The landscape of contemporary digital eLearning is constantly changing thanks to the emergence of new technologies that continue to redefine what digital education can be. To stay ahead, digital learning companies have been forced to adapt and shift to accommodate these innovations, modifying their business model in order to get a leg up over their competitors.
There’s perhaps no better way to combat the ever-growing changes in the eLearning sector than by hiring the right qualified professionals in the right positions. Offering eLearning jobs to specialist candidates and a space for hiring managers to submit vacancies and reach out directly to potential candidates, at Instinct, we deliver a comprehensive solution for all your eLearning needs.
No matter what sector you might be hiring for, at Instinct, we specialise in providing a range of eLearning roles, from instructional design jobs to LMS vacancies for a wide variety of industries. Contact us today to discover how we can help you optimise your operations with contracted specialists and permanent eLearning professionals.
From breaking down the latest tech innovations to explaining the easiest ways you can future-proof your company, explore our blog below to streamline your operations.
What does the current eLearning landscape look like in the UK?
In the UK, eLearning is quickly becoming the most important format of training, allowing companies to save money and streamline their operations with ease and efficiency. In fact, according to Technavio, the eLearning market in the UK is expected to increase in size at a compound annual growth rate of 16.8% between 2024 and 2029.
This statistic is progressively rising thanks to the sheer variety of available eLearning formats that have made the process easier to deliver and more effective to digest for users. The rise and availability of mobile eLearning, video eLearning and gamification platforms, for example, have made digital training more ubiquitous, leading to an increasing number of businesses taking up the practice.
The Challenges of Contemporary eLearning
Despite the growth in companies adopting the benefits of eLearning platforms, the industry isn’t without its challenges. Just some of the roadblocks to eLearning innovation include:
- Adapting to technological change: New ways of using eLearning tools are constantly being introduced, so finding candidates with up-to-date skills can be a challenge.
- Allocating the right qualified experts: Complex sectors often wish to utilise eLearning platforms but find it difficult to find qualified experts to carry this out properly.
- Market competition for talent: There is a large demand for eLearning experts, but not enough of them to go around, which creates fierce market competition to secure the best candidates.
- Slow hiring process: Thanks to how in-demand they are, eLearning experts are quickly hired, making it tricky to find who you need. At Instinct, we offer a 24-hour turnaround time for on-contract positions, easily combating this challenge.
Don’t believe our expertise, just look at the array of feedback our team has received from businesses across the country.
The technological innovations that will change digital learning
Technological innovation is adapting how the world works from top to bottom. The eLearning industry is no different; in fact, it sits on the very cutting edge of innovation, making use of all of the exciting inventions that promise to transform how we take in information. Just some of these solutions include the following systems.
Natural Language Processing (NLP)
First of all, let’s explain exactly what NLP is. Natural Language Processing refers to the processes that machine learning tools use in order to understand human language and communicate (written or spoken) a relevant response. This is the technology that has facilitated the rapid development of generative AI platforms such as ChatGPT and Microsoft’s Cortana.
There are countless formats in which NLP could be utilised for the benefit of eLearning, with interactive chatbots being just one. As the technology becomes increasingly more advanced, it’s clear that interactive chatbots that take you through an eLearning course while providing real-time conversation will be a staple of future digital learning.
In addition to this real-time chatbot could be an accurate and tailored constructive feedback generator, producing insightful feedback for users to learn from once their course is complete. Implementing a system like this would save considerable time and money while also providing a more intuitive, engaging space that fosters efficient learning.
Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR)
VR and AR are no longer futuristic pipe dreams; in the contemporary world of technological invention, both innovations have come to inhabit a genuinely useful and unique role. NHS recruitment has already begun to explore implementing VR solutions, with certain sub-sections of the industry having already incorporated VR into training schemes.
The limits of VR implementation are boundless, providing everything from the medical sector to the education sector a new outlet for effective training for teachers and caregivers. But it’s not just the caregivers who can benefit – mental health patients can utilise the power of VR for rehabilitation, and students can use its boundless limits to interact with fascinating environments.
The industry of AR is a little different, with the process overlaying digital content over a real-world environment, but it is producing similar effective results as VR. While AR can be used on your phone, it’s best utilised in wearable devices like Apple’s Vision Pro. Here, and in other wearable tech solutions, an interactive network of information is overlaid on reality, enhancing opportunities for active, tactile eLearning.
Artificial intelligence (AI)
Artificial intelligence is already shaping how we work in the modern world, and this will only accelerate in the coming years. Indeed, according to government research, approximately one in six UK organisations, totaling around 432,000, have incorporated at least one AI technology into their operations. To stay ahead of competitors, now is the time to invest in the capabilities of AI.
There’s no doubt that AI holds the key to the future of operations, too, transforming how digital roles like coders and software engineers will work. So metamorphic, AI has the potential to totally unravel and remould how companies are structured.
The same can very much be said for the eLearning industry, with its ability to personalise each lesson by intuitively understanding the pupil through their performance and preferences, perhaps being the most exciting prospect. Not only this, but AI-enhanced eLearning can deliver training in multiple languages and create video content effortlessly, saving hundreds of hours of human power in the process.
