Chapter I
Definition: what is e-learning?
Defining e-learning
There are countless definitions of e-learning. Put simply, e-learning, or online learning, refers to any kind of learning delivered through digital or electronic tools. Today it can be delivered via computers, tablets and smartphones, allowing people to learn without constraints of place or time. In short: e-learning is training delivered online through a computer or any other digital device.
The e-learning we know today feels obvious. But there was a time when it could also be delivered through tools like France's Minitel, with telematics-based teaching. And even earlier, on machines that went almost unnoticed at the time.
The expression "e-learning" was first heard in 1999, at a seminar on CBT (Computer Based Training) systems. The word was spoken at the time by Elliott Masie, host and curator of many learning and development seminars, labs and conferences. He made his name by campaigning for the healthy roll-out of learning and collaboration technologies as a way of supporting effectiveness, for nearly 30 years.
Around the same period, other expressions surfaced in an attempt to describe the concept: "online learning", "virtual learning". And over the following years, the reputation of e-learning only grew stronger.
In reality, though, the origins of e-learning are said to go back much further in history. Many texts even suggest that the first forms of e-learning appeared as early as the nineteenth century.
E-learning through history
- 1728: the first distance learning course
In 1728, Caleb Phillips of Boston created the very first distance learning course. The lessons were delivered to students each week by post. We are a long way from today's e-learning, but this moment in the history of training and teaching is worth pausing on, since it marks the first steps of distance courses, as opposed to face-to-face learning.
- 1924: the "Automatic Teacher"
Sidney Pressey, a professor at Ohio State University, invented the first electronic learning device. Designed to replace standardised tests with a machine, it did not really catch on at the time, but it marks the beginnings of e-learning.
- 1957: the "Teaching Machine"
While a psychologist at Harvard University, Burrhus Frederic Skinner created the "teaching machine". Named GLIDER, it went further than Pressey's machine: its purpose was not to test students, but to teach.
- 1960: PLATO
The very first computerised teaching tool came from the mind of Professor Don Bitzer, then a lecturer at the University of Illinois. It bore the acronym PLATO, for "Programmed Logic for Automatic Teaching Operations." First used as a computer-assisted education tool, it quickly outgrew its original purpose, earning its stripes as a "cornerstone of modern multi-user computing." PLATO can be seen as the ancestor and the starting point of modern e-learning systems.
- 1963: a short story predicts the future
A chapter of the Daily Express Science Annual, titled "Teaching Machines and Programmed Learning", describes interactive teaching machines and shows photos of a number of systems. In the same Annual, a science-fiction short story by Brian Aldiss predicts mobile learning, wearable computing, brain-computer interfaces, the rise of personal computing in the nineteen-seventies and concern about global warming.
- 1966: computer-generated teaching
Patrick Suppes, of Stanford University, became the father of CMI (computer-managed instruction). He was then working on IBM 1500 hardware and used his innovation to supplement teachers' instruction with individual maths sessions.
- 1969: ARPANET
ARPANET is widely regarded as the ancestor of the internet. It was created by connecting four university computers together. ARPANET's first purpose was educational. It was intended to share resources and information between scientists and institutions.
- 1977: the Apple II personal computer
Apple launched the Apple II personal computer in 1977. Its co-founder Steve Wozniak put education forward as the main intended function for this new piece of hardware. With plenty of sound and colour graphics, the computer was appealing to young people.
- 1979: Apple partners with Bell & Howell
In 1979, Apple partnered with Bell & Howell to create the Apple Education Foundation. It donated computers to students and awarded grants to those developing software with an educational purpose.
- 1983: the electronic university network
The Electronic University Network (EUN), an online educational network, was launched by Ron Gordon, the former president of video games company Atari. It was created to help universities and colleges get started with using online courses.
- 1986: a quarter of secondary schools use computers
By 1986, 25% of secondary schools in the United States were already using personal computers for university and career guidance.
- 1989: the World Wide Web (WWW) is born
The World Wide Web (WWW) was invented by the British scientist Tim Berners-Lee. Its initial purpose was to share information between academic institutions around the world.
