In this blog, the experts from Instinct Resourcing will tell you all you need to know about learning management systems, including what they are and, more importantly, what benefits they can offer to your business. As a leading learning and development recruitment agency, we can help you fill your LMS job roles, admin and E-Learning maintenance jobs, and plenty more. Our dedicated team works across a wide variety of sectors, supporting you every step of the way.

But for now, let’s dive into some of the benefits of learning management systems and how your business can benefit from them…

What is an LMS?

First of all, it might be beneficial to understand what an LMS actually is. An LMS, or a Learning Management System, is a software application that is designed to deliver educational courses, training programmes, or learning and development programmes to members of staff in a business.

An LMS can enable you to:

• Deliver consistent eLearning programmes to employees
• Track course completion 
• Monitor correct compliance with industry regulations
• Assign tailored learning paths and goals
• Identify skill gaps and provide support
• Reduce manual admin

And usually, an LMS has two main interfaces.

Admin: This is where the person responsible for your learning and development performs organisational tasks for learning programmes. They can create and manage courses, add learners, and analyse results and reporting for all types of learning, whether that’s online or otherwise.

User: This is where learners can see what courses have been assigned to them and complete online training. They can also view catalogues of optional courses to enrol in to expand their knowledge and add any extra learning, such as webinars, conferences, or in-person sessions that support their development.

What are the benefits of an LMS? 8 Advantages

There is a whole wealth of benefits that LMSs can offer, and they go beyond making training easier for employees. You can discover our full list of pros and cons of using an eLearning platform here.

With a good learning management system, you can effectively manage sign-ups, users, students, courses, online content, supervisors, notifications, and plenty more! Let’s have a look at some more of the advantages in a bit more detail:

1. Efficient training management

An LMS can act as the central hub for all your training initiatives. Gone are the days of manual tracking, scattered spreadsheets, or confusing email chains. With an LMS, you can easily enrol employees in courses, track their progress in real-time, and schedule reminders and certifications. This will not only save you countless admin hours but also mean that your training programmes are always organised, consistent, and easy to manage.

2. Cost-effectiveness

eLearning solutions are also much more cost-effective than in person sessions. Businesses and educational institutions can save on costs used for travel or staying in hotels, and this money can be used for other resources. Online learning can also allow people to study from different geographical locations, and these courses can also be used again and again with new groups of learners.

3. Enhanced reporting & analytics

To get a clear view of the effectiveness of your training programme, an LMS is essential. It allows you to track individual progress, monitor course completion rates, and identify knowledge gaps across your team. It’ll give you a crystal clear picture of your training’s impact, showing you in detail who is completing their courses and where knowledge gaps might exist. 

Having the ability to analyse these insights means that you can make smart choices about your future training, adjust existing content, and guarantee that every team member has the skills they need to excel.

4. Engaging learning experiences

Modern LMSs, like Coursebox and Teamie, are built to make learning more engaging and interactive. They go far beyond just basic text and static presentations; they’re built to incorporate a variety of features like video, quizzes, and even gamified elements like leaderboards and badges. This makes a seemingly boring training module feel much more fun and exciting, due to these interactive elements. 

By making your eLearning courses more fun and competitive, you can encourage your whole team to perform better and keep them feeling sharp and motivated.

5. Accessibility and flexibility

One of the greatest benefits of an LMS is its accessibility for users. Your team members can join and have access to training programmes from anywhere, at any time. That’s whether they’re in the office, working from home, or on the go. Most Learning Management Systems are mobile-friendly and accessible on any device. That means that you can offer training as and when you’d like, improving the work-life balance and ensuring that your employees can learn at a pace that suits them.

6. Easily track learner progress and performance

The best learning management systems are the ones that give you the ability to keep track of learner progress and ensure that they are meeting their performance milestones. For example, if you have noticed that an employee is not able to successfully complete an eLearning scenario, you can offer them supplemental resources to improve their performance or learning behaviours.

Most LMSs feature reporting and analytics tools that allow you to pinpoint areas of your eLearning courses that may be lacking. If you discover that a member of your team has not been completing their courses, then you can offer extra support or a meeting that ensures they stay on track to meet their goals. 

7. Personalisation for your team

With LMS software, you have the ability to create and assign learning paths that can be tailored to individual roles. This allows every single member of your team to receive training that is most relevant to their needs, maximising the impact of each learning module. Instead of giving everyone the same generic courses that they’ve probably seen before, you have the ability to assign completely personalised modules that deliver impactful and relevant information. 

For example, you could design a bespoke onboarding curriculum for new hires that covers everything from your company’s culture to specific recruitment software. For more experienced recruiters, you could provide advanced learning paths that focus on more niche market trends. The possibilities are quite literally endless, and this will help to empower your employees and accelerate their professional development. 

Here are 10 types of E-Learning platforms to get you started.