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Cloud Computing
Cloud computing removes the need for bulky and expensive servers and more by providing this over the internet, or ‘The Cloud’. Accessible across the globe, harnessing the power of Cloud Computing allows a cost-effective form of scalability, allowing flexible expansion in the knowledge that your data is being protected by multi-layered encryption.
But, how does this impact the world of eLearning? The scalable nature of cloud computing has meant eLearning platforms can accommodate far more simultaneous users at a cheaper cost thanks to the lack of necessary infrastructure. Such has made cloud-based eLearning considerably more accessible and reliable to users across the world.
While cloud computing has already made an impact, what does it hold in store for the future of eLearning?
- Personalised lessons: Using NLP and targeted feedback for tailored study.
- Blockchain utilisation: Create a secure chain of records and qualifications.
- Space for innovation: Versatile cloud technology allows for experimentation with new methods and pedagogical approaches.
Blockchain technology
Blockchain technology is most commonly associated with the world of cryptocurrency, but there’s far more to the innovation than just that. Decentralising data, blockchain enhances security with a tamper-proof solution that stores information across several different digital devices, making it of particular interest to financial companies and medical services.
While companies who deal with sensitive information may feel the direct need to utilise blockchain technology, they won’t be the only ones. This innovation also makes it far easier to track the transaction of goods and services through the supply chain. This gives transparency and security to every deal, reducing the risk of financial crime.
Blockchain technology can guarantee the integrity of eLearning data while optimising how these platforms operate. The transparent and secure nature of data storage means that the progress of individual pupils can be easily monitored and tracked before targeted feedback is provided. Once the lesson is complete, you could receive a verified qualification that is effortlessly traceable and almost impossible to falsify.
The Internet of Things (IoT)
Referring to the communication network that is created when digital devices are paired with multiple others, the IoT streamlines and simplifies day-to-day operations to make your life simpler. A domestic example of the IoT in action is how a smart fridge connects with your phone, showing you what’s nearing its use-by date while you’re out and about.
As well as being useful in domestic life, proper utilisation of the IoT can help you automate, optimise and save significant amounts of money for your business. Helping workflow in a number of different ways, a property management company in the public sector might link smart devices to centralise information regarding heating, electricity and more into one place. This would help to make the space as safe, energy-efficient and comfortable as possible.
When it comes to the world of eLearning, the IoT can be incorporated to create an interactive learning environment that includes other tech innovations such as VR and AR. By connecting devices into a communicating network, students can access eLearning courses from multiple devices no matter where they are in the world and effortlessly enhance their learning experience.
Gamification
Using each of the six aforementioned technologies, gamification can revolutionise eLearning, repackaging the experience as something immersive, engaging and intellectually advantageous. In a world where the convenience and interactivity of the IoT have seized the imagination of a new generation, it’s no wonder that eLearning courses with gamified elements see a 90% completion rate, in comparison to 25% without gamification.
An extremely effective way to consolidate information, gamification has become popular in higher education and beyond thanks to its versatility and enticing nature. This only becomes more apparent when considering how gamification could be amalgamated with VR, NLP and AI to create a superior working environment.
Many companies have already realised the addictive nature of gamification, with the following brands thriving thanks to its benefits.
- The language learning app Duolingo.
- Educational and corporate training app Kahoot!
- The multi-purpose youth education platform Minecraft: Education Edition.
How to future-proof your eLearning company
While it’s a good idea to stay on top of the technological innovations we just outlined, implementing each and everyone may not be efficient or cost-effective. Instead, focus on practical ways you can future-proof your eLearning service.
- Keep things personable: Although eLearning is digital, this doesn’t mean that it can’t also be personable. Without the human factor, lessons will lack the motivation to actually learn. Understand your audience, personalise feedback and instil aspiration into your eLearning courses.
- Prioritise engagement: If you really want to future-proof your eLearning course for the future, focus on how you can make your service as engaging as possible. Put interactive learning into practice to engage skills and foster an intriguing environment.
- Focus on modularity: Some eLearning courses involve large bulks of information, but by focusing on modularity you can break things down into concise units that will increase engagement. Not only this, but modulation also creates a more flexible, focused way of learning.
- Incorporate tech innovations: In this blog, we’ve outlined seven areas that will shape the future of digital learning, but this doesn’t mean you have to wait years to incorporate its benefits. Research the values of VR, invest in blockchain technology and consider implementing gamification.
What Instinct Resourcing can do for you
Other learning and development recruitment agencies don’t share the same passion and dedication to the industry as we do. At Instinct, onboarding new eLearning candidates has never been easier. Thanks to our impressive talent pool of digital professionals we can quickly and efficiently help you find the right expert for your needs.
But we don’t only find candidates, we also vet them to make sure they’re suitable for your needs and prepare them for interviews, too. Even once you think we’re done, we go one step further by offering an aftercare service that gives you access to our timesheet portal, which will help you keep track of the progress of your new hire.
Recognising the challenges of recruiting into the eLearning sector, we are experts in our field who are dedicated to serving our customers with quality service. Effortlessly connecting qualified candidates with hiring managers, we make eLearning recruitment comprehensive but simple, matching you with the professionals who can elevate your operations with ease.
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