- 1994: the first online school
In 1994, the first fully accredited online secondary school, CompuHigh, was created. It catered for American nationals and English-speaking international students from Year 9 through to the final year of secondary school.
- 1999: the term "e-learning" is used for the first time
The term "e-learning" was used for the very first time in a professional context by Elliott Masie at the TechLearn conference in Disney World.
- 1999: the first online university
In 1999, the very first fully accredited online university, Jones International University, came into being. It offered online courses and degrees in business and education to students until 2015, the official date of its closure.
- 2002: MIT's OpenCourseWare
With its OpenCourseWare project, MIT began in 2002 to offer course materials and lectures online, free of charge, to internet users around the world.
- 2008: the term "MOOC" is used for the first time
The term MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) was used for the first time in 2008 by another academic: Dave Cormier of the University of Prince Edward Island.
- 2012: the year of the MOOC
A year nicknamed "the year of the MOOC". It was in 2012 that Coursera, currently one of the largest online learning platforms in the world, was founded, launched by Andrew Ng and Daphne Koller of Stanford University. That same year, two other successful online learning platforms, Udacity and edX, came into being.
- 2014: most universities use online learning
By 2014, 98% of public colleges and universities in the United States offered fully online learning programmes.
- 2018: e-learning reaches 168.8 billion dollars
In 2018, the global online learning market reached 168.8 billion dollars in size.
2020 and beyond: the rise of e-learning
In the early days of e-learning, textbooks and CD-ROMs were the only basis to work from. The rise of the internet allowed organisations to make the most of the format's flexibility. Advances in technology then brought in images, audio, video and graphics: all elements that helped keep learners engaged, compared with traditional learning.
In its early days, e-learning was not accessible to everyone: the first IBM personal computer cost the equivalent of 5,000 euros today. As digital devices became widespread in homes, its popularity grew. Today, it is mobile learning that drives the growth of e-learning, allowing access from anywhere, at any time, in microformats that boost learner engagement.
Businesses began using e-learning in the 2000s to train their employees. Staff now have the chance to broaden their skills in a few clicks, and to access programmes that offer the possibility of earning online qualifications, at costs that are competitive with some schools and universities. Today, e-learning is more popular than ever.
Chapter II
Understanding e-learning jargon
Before we go any further, and because some concepts have already been mentioned above, here are a few expressions worth knowing to better understand the world of e-learning.
Mobile learning
Mobile learning is a new way of learning. It appeared a few years ago now. Mobile learning is based on the ATAWAD principle: AnyTime, AnyWhere, Any Device. When we talk about mobile learning, we are talking about learning on the move. This type of format gives people the chance to learn anytime and anywhere, using any device such as a phone, tablet or PC. The solution is flexible and can support a wide variety of content, from video to quizzes, games and more.
The LMS
The LMS is a Learning Management System. It is a software application used to deliver online training. There are several types: some are cloud-based, others can be installed directly on the hardware of the company or the training provider. Cloud-based LMSs have nonetheless become the norm in recent years thanks to how easy they are to access and use.
SCORM
SCORM stands for Shareable Content Object Reference Model. It is a set of technical specifications that standardise the way e-learning courses or training are created. The SCORM standard makes it possible to create content that is easily transferable from one LMS to another. There are also other e-learning standards.
xAPI
Often presented as the evolution of SCORM, xAPI adds performance to it. This standard offers a high level of flexibility and the ability to track learning experiences: in particular the way data is collected and stored.
LXP
LXP stands for Learning Experience Platform. It is an e-learning platform that enables a personalised, social and online learning experience. It pulls together various content sources into a single portal.
Chapter III
Advantages and disadvantages of e-learning
The advantages
- It is a cost-effective system
E-learning has many advantages, but the one most often highlighted represents, over the long term, significant savings in terms of cost. No face-to-face trainers to pay, less of learners' working time taken up, limited equipment needs. What is more, LMSs, LXPs or mobile learning platforms make it easier to update content, all the more so when they offer social learning features. In this context, content creation is no longer solely in the hands of specialist creators, but also in those of learners who share their knowledge with their peers. Some articles talk of 50% to 70% savings on training costs thanks to e-learning. In blended learning settings that mix e-learning and face-to-face, the cost-effectiveness ratio remains favourable, while reassuring companies that are not yet ready to go fully digital.