8. Reduced learning and development time

Because your staff can carry out all of their training online, it can save them a lot of time if they were doing it manually. This is because an LMS can give learners the information they need in a much more direct and organised manner. Instead of having to sit through a lengthy half-hour online training course, online learners can simply click through their online modules and absorb the information they need in a fraction of the time. They can even partake in things like: 

• Taking online exams
• Participating in interactive scenarios and simulations
• Watch eLearning videos that highlight complex processes or tasks

9. Accommodate organisational growth

Another key benefit of an LMS is its ability to scale with your business. An LMS can remove the logistical headaches of training large groups of new hires simultaneously, making the onboarding process efficient and consistent no matter the size of your team. This can be particularly valuable when you need to quickly train large groups of new hires all at the same time. You can quickly create training modules for hundreds of users at once, meaning that everybody is on the same page from day one. 

If you’re a business that regularly hires, you can upload your vacancy here. 

10. Communication and collaboration   

And finally on our list of LMS benefits is the ability it gives your team to connect and learn from each other. A central hub for communication and collaboration, it transforms training into a shared, social experience. Lots of modern LMS platforms include built-in features like discussion forums, chat functions, and shared workspaces that encourage knowledge sharing and communication between peers. Ultimately, this allows your team to connect and learn from each other, whether they’re in the same office or working remotely.

What about the disadvantages?

While there are many advantages of an LMS, there are some things that it’s not best suited for. Most of the time, an LMS will not be aimed at: 

• Providing employees with opportunities to take control of their own development
• Providing employees with a wider breadth of training, such as audio, eBooks, and virtual classrooms
• Providing employees with a wide range of E-Learning resources that are based on assessments that evaluate personal strengths 

It’s essentially down to you. Finding the right LMS and eLearning platform can take a bit of time, but with the right support, you can select a platform that offers a great user experience and benefits your organisation. We’ve got a blog that explains the difference between an LMS and eLearning platforms here, so that you can understand the best fit for your business.

Find your perfect fit with the help of Instinct Resourcing

Hopefully, you’ve now discovered many of the key benefits of LMS. The right LMS can be a game-changer, allowing you to upskill your team effectively and ensure that your company stays ahead of the curve. An LMS is not just a tool; it’s a smart investment in your team and future success.

Here at Instinct Resourcing, we’ve delivered the UK’s largest ever E-Learning recruitment programme. And, over the past decade, we’ve deepened our knowledge of the digital learning world so that we can connect top talent with innovative companies. 

If you’re ready to bring in an expert LMS specialist, our team here at Instinct Resourcing can help. Please do get in touch with us today to find the perfect fit for your team!

Hiring challenges are always evolving, which is dependent on a number of factors. However, we’re often asked the same core questions by clients. So, we’ve pulled together a quick Q&A based on the most common client queries.

What roles are most in-demand in 2025?

Right now, we’re seeing the highest demand for:

• Learning Technologists (Primarily Canvas and Moodle)
• Specialists within Data, Analytics & AI Fluency
• Learning Designers (both generalist and subject-specific)
• eLearning Developers (Articulate, Rise, Storyline)

In truth, the core positions we get asked to provide most regularly has largely remained the same over the last 5-10 years. By this I am referring to Learning Designers, Digital Learning Developers and Learning Technologists. However, recently we have seen a marked increase in the demand for Data & AI specialist.

What are the going rates and salaries?

We recently published our 2025 Salary & Day Rate Guide, which benchmarks average pay for digital learning roles across the education sector.

Want the full breakdown? Just get in touch and we’ll send you a free copy!

What’s the current market like for contractors?

The contractor market is going strong. Due to sector wide redundancies, many Institutes are operating with very lean structures, and therefore when there is a particularly busy period, organisations simply don’t have enough resource to cope. Especially for business-critical projects such as platform migrations.

Education providers are increasingly using contract resource for flexibility, especially where budgets are tight or internal approvals for permanent posts take so long to get approved.

IR35 compliance and ease of onboarding remain important to clients – which is why we’ve built processes that minimise admin and risk.

How quickly can we get someone started?

Contract hires: We can source suitable candidates within 24 – 48 hours of receiving a brief. Permanent roles typically take 1 working week to source, depending on how niche the requirements. For very specific skill sets, this may take slightly longer.

In terms of getting somebody started in post, you can expect to wait 6-8 weeks depending on notice periods, interview stages, and salary competitiveness.

All candidates are fully vetted and pre-screened meaning they can hit the ground running.

Can you provide teams for larger digital learning programmes?

Absolutely. We regularly support:

• Institution-wide LMS rollouts
• New online course launches
• Digital transformation and AI-led learning projects
• Content digitisation and accessibility improvements

We can provide a blend of contractors and permanent hires, or fully contract-led delivery teams with embedded PMs as an Statement of Work (SOW) contract

What we’re looking for is a bit of a ‘Unicorn’ can you help?

