conversations that organically lead to creativity and problem-solving.” I was consistently asked about our Knowledge Direct LMS’s social features at the Training conference, and am excited to see social learning initiatives expanded at organizations.
- 508, ADA, and WCAG Compliance
While this was not on the top of people’s list of trends and necessary features, I believe it should be. 2015 was the year of lawsuits over education providers’ lack of compliance in the areas of access to content for those with disabilities. From major associations to universities, accessibility standards were not followed and learners were not afraid to demand compliance in the courts when necessary.
Do these LMS features matter to your organization? Visit our LMS page to learn more about Knowledge Direct.
If you’d like additional information about eLearning, trends, and implementation, check out our resources page.
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