- Time savings
For a business, e-learning means time savings. By accessing training content from anywhere, the friction caused by travel and the constraints of synchronous training fall away, making it possible to fit training time around each person's schedule. What is more, e-learning platforms make it possible to automate a number of tasks and communications, making training easier to manage. On top of that, e-learning cuts learning time by 25% to 60% depending on the learning path, compared with face-to-face.
- Online learning is self-paced
With e-learning, learners can set their own schedule and learning pace as they see fit, freed from the constraints of having to be present in person. This is an advantage that helps achieve better engagement rates, as learners can log on at the times when they are most receptive.
- Putting the learner at the centre of training
What sets e-learning apart is that it puts the learner back at the centre of learning, rather than the trainer. In systems that enable social learning, the learner can take on the role of both creator and consumer of content, while remaining at the heart of the setup.
- Personalising the learning environment
It has been found that employees who work in "neutral" environments, with no personal touches, are on average 15% less productive than those who work at a decorated desk or surrounded by personal belongings. This also applies to learning. In face-to-face settings, learners find themselves in neutral, non-personalisable places. With e-learning, they have control over their learning context, whether they are at home, in the office, in a break room or in transit. They can therefore set out their own e-learning strategy.
- Improving learning paths with data
Data makes it possible to understand learners' habits. By analysing the data provided by training platforms, content and learning paths can be adapted to boost engagement. For example, a high drop-out rate on a course, identified thanks to data, makes it possible to adjust the content or the path to improve retention. Data also makes it possible to assess the pace at which content is consumed on a platform, in order to decide on and adjust updates with new content. In the case of LXP platforms and social learning, it makes it possible to identify learners' interests and better understand their habits.
- Adapting to individual learning paths
Online learning, in particular with adaptive learning, mobile learning and LXPs, makes it possible to create individualised learning paths. Learners can choose the topics that interest them and need not necessarily complete the modules that do not match their needs. Since everyone has a different learning style, e-learning now offers a flexibility that opens the door to genuinely personalised experiences. It can also be adapted for people with disabilities.
- Improving performance and productivity
With all the advantages mentioned above, e-learning has the effect of improving learners' performance and productivity. By completing their training more quickly and with greater engagement, information retention rates are higher. This is even truer of mobile learning, which is particularly effective at countering the forgetting curve. Greater engagement in training can have a direct impact on productivity, all the more so when learners have greater control over the content they consume. As a result, they feel more motivated to reach their professional goals.
- Reducing environmental impact
CSR has become a universal concern, and reducing one's carbon footprint is part of it. E-learning contributes to this by cutting down on travel and using media that are more sustainable than paper. In a university context, distance learning is said to consume 90% less energy and emit 85% less CO2 than face-to-face teaching.
The disadvantages
- Interaction between learners is limited
Interaction between learners contributes greatly to the understanding, assimilation and retention of the information delivered during training. Many e-learning platforms do not make it possible to create these conditions for interaction or to encourage social learning: most of the time they are limited to letting learners leave comments, moderated by administrators. Nonetheless, more and more platforms, in particular in mobile learning or LXP, offer advanced social learning features to recreate this interaction and the sharing of information between peers.
- The lack of feedback
When faced with the questions or issues that come up during training, e-learning can struggle to provide a response as instant as a face-to-face trainer would. The advanced social learning or peer learning features of certain tools can, however, fill this gap by drawing on the other learners: a way of reintroducing the personalised comments and answers we are familiar with from face-to-face settings.When faced with the questions or issues that come up during training, e-learning can struggle to address the question or problem instantly the way a face-to-face trainer would. The advanced social learning or peer learning features of some solutions can, however, provide a response by drawing on the other learners. A way of reintroducing the personalised comments and answers we are familiar with from face-to-face settings.
- Self-motivation and time management
A lack of self-motivation is one of the main reasons why learners fail to complete an online course. In a face-to-face setting, it is hard to procrastinate. E-learning calls for an ability to organise and motivate oneself that not everyone has naturally. Many tools now address this drawback thanks to notification features, or to gamification, challenge and reward systems that provide the motivation to see modules through.
