The Future of Learning is Here and it’s Served TV-style
The corporate learning marketplace has been under strain for some time now, following the influx of forward-thinking tools and resources such as video-based learning programs, free courses and MOOCs which cause older learning mechanisms to become more and more outdated. Recent findings show that most employees have reached a point of defeat when it comes to relying on training departments to oversee learning and development within their organisations and are now searching for solutions online. But things are starting to change as a variety of vendors recently announced some innovative new solutions that demonstrate how quickly the corporate training market is advancing.
Contrary to what some have said in the past, Learning Management Systems (LMS) are not dead but transforming. Today’s LMS are designed to administer, manage and report on corporate training and are often complimented by Learning Experience Platforms and a variety of systems to manage MOOCs, micro-learning, VR learning as well as content. The concept of the Learning Record Store has just started to grow, according to Josh Bersin, Author and Founder of Bersin & Associates, a leading industry research and advisory firm in enterprise learning. And a new paradigm has emerged – that is a consumerist approach to content which looks, feels and functions much like digital television. Here are some examples:
– Cornerstone OnDemand’s newly-launched open learning solution which brings the Learning Experience Platform into LMS.
– LinkedIn Learning’s announcement that it’s now open to third party content which is the start of the company assuming the role of an LMS and Learning Experience Platform.
– The world’s largest e-learning content provider, SkillSoft, just introduced Percipio’s new digital learning platform which seeks to combine “learning management” with “learning experience.”
These announcements suggest that companies are moving away from the corporate LMS as the “center” of learning. Instead, the world is leaning towards a new model where learning is viewed the same way as channels or movies on TV.
TV-style learning
For the last twenty years, software was primarily focussed on managing courses in the paradigm of a university but this model no longer meets modern day demands or landscapes. Nowadays, the world is populated by ongoing streams of content which we access in the stream of workflow. TV-style learning can be likened to Netflix in that its interface is immediately recognisable. This interface lets you scroll down to browse through categories, then scroll horizontally in each row to discover movies, shows or channels you may want to watch. This interface mirrors that of Cornerstone OnDemand’s new offering.
Bersin writes, “Imagine if you opened up the corporate training page and it showed you ‘Mandatory courses to complete this week,’ ‘Recommended based on your current role,’ and interesting categories like ‘Programs to prepare you for promotion’ or ‘Tips and techniques for your current role.’ Al including much more sophisticated recommendations based on your prior learning experience, your job role, and what other peers in your company are taking.”
Playlist-inspired content
Bersin predicts that once LMS and other platform vendors launch this type of interface, a series of channels will emerge based on leading content from well-known vendors. “These third party courses, which would typically be hard to find and perhaps buried in the traditional course catalog, would simply be new channels – channels you can quickly find and easily browse at any time.” What’s more, these platforms will likely enable your company to let employees publish instructional content. This content would be sorted via categories, making it possible to socialise internal content in an easy-to-use way. Content could be compiled into lists focussed on specific topics, much like playlists; and these curated playlists are expected to become dynamic and available alongside formally developed programs from L&D platforms and professionals.
Where to for the vendor market?
With the introduction of new vendors like Learning Experience Platforms and Micro-Learning platforms, Bersin believes that the key is to ensure you select tools that are clearly moving in the right direction.
As leaders of the learning and development industry, iLearn constantly seeks innovative ways to improve the educational experience that it offers to its learners by harnessing new technology within the skills development industry. The company recently launched the first MICT SETA-approved blended learning Learnership which innovatively merges all the advantages of online learning with the tried and tested benefits of classroom learning. Find out more about iLearn’s blended learning solutions.