Yes, we frequently get asked to provide Unicorns. After all, if Unicorns were easy to find, we would be out of a job!

As an example, we have experience placing:

• VLE migration consultants, with specific VLE’s
• SC-cleared instructional designers, Digital Learning Developers etc
• Accessibility specialists – WCAG 2.2
• Multilingual Learning professions: Mandarin, Dutch, Arabic etc.
• Learning analysts with Power BI/Tableau skills
• AI and Chatbot learning developers

We maintain deep networks within the sector, meaning we can often find talent others miss.

Have a question we haven’t covered?

Feel free to get in touch – whether you’re benchmarking, planning, or just exploring options, we’re always happy to help.

Historically, Instinct has supported with the provision of permanent and contract resources in equal measure. However, with ongoing budget pressure and ‘hiring freezes’ (a popular term in 2025), many institutions are facing a similar challenge.

“We are inundated with work, but we can’t hire permanently right now.”

Likely a result of many institutes currently operating with a much leaner structure. In response, more organisations are finding contract resource as a way to maintain momentum on critical projects – without having to go through the arduous process that is permanent recruitment!

Of course, I am not saying permanent recruitment is dead, but contract resource is certainly playing a much bigger part than ever before.

So, what’s driving this shift?

Due to the uncertainty across the Education sector, Universities have had to remain agile, and contractors offer the ability to bring in specialist skills at short notice. Whether it’s for a fixed-term project, an LMS/LXP rollout, or to cover internal gaps. This has become essential for teams trying to stay responsive while working within current financial constraints.

High-impact, short-term delivery

We’re seeing a sharp increase, particularly within short-term contract needs (3–6 months). These needs are often tightly scoped and very much based on deliverables that are aligned with specific projects.

Popular ones include:

• Instructional design for new online modules or CPD programmes
• LMS configuration, implementation, and migration work
• Accessibility updates to meet WCAG 2.2
• SCORM packaging and multimedia production for a specific modules

Better control over budget and output

One of the advantages of using contract resource is the level of flexibility it gives you in managing both budget and delivery outcomes.

At Instinct, contractors log their time via online timesheets, which means you’re only ever invoiced for the time worked and approved by you. While we agree on an estimated number of days and duration up front, this is primarily for planning purposes – you’re always in control of how the resource is used.

This approach is especially useful when priorities shift mid-project (which they often do). For example, if an SME you’ve been waiting on suddenly becomes available, or a project phase moves forward unexpectedly, you can scale up resources quickly without going through another round of approvals.

It also helps avoid the risk of under-utilising internal teams or committing to fixed-term headcount before you’re sure of long-term needs. Contracting allows you to move faster, stay flexible, and make decisions based on the value being delivered, not just what’s in the original plan.

The result?

Despite numerous internal challenges, Universities and Professional Education Institutes are staying active. Unlike 10 years ago when there was arguably lot less uncertainty, institutes are building more lean, flexible digital learning teams made up of trusted external contractors.

These needs are more than just a short-term stopgap. In many cases, it’s becoming the new normal – especially in environments where strategic priorities are shifting faster than recruitment cycles can keep up. Until the sector finds greater stability, contracting is likely to remain the more practical route for many organisations compared to committing to permanent hires.

We’re currently working with several institutions that are:

1. Facing restrictions with permanent recruitment
2. Struggling with the speed to hire quality talent, leading to project delays
3. Using contractors to bridge capability gaps during permanent hiring rounds
4. Engaging Instinct on an SoW basis, which can unlock different budget lines and allow projects to move forward even when traditional recruitment is ‘frozen’.

If this sounds familiar, or if you’re unsure how to move forward with reduced internal capacity, contact us, we are always happy to talk through examples of how we may be able to help.

These platforms contain a huge amount of education-related data, including student record information, learning resources, assignments, module pages, and more. As a result, they require administrators to keep this record organised and manageable. VLE Administrators can be a fairly junior role, but many professions work to a more senior level through enhancing their technical responsibilities or by becoming more of a VLE Manager or Systems Lead.

VLE Administrators have very varied responsibilities, but these professionals can expect to manage the day-to-day tasks of the system, enrol users, manage the upload of content, troubleshoot technical issues, and support the overall management of learning resources from staff for students. Administrators can also restrict features and functionalities, as well as provide support on the helpdesk when needed. There are a lot of crossovers between this role and the role of a Learning Technologist, though the latter can generally have more training and learning support responsibilities towards staff and students.

In terms of progression, many junior digital learning professionals begin their careers in this kind of role and will either work up towards a more technical level, or move into roles with transferable skills such as a Learning Technologist, TEL Officer, and eventually Learning Technology Manager. The progression routes will vary depending on whether the individual is looking for a more technical, coding-focused role to support the wider IT functions of the VLE. Or, if they’re looking to have wider learning technology responsibilities or even more content and training. Either way, VLE Administration can be an excellent introductory role into the digital learning careers space. Administrators can even remain in this same role-type throughout their career, particularly in larger organisation’s where there are thousands of users that require help and support.