- E-learning is limited to certain subjects
Another limit of e-learning: not all areas of learning can be covered online alone. The format tends to be better suited to theory and the social sciences and humanities than to subjects that require practice, such as the medical sciences or engineering. It is hard to follow training on operating a tool or on specific care procedures without hands-on practice. Blended learning can nonetheless address this issue by combining face-to-face time where it is needed, and e-learning for the theoretical or assessment phases.Another limit of e-learning: not all areas of learning can be delivered through e-learning. The format tends to be better suited to theory and the social sciences and humanities rather than to scientific fields such as the medical sciences and engineering, which require practice. It is hard to follow training on operating a tool or on specific care procedures through e-learning alone. That said, blended learning training can make it possible to address this issue by combining face-to-face training time when it cannot be done otherwise, and e-learning for the theoretical learning or assessment phases.
- What about the digital divide?
Digital illiteracy still affected 15% of the population in 2021 according to INSEE (France's national statistics institute). To put the figures in perspective, this reality mainly concerns those aged 75 and over, as well as some of the most disadvantaged households. That said, the majority of companies and training providers that offer e-learning make the equipment needed to follow the training available.
Chapter IV
E-learning trends
The e-learning industry is growing at a steady pace, and rolling out e-learning in the workplace has become a central concern in the field of professional training and HR. According to a study by Global Market Insights, the global e-learning market has passed 375 billion dollars. Among the major trends dominating the sector are:
Microlearning
Each successive generation of learners has an increasingly fragmented attention span. For better or worse, multitasking is now part of life for the vast majority of people who are pulled in many directions. In this context, microlearning makes it possible to adapt to current learning and content-consumption habits. Microlearning (or rapid learning) refers to short formats, with training modules lasting between 3 and 10 minutes. It is also the format of choice for mobile learning, but it can be used from any device: computer, mobile or tablet. With short modules, learners can learn at their own pace, completing the modules in one or several sittings, whenever they like, and most of the time in whatever order they want.
From mobile learning to mobile-first learning
Today, more than three quarters of internet users access the network via their smartphone. This widespread shift to mobile does not leave e-learning behind. Content and formats need to be adapted to the way people consume on the move. The acronym ATAWAD will be at the heart of the matter, allowing access from anywhere and at any time. Mobile learning also makes it possible to adapt to every context: from the learner who is rarely in the office to the one who spends part of their week travelling.
Until recently, the norm was for e-learning to be "mobile ready": that is, designed to be consumed on a computer, but able to be adapted for mobile. Since then, organisations have identified the need for programmes designed for mobile first, to then be used on a computer where appropriate, and not the other way round. Today, more and more modules and training content are natively designed for mobile.
Social learning
While it already existed through face-to-face interaction, social learning takes on a whole new dimension in the e-learning era. With the recent LXP platforms that capitalise on the power of sharing and exchanging knowledge, social learning is reaching a form of maturity. Learning communities are beginning to form. This trend is no accident, given how important the role of peer learning is. Whether it is soft skills, the sharing of technical procedures or job-related experience, digital tools give social learning far wider possibilities. It is at the heart of informal learning and fills the gap in learner interaction that e-learning had been missing.
User-generated content (UGC)
User-generated content, or UGC, has exploded with social media. In a learning context, it sits at the heart of social learning. The need for training content is constant and substantial, all the more so as this content is often perishable: once the modules are done, there is little chance that learners will return to them if the content is not regularly refreshed. Creation costs can be high, tying up entire teams or specialist providers in some companies. UGC makes it possible to enrich training with knowledge held by peers and to reproduce the informal learning that exists naturally between learners in face-to-face settings. The emerging learning experience platforms make it easier for users to create and share content, fostering a more open work and learning environment.
Personalised learning and adaptive learning
Personalised learning refers to teaching in which the pace and instructional approach are optimised for the needs of each learner. The Gates Foundation and EDUCAUSE define its goal as follows: "Personalised learning aims to accelerate learning by tailoring the instructional environment, what, when, how and where people learn, to address the individual needs, skills and interests of each learner. Learners can take ownership of their own learning." Companies and educational institutions are increasingly offering personalised experiences, with mobile content, gamification, microlearning resources and more. These learning paths are based on data to optimise the learning experience.
Data-driven processes
The growth of data, big data in particular, affects companies right up to their governance. Learning is no exception. The designers of training tools and content now have to keep a number of constraints in mind. With GDPR in particular, there is an issue around protecting learners and companies. Data is also at the centre of e-learning: it makes it possible to understand, adapt, improve or correct learning paths and to better grasp learners' needs. Data sits at the very heart of the personalisation of learning.
In this same vein, LRSs (Learning Record Stores) sit at the heart of any xAPI ecosystem. An LRS is a server responsible for receiving, storing and providing access to learning records. Its function: to store learning data. An LRS does not just indicate that an employee has completed a course, it can also track exactly what employees have done with what they have learnt. With this tool, managers and leaders can get an overview of what works, what needs to be developed further and which strategic directions to follow. This is also what the recent LXPs offer, with other benefits including social learning.
Personalised support through artificial intelligence
As with every area of the digital world, artificial intelligence makes a high degree of learning personalisation possible. Thanks to data analysis, learners can be supported by "tutors" available around the clock. Without replacing the human element, AI in a tutoring role makes it possible to recommend related content and adapt the learning path to the candidate's abilities and their past learning actions.
Augmented reality, virtual reality and mixed reality
Mentioned in every trends report, augmented reality, virtual reality and mixed reality (AR, VR and MR) technologies have a part to play in learning. In certain contexts, they make immersive learning possible and can stand in for face-to-face settings, in particular for technical procedures that need to be learnt in real conditions. These technologies allow learners to work on simulations or complex scenarios, wherever they may be.
Chapter V
How do you roll out an e-learning project for frontline teams?
Understanding why e-learning is needed
Moving to e-learning, in part or in full, means knowing why you are taking such a turn. What future is there for e-learning in corporate training? For the company weighing up this move, it is about understanding the challenges that e-learning answers. Having a smooth, intuitive and easy-to-use digital learning ecosystem is more relevant than ever. Training and learning platforms need to be agile, accessible anywhere and at any time while enabling the informal learning that comes from social interaction and social learning.
Analysing what is already in place
Making the transition to e-learning is a digital transformation project that calls for a number of steps before moving into action. The first consists of analysing what is already in place. A 20-person organisation taking the e-learning turn does not have the same needs or the same learning contexts as one of 1,000 or 20,000 employees. The same goes for training providers. Are the learners on the move, working from home, on company premises? It is about clearly assessing training needs as well as the possible learning conditions and environments. To do this, some companies call on external consultants who specialise in this, and who can even help draw up an e-learning specification.
Mapping roles and skills
The mapping of roles and skills is part of a workforce and skills planning approach known in France as GPEC (gestion prévisionnelle des emplois et des compétences). More and more companies go further with strategic workforce planning, which maps in real time. Either way, this approach is intrinsically linked to the training strategy: the two elements feed into each other and need to communicate in a joined-up way. When setting up an e-learning project, certain questions arise around skills: what are the different roles within the organisation? Can they all rely on fully digital training? Which roles or learners need a face-to-face element in their learning path?
Asking the learners
It is important to place learners at the heart of training setups. So in an approach to rolling out an e-learning project, asking the people most directly concerned goes without saying. In what conditions do they learn best? What are their needs or preferences in terms of learning methods? What are their goals when it comes to training? Are they already comfortable with digital tools? This phase makes it possible to understand the context in which learners can take in content, but also to learn about their formal and informal learning habits.
Clear and measurable objectives
Rolling out an e-learning project means gathering and aligning the objectives of all the stakeholders and departments involved. In setting up an e-learning ecosystem, these objectives and expectations need to be harmonised in order to create a setup that benefits everyone. Finance departments may, for example, be looking to reach specific targets in terms of investment, return on investment or savings. Others, depending on the role, may have particular needs in terms of updating skills. HR, for their part, have their own objectives: training content, programme design (and today eco-design), GPEC, strategic workforce planning or certifications.