A good way to get into this role is either by starting as a VLE Administrative Assistant, where you would generally work below or alongside a more experienced, senior administrator and shadowing their work. At more of a junior level, universities offer student roles or internships on a part time basis whereby students looking to take on a role alongside their studies are able to support others students and staff on the learning system in place. These roles can either be called Learning Support Officers, Junior Learning Technologists, or Junior VLE Administrators. Another option can be to transition away from a traditional Learning Technologist role with a view to taking on more platform focused responsibilities.

Overall, VLE Administrators are an important, central role which supports the operation and management of learning materials and resources for up to thousands of individuals. They also offer a breadth of transferable skills which can allow professionals to ease into a transition elsewhere in the digital learning professional space.

If you are looking for a role as a VLE Administrator – Get in touch! 

Alternative names

There are many different names or terms used for a VLE, some organisations call it a Learning Management System or Platform or LMS for short, and some call it a Course Management System (CMS), or an Online Learning System.

What it does

A VLE is a key component of any educational organisation, as this is where online learning is stored. Students and teachers create personal profiles to log in to and access the learning material via their computer/laptop or mobile device.

As well as housing learning content, the VLE will manage each student’s learning records, track completed modules and highlight outstanding modules. In addition to core learning, VLEs offer extra online learning modules for students to upskill and further their education.

A VLE offers a secure platform for educators to create lesson plans, administrate curriculums, issue assessments and communicate with students. It also grants educators visibility of each student’s engagement, to monitor performance and flag any areas of improvement.

Since digital and remote learning have become readily available, features such as videos of face-to-face sessions, tutorials and eLearning modules offer flexibility for students to review and recap any modules.

Most VLEs offer tailored functionalities enabling an organisation to customise features for their needs. Such as videos, images, languages and other settings to enhance the student’s experience.

Different VLEs

There are multiple VLEs available on the market, and although most have the same outcome, some offer slightly different functions. In our experience, the most common VLEs used within the Education sector are Moodle, Blackboard, Canvas and Brightspace.

Who uses

Most organisations have some form of Learning Platform. VLEs can be used for corporate training programmes, and organisations within the Education sector such as Universities, Colleges, Schools and Associations typically work with a tailored VLE.

VLEs can be used to track overall learning output, organisations can extract data for learning performance statistics or ROI.

Roles associated with a VLE

A successful VLE requires input from various professionals, to ensure the system is optimised and managed correctly. Some of the roles associated with managing a VLE include.

VLE Support – To manage and support users accessing the online activities and assessment, whilst handling user queries.

Learning Technologist – Efficiently upload the learning content to the VLE, while developing and maintaining innovative solutions for the technology-enhanced learning.

Back-End Developer – Configure everything technical behind the scenes, to ensure the VLE is functional and accessible.

Trainers – Training staff host workshops to introduce staff to the learning system.

Virtual Learning Environments are a fantastic way for organisations to keep educational settings on track and manage a wide range of learning, outputs and data to ensure the smooth day-to-day running of the organisation. Data extracted from a VLE can even be used for strategic planning.

If you are looking to hire a VLE expert, or need help improving your VLE – get in touch today!

With 96% of universities and 79% of further education colleges across the United Kingdom currently utilising augmented or virtual reality or a bespoke eLearning solution in some capacity for learning and development, it’s clear that the field is already embracing emerging technologies. But how are they reshaping higher education in 2023 for students and staff?

This guide explores the latest trends in eLearning technology, highlighting the principles and developments empowering this growing field and the impact a robust virtual learning environment can have on students’ educational attainment. Alongside this, we’ll also discuss what the present can tell us about the trajectory of eLearning technology over the next five years.

How is eLearning Technology Evolving?

As eLearning technology evolves, so do the techniques and methodologies that inform its development. Designers, software programmers, and learning coordinators across the virtual learning environment are applying the theories of instructional design to their work in order to expand and enhance learners’ experiences.

The ARCS model plays an increasingly significant role in the evolution of eLearning technology. The acronym represents the focus of instructional design experts: keeping the attention of a team or class, the relevance of educational content, students’ confidence in directing their own learning, and the satisfaction that all involved should come away with after an educational experience.

Digital learning in higher education is helping students to achieve their academic goals, and the ARCS model is ensuring that eLearning technology is helping learners to achieve their academic goals and remain engaged with their studies—indeed, it doesn’t matter how cutting-edge the software is if it fails to motivate an audience to use it.

eLearning technology is helping to maintain learners’ interest, and with the refinement of emerging technology such as virtual reality and augmented reality—which we’ll explore in greater detail in the last section—it’s easier than ever to combine hands-on learning with discussion and collaboration.