Resources to oversee training
Moving from traditional learning to e-learning means upskilling the people who oversee training. You need to make sure the tools can be picked up by everyone and that the supervising teams can support learners, at least at the start. Overseeing e-learning also means allocating resources whose purpose is to make sure that learners actively use the e-learning tool or tools, complete the required modules and engage with the training process.
Measuring results
Putting digital tools in place as part of training means regular monitoring and adjustments. Setting performance indicators makes it possible to quickly identify areas for improvement, whether that is content needs, technical adjustments and so on. Data also makes it possible to identify the content that works least well, for example when certain modules are repeatedly left unfinished. Indicators such as the failure rate on modules or the improvement in productivity make it possible to judge how effective the e-learning setup is.
Boosting learner engagement
If putting an e-learning tool in place were enough to ensure its adoption, we would all know about it. Once the tools are installed, a very large part of the work remains communicating with learners to keep them engaged in the training process. In the case of an LXP-type tool where social learning plays a big part, it is about encouraging learners to be active in their own learning: asking their peers questions, sharing relevant content and so on. This is what keeps these platforms alive and maintains high engagement over time.
Chapter VI
E-learning serving every generation
That millennials are comfortable with technology is hardly big news. They are the first generation to have grown up with permanent access to digital devices: some of them do not even remember a time without social media. But just because you did not grow up immersed in it does not mean e-learning has to be a mountain to climb.
In reality, today's e-learning systems are designed to be easy to use and accessible to everyone. Anyone can adapt to mobile learning interfaces, LMSs or LXP platforms. Let us take a closer look at how e-learning can meet the needs of each generation.
Baby boomers
Generally defined as those born from 1946 to 1964, during the post-Second World War baby boom, this generation is known for being very good communicators. It is also the one that has been in the labour market the longest, and that lived through a long period during which digital technology, the internet and new technologies did not yet exist.
For these employees, e-learning provides a learning environment that is easy to understand and pick up, with simplified navigation. Video and conversation features can be a significant asset for a generation used to face-to-face settings. In this context, e-learning supports communication with tools such as video conferencing and real-time chat, which encourage interpersonal connections and stand in for face-to-face interaction.
Generation X
People born between 1965 and 1980 make up Generation X. It is the generation that grew up with grunge and MTV. Now further along in their careers, more members of Generation X are found in leadership or management roles. They are therefore at the heart of the e-learning challenge, because they are also the ones who support the adoption of digital learning by the rest of the workforce.
Without falling into sweeping generalisations, a significant part of this generation has a great capacity to manage themselves. Many are independent and like to do things their own way. As they thrive on autonomy, e-learning needs to give them this learning context, and it does so naturally.
Millennials
Many terms exist to describe millennials: Generation Y, digital natives and so on. This broad generation carries a very distinctive culture. It grew up in a world of technological explosion that it encountered from a very young age. Through its experience of the digital world, it is also probably the population most critical of, and the hardest to engage in, e-learning. Its attention is limited because it is in such high demand, and it is used to being at the centre of experiences. This generation has learnt to find information by its own means, anywhere on the internet. It is not loyal to a single source, because access to an astronomical amount of information has made it more selective about what it likes and what it does not.
It is the generation most at home in a collaborative learning context. Millennials value teamwork because it also allows for socialising, a dimension that social learning addresses directly. But beware of distraction: with so many demands on their attention, it is hard to keep them focused. This is why methods such as gamification, with its reward system, and microlearning, with its short formats accessible at will, make it possible to keep this generation engaged in e-learning paths. Interactivity needs to be at the centre of the experience.
Chapter VII
A focus on Generation Z: the new generation of e-learners
The latest to arrive in the labour market, members of Generation Z are still, for many, in the early stages of their careers. As they join companies, how should online trainers respond to their learning needs?
Since the early 2010s, articles, theses, dissertations and white papers have flooded the internet to decode Generation Y, the digital natives, the millennials, and the way they have reshaped company culture. Today, this generation is fully settled into working life. So it is time for the new arrival: Generation Z, or iGen to some.
Born between 1995 and 2010, the young people of Generation Z mostly have parents from Generation X, the first generation whose parents experienced digitalisation and social media at the same time as they did. Here is what you need to know about them.