Likewise, the learning process itself can show the usefulness of the content when it’s delivered in a practical manner such as this, meaning that students can bridge the gap between academic study and the real world. eLearning technology is helping learners to understand how their studies will help them not only today but in the future too—whether that’s getting into university or getting a job.

The development of AI and data collection is making it easier for educators to assess learners’ strengths and weaknesses. Many bespoke eLearning products provide students with immediate feedback, giving them the tools they need to direct their own learning and hone those skills they need more practice in. This personalised learning experience can help to keep students motivated whilst minimising the risk of them falling behind their classmates.

Outside of lessons, AI and machine learning are helping to reshape higher education by automating enrollment, grading, and marking, saving teachers the time spent on clerical duties. As a result, these technologies can aid work-life balance and allow educators to spend more time with their students.

At the same time, staff can now quickly parse and present metrics on engagement and attainment, with these data-driven strategies going on to inform the continued development of learning strategies.

Bespoke eLearning Strategies: Aiding the Digital Transformation in Higher Education

Digital learning in higher education requires a comprehensive, strategic approach. Technology is crucial, but it’s only one part of the puzzle of educational change—and finding the right eLearning technology is just the start of solving the problem. Training your staff on the use of this technology is also vital, as is supporting the wider organisation through the shift that this transformation requires.

This is known as the 20:20:60 rule, suggesting how much a strategy should focus on each specific area, from the technological platform to the training of staff and learners and support for the overall transition towards bespoke eLearning technologies, respectively. Technology is visible and can show learners and educators that an organisation is beginning to implement change, but it takes time and effort to change habits and educational methodologies.

In return, all students and faculty are set to gain from the evolution of digital education:

• Bespoke eLearning technology is helping to respond to the “long shadow” of the pandemic in the higher education sector. The number of top grades awarded fell by 8.4% in 2022, impacting already struggling students from disadvantaged backgrounds, but catching up on missed skills and competencies becomes easier when advances in digital education mean that students can guide their own learning and tutors can see, at a glance, an overview of attainment across an entire semester.
• With the digital transformation in education, there’s a move away from the “one size fits all approach.” This is particularly vital when we consider the UK Government’s data which highlights that 1.5 million students have special educational needs or a care and support plan in place. Advances in accessibility standards, such as Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), mean that diverse learners from all backgrounds and levels of ability can benefit from the virtual learning environment.
• Massive open online courses (MOOCs) make it easier for students to study outside standard hours. This frees up teaching staff to focus on ensuring that all students can meet core learning outcomes, whilst those ready for a greater challenge can study in their own time. Integrating these eLearning platforms into existing learning management systems means that teachers can continue to track progress and provide feedback should necessary.
• Video conferencing and document sharing are making it easier for all staff to collaborate and enhance the educational environment. The increasing integration of these collaboration tools is making it easier for admin and support staff to work with teachers and students, support learning activities, track attendance, and keep student data safe.

Staff and students need to be helped to understand how to use eLearning technology, why it’s being used, and the benefits of new ways of teaching and learning. This requires regular training and support for staff, providing examples of success from across the industry that utilise this bespoke eLearning strategy and—perhaps most importantly—visibility from leadership.

The Future of Digital Learning in Higher Education

So, now that we know the present situation for digital transformation in higher education, what does the future hold?

As with most things tech, the growth of eLearning over the next five years will be supercharged by research into artificial intelligence and data processing automation across multiple sources.

The increasing use of big data will allow for information to be quickly passed back and forth between the virtual learning environment and the classroom. Smartboards are not a new technology, but with their integration with cloud-based eLearning platforms via the educational Internet of Things (IoT), lesson plans and feedback can be quickly archived and shared, helping students and staff to stay organised and revisit educational resources in their own time.

Alongside this, the next five years will no doubt see the continued success of virtual and augmented reality eLearning technology. As we mentioned at the start of this article, many institutions already leverage this equipment to deliver experiential learning opportunities, giving students the ability to visualise complex physical and chemical principles or to encounter and resolve complex engineering and manufacturing problems in a risk-free environment.

With the VR for education market having reached a global value of $8.6bn in 2022, students will continue to be engaged and motivated to reach educational milestones through discussions, helping to reach the ideal blend of scenario-based, collaborative, and formalised learning.

Microlearning is also growing in popularity, with educators breaking down complex ideas and concepts into bite-sized theoretical study, which is spaced out with games, discussions with classmates, or simulations. This form of learning has been shown to improve retention of educational content by up to 90% compared to traditional forms of learning and prepares higher education students for the continuous learning and attitude towards personal development that is required for success in many career paths.

Key Takeaways

eLearning technology is rapidly reshaping higher education in 2023 and beyond. With the widespread adoption of VR/AR, bespoke eLearning platforms, and big data, educational institutions are increasingly able to provide students with more engaging and relevant learning experiences.

The integration of instructional design principles, such as the ARCS model, ensures that the virtual learning environment motivates learners and enhances their academic achievements. Furthermore, AI and data collection enables personalised learning experiences and streamline administrative tasks, allowing educators to focus on student engagement.

As we move through the decade, these developments promise to revolutionise digital learning in higher education, facilitating experiential learning, fostering collaboration, and catering to learners from every background. With eLearning technology as a catalyst for change, higher education is poised for a digital transformation that will empower students and educators alike.

Specialists in Recruiting eLearning Technology Professionals

At Instinct Resourcing, our consultants possess the expertise you need to connect with the eLearning technology specialists you require to drive the success of your digital education strategy, support learners in achieving their learning goals, and achieve enhanced productivity. To learn more about our services, get in touch for a no-nonsense discussion of your recruitment needs.

With an ever-evolving political and economic landscape, Universities have had to remain cautious, and rightly so. Unlike the golden age of 2021-2022, funding is now scarce. Not only that, but recruitment processes have also become cumbersome, largely due to self-inflicted institutional challenges.

If a hiring manager has an urgent need for a Learning Technologist for example, they will need to advertise the position for a period of 4-6 weeks, after that there will be a period of review with an interview date scheduled for 2-3 weeks after the application deadline. Not to mention if a successful candidate isn’t selected, the process will need to start all over again. All in all, it could take 3-6 months from the point of advertising for a position, to having somebody in post.

Occasionally, time isn’t necessarily the driving factor. In this case, the above process can work just fine. However, when a piece of content needs to be developed on a tight deadline, or a VLE needs to be integrated for a specific academic term, the timescales above aren’t viable, and the consequences of not having the right talent onboard can be catastrophic.

In summary, Education institutes need a more effective way of securing talent, on-demand at point of need and hiring contractors can offer a cost-effective solution that provides the flexibility required.

Benefits of hiring a contractor

• Hiring contractors is a great way to keep the costs down – that’s right, hiring a contractor can be cost-effective! Unlike their permanent counterparts, the organisation won’t be responsible for holiday pay, sick pay, pension contributions, and general payroll expenses. This prevents institutions from incurring the ongoing costs of full-time employment.
• A flexible resource – Contractors are the perfect solution for project-based work and allow you to easily manage peaks and troughs in business demand. All of Instincts’ contracts are fully flexible and managed on a monthly time-sheet basis, meaning you only pay for the time a contractor works!
• True expertise – All contractors provided by Instinct are seasoned professionals, with many years of industry experience. Additionally, your teams can be upskilled by learning from the best and formulating new ways of working. Any contractor provided by Instinct would have likely worked through us previously, giving you the peace of mind that they can be trusted to deliver high-quality work.
• A quick turnaround – Instinct can provide you with a short list of fully vetted contractors within 24 hours. This can help free up your internal team to deliver against BAU projects, without suffering from ‘burn-out’. 
• You can still recruit on a Permanent basis – Often what you need is a new permanent head on the team. However, a contractor can be a great interim solution whilst your internal teams work to source a more permanent appointment. Allowing you to still deliver against deadlines.

With growing competition among UK universities, as well as from international institutions for students, it’s crucial that we adapt to the evolving expectations of today’s generation.

It is widely accepted that Gen Z prefers the involvement of digital tools in learning, after all, they are digital natives as opposed to adopters and what a good educational offering looked like to a student 30 years ago, is very different to what it looks like today.

But to be able to deliver the high-quality Digital Learning offering required, we need to reflect on the quality of talent who are developing it, and potentially some of the ways we are procuring and attracting that talent.

By no means is the above a suggestion that we move away from permanent recruitment, as that would simply not be viable. However, what is clear is that from conversations we have with Education institutes on a daily basis, many are simply not aware of how procuring a contractor works in practice and in fact how straightforward the process can be.

If this resonates with you, please give me a call for a no obligation chat!

After working in the Education Team at Instinct Resourcing for over 2 years, I have spoken to countless teachers looking to make the career move into the eLearning sector. Although many career paths can lead to eLearning, a teaching background is often the most logical route to making the leap. Who wouldn’t see the appeal in flexible work arrangements, scrapping endless hours of marking, but still utilising your expert knowledge of learning theories? In this article, I will cover some of the trends I have seen firsthand that have assisted ‘transitioning teachers’ into eLearning.

Deciding which eLearning role is right for you. 

Before delving into some tips and tricks on how to transition into eLearning, let’s identify the eLearning roles you could potentially move into.

Starting by breaking down the entry-level roles into three positions:  Instructional Designer, eLearning Developer, and Learning Technologist. These are some of the most popular entry-level roles we recruit for.