They are familiar with online training content
There is a strong chance that a Generation Z learner will show more limited professional experience, but be very familiar with learning online and on their own. A study by the Pew Research Center shows that until the 2000s, around half of young Americans had a summer job: that figure is said to have fallen to a third over the past two decades. The French figures also show a drop in the number of young people working over the summer. Does that make them less motivated? Not so sure: many prioritise other experiences such as apprenticeships, sports camps or voluntary commitments. At the same time, this generation is the one most inclined to seek out and consume online training content, and there is a high probability that it has already experienced e-learning during its studies, or even as early as primary school.
Mobile native, less comfortable on a computer
Generation Z is probably the most used to mobility. Some do not even have a personal computer, because the majority of their interactions with the digital world go through the phone. The mobile is almost an extension of themselves and their main everyday tool: communicating, having fun, learning and so on. But this attachment to mobile also means that their technical knowledge of desktop office tools is more limited than that of the previous generation, a reality that points to a need for learning around professional digital tools.
They search for and easily find information online
A trait shared with millennials: they master search engines like a second language. The reflex of real-time searching is second nature to these young people, in particular for finding tutorials. Knowing "how to do it" is a leitmotiv of Generation Z. It has learnt a huge amount on the internet: from video tutorials on YouTube to experiments on TikTok, it is not uncommon to find young people creating their own 3.0 how-to guides, explaining how to reproduce a procedure, carry out experiments or learn the guitar. The list goes on.
Microlearning is made for them
If the short format found on Snapchat or TikTok is so successful, there is a good reason for it. Generation Z's attention is limited, and so is its patience. You need to get straight to the point, without going round the houses to deliver the key information. Microformats are therefore the best suited to this generation of avid scrollers and channel-hoppers. Paradoxically, it is capable of consuming a multitude of microformats over a long stretch of time, as is the case with TikTok, but will find it harder to stay focused on a single long-form format.
A multimedia culture
More than any generation before it, Generation Z has put the image at the heart of its culture. Photos, videos, voice notes: any means will do to get the message across more quickly. Why describe a feeling when a meme lets the other person feel it more quickly? Why recount a feat when a video shows it directly? The habit of voice messages also hints that voice control will be a central tool in the daily life of Generation Z, and therefore in the way it approaches learning. We can imagine, for them, modules accessible by voice control in the future, to meet information needs in the moment.
Chapter VIII
What does the future of e-learning hold?
Creating learning ecosystems
The main challenge in professional training today lies in learning experience platforms. More and more companies will turn to relevant, high-performing LMSs that will be an integral part of coherent learning ecosystems. How do you create these ecosystems? In recent years, a central challenge around corporate training has been to maintain the link between training, workforce and skills planning (GPEC), career planning, mobility, job classification and strategic workforce planning (SWP). To keep all these elements connected, systems need to communicate with each other. It is therefore vital to work with the right tools, capable of training, mapping, assessing and adjusting intelligently and interactively. Well-built learning ecosystems make it possible to design multi-platform learning paths tailored to each learner profile and to individual needs.
Integrating the learner's environment
Another dimension of the future of e-learning lies in its integration with the learner's entire ecosystem, beyond learning tools. It will be about integrating internal messaging tools, as is already the case with Slack, to enable training tracking, or pushing content in context, based on needs identified through data. This means that every e-learning tool on the market needs to be able to integrate and work in a joined-up way within each ecosystem.
Unifying the user experience
The promise of learning experience platforms is to unify the user experience, while placing the user at the centre and pushing the right information to them.
In its ideal version, this project to reunify the ecosystem will make it possible to bring together all training content, activities and learning experiences in a single mobile app and a single web app. LXP platforms allow openness and the aggregation of content from many sources, including external ones such as YouTube, thereby valuing sharing and exchange. The e-learning of tomorrow will leave plenty of room for the informal, in particular thanks to social learning and the interactions that LMS platforms enable.
Data at the heart of an omnichannel learning experience
Data is a central pillar in the future of e-learning. It will be at the heart of learners' individualised experiences and will make it possible to optimise learning. For this, the tools at the heart of learning ecosystems need to open