• An Instructional Designer meets with Academics/SMEs, determines learning objectives, implements a pedagogical approach, and builds a course blueprint.
• An eLearning Developer takes the blueprint and creates the course using authoring tools, develops media, and interaction pieces, and presents the course for review.
• A Learning Technologist maintains the Virtual Learning Environment (Moodle, Blackboard, Canvas, etc), uploads courses, ensures easy navigation of the platform, troubleshoots, ticketing, and supports and trains staff and students on best practices of the VLE.

The role responsibilities do crossover and are open to interpretation, but I would say at an entry-level position these are the three roles you could start in your eLearning career.

Although skill sets are not exclusive to a role, in my experience each role tends to attract similar skill sets. Typically, Instructional Designer’s research adult learning principles, and understand how students learn best, as well as being strong writers. eLearning Developers have a creative flair with an eye for the arts and multimedia. While Learning Technologists help people to use the technology, lead workshops and enjoy working with technical tools.

How to transition into eLearning 

If the role of an Instructional Designer is more suited to you, I suggest researching the Instructional Design principles. These are practices and theories of how to create an eLearning course. Including the ADDIE Model, SAM, ABC, 70:20:10, 5DI, etc.. They are the backbone of eLearning courses and if done well, ensure a good student experience. There are several courses, including a course by the Digital Learning Institute, which is a paid-for course that will cover the above. Also, various University degrees are available to complete, and charities are always looking for volunteers to help.

Portfolio, portfolio, portfolio. I cannot stress this enough. While Teachers create lessons day after day, they are not the same as an eLearning course. You may have the knowledge of creating a pedagogically sound classroom lesson and there are similarities to this and an eLearning course, but keeping an individual focused and entertained without using your presence is a new skill. You can download a demo of Articulate 360 and familiarise yourself with its tools and techniques. Just remember to save these courses and create a portfolio, make something you are proud of. Also, LDN Apprenticeships have a course on how to use an array of authoring tools, so you are ready to walk into a role as an eLearning Developer.

Lastly, for a Learning Technologist position, it may be hard to get your hands on a VLE, unless your current employer has one, but some skills are easy to bring out into your CV. You will be coaching members of staff and students on how to use certain tools, leading workshops, 1-to-1 sessions, and drop-in sessions. Working with students to understand their queries and advising how to fix them. We would likely see people from a technical background or an Academic background where they can advise on TEL (Technology-Enhanced Learning) Tools.

As is the same with moving to any new position, it can probably be broken down into 4 key steps, earn a qualification, develop technical and specific tools, get relevant work experience, and then keep on being proactive in learning more and more. While I cannot guarantee this advice will lead to instant success, this is advice I give daily to the education sector.

If you a teacher looking to make the transition into eLearning, it would be great to hear from you. Or, if you have already made the leap into eLearning, what was a determining factor that helped you get your first eLearning position?

Get in touch today – gus.beecroft@instinct.co.uk

UNICEF notes that “blending online learning with face-to-face teaching generally produces better outcomes than face-to-face or online learning alone”, it was described to also engage students on an emotional level, positively impacting students’ attitudes, enjoyment and interests towards the learning which increased participation and completion rates.

But, why is this?

Some believe that learners have the flexibility to learn when suits them, enabling them to tune into their natural cycles when they feel they can retain information rather than being forced into learning when they may be otherwise occupied, others note that the interactivity and creativity of online learning enhances the student experience and provides something different which students embrace. “When properly designed, delivered and evaluated, online learning initiatives based on a solid digital learning strategy can change a company’s corporate culture, improve employee engagement and increase retention” (CCL, 2020).

With professional development, time is of the essence, particularly for corporate organisations where they will see staff away from their work for periods of time to complete learning programmes. The CIPD (2017) outlines that digital learning requires less time for learning, with 40-60% less ‘time to learn’ than traditional classroom learning. This was then coupled with digital learning resulting in a higher retention rate, the Research Institute of America (2020) outlined retention rates from digital learning to be between 25 and 60%, rather than traditional classroom learning peaking at 10%. With these statistics, it seems to be a no-brainer to include digital and blended learning in the learning and development strategy.

Some would argue that the digital element would be a considerable investment, and the upfront costs into the unknown just aren’t worth the risk. However, with the lost working time, retention and cost of face-to-face training to consider, the digital learning element would (in time) pay for itself. The resources can be used time and time again for other learners, the higher retention rates mean that organisations wouldn’t have to continually re-train their employees. The US Navy implemented VR training combined with immersive learning, initially investing $1.28 million. Closely tracked, they calculated a whopping $4.24 million in avoided costs and an ROI of $2.96 million (Beck, in CIPD, 2021). Not all organisations can splash out $1.28 million on a new immersive learning programme, but it demonstrates that the ROI can be incredible if an organisation is willing to take the plunge.

To conclude, with a huge increase in retention of learning, a reduction of ‘time to learn’ for employees thus enabling them to return to work and an impressive track record of ROI, it seems digital and blended learning is only securing itself a place in becoming part of the ‘norm’ for a learning strategy, rather than being viewed as a fancy and frivolous piece of technology.

UNI CEF (2021). https://www.unicef.org/media/103246/file/Effectiveness%20of%20digital%20learning%20solutions%20to%20improve%20educational%20outcomes%20-%20A%20review%20of%20the%20evidence.pdf

CCL (2020). How Technology in Education Improves Student Engagement | ACC Blog

CIPD (2021). Digital learning in a post-COVID-19 economy: a literature review (cipd.org)

Research Institute of America – WeForum (2020). The rise of online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic | World Economic Forum (weforum.org)

With a large proportion of conversations relating back to the topic of the election and what impact (if any) this will bring to the education space, whether through extra funding or visa changes, we’ve heard many say it’s easy to feel helpless against it all.

Therefore, we wanted to take a look at what the digital learning space could be doing to engage the current students and we can look to build an attractive and engaging provision for the future in a space where universities are having to do more than ever before to draw in students.

What student engagement looks like & the benefits 

Increasing student engagement seems to be an aim for most institutions, but often one that many will admit can be overlooked in the busy day-to-day of programme production.

It goes without saying, that improving the engagement of current students has a direct positive impact, but a secondary effect that is sometimes overlooked is that it often also proves to be an effective method of increasing the appeal of the learning to future students when the course is generating high-level results. This can be a simple and cost-effective method of increasing the desirability of an organisation’s education offering, as it is often achievable through a change in mindset and strategy.

So, what do we actually mean when we talk engagement? The definition of student engagement is the degree of attention, curiosity, interest, optimism, and passion that students show when they are learning or being taught, which extends to the level of motivation they have to learn (EdGlossary). Studies have shown that there is a moderately strong and positive correlation between overall student engagement and academic achievement, and an analysis of the domains of behavioural, emotional, and cognitive engagement showed that almost all had a positive correlation with students’ academic achievement (Social Behaviour and Personality, 2018).

Student Engagement through Digital Learning 

Digital learning has come so far over the years, but many still have a perception of it as a click-through course. Creating learning that allows for ‘power-clicking’, a term I’ve heard across the industry, is something I think most creators can hold their hands up to do, especially when feeling stretched for time and pressured to develop straightforward/beginner-friendly pieces of learning. However, in reality, if a course allows for power-clicking it will always be the easy option for a learner to take and naturally one that most opt for over truly engaging with the content.

“I never like seeing courses that lock learning down to a series of clicks. I think if learners are trying to get to the end as quickly as possible, we’ve probably already failed to provide them with an engaging learning experience. I don’t expect engagement to suddenly materialise just because we’ve asked them to click on something. It has to start much earlier than this.”  Laura Giles, Head of Learning

So, if engagement is what we’re striving for, this poses the question of ‘how do we truly engage the learner?’. There are in fact multiple ways to affect this, and they’re often referred to as the different modes or dimensions of engagement (see below).

Figure 1 – Dimensions of engagement (Redmond et al., 2018).

Redmond et al wrote about the topic in 2018 and the above illustration is an effective visual showing the different methods he covered which can affect engagement. Examples of each of the engagement modes, specifically in the space of digital learning, were proposed by Redmond et al such as:

Figure 2 – Redmond Online Engagement Framework for Higher Education

It is all well and good having plans for increasing the engagement, however in order to be able to engage students, we must first have students enrolled and in a position to start the course. So how do we create an attractive offering and ultimately get people through the door?

How to attract them to be able to engage them… 

As student numbers have fallen, there’s been a lot of information batted around this year about what learners are actually looking for from digital learning, and therefore different organisations seem to each have taken their own individual approach to creating an attractive, yet effective, learning portfolio.

Although much smaller than in earlier years, convincing students to enrol onto digital learning courses still remains a challenge for the sector. EYs 2024 study of 3000 Higher Education learners found that the application process was vital to this and that digital pathways should be designed in such a way that it takes prospective students through the application within just a few clicks. They also suggested that those who abandon their applications part-way should be intercepted and personally re-engaged to increase levels of enrolment. 80% of those in the study also stated that courses that appeared to improve career prospects and those that adapted to the changes in the topic’s market were extremely attractive to them whilst they were choosing where to enrol.

McKinsey & Company’s 2023 study of 7,000 students across 17 countries identified 8 key dimensions that were important to learners, specifically within the area of digital learning (see below).

Figure 3 – McKinsey & Company

As a market, I can honestly say I think the digital learning space is always seeking to provide nothing but the best for students, and I’m sure many of the above 8 areas are already being addressed in most institutes, but there’s always room for improvement, right?

I am, of course, a recruiter, not a digital learning expert, and therefore a little bit on the outside looking in. However, I truly believe that from what I’ve seen and heard, with a whole lot of resistance, some innovative thinking, and a bit of backing from the government (hopeful, I know!), we can pull through this current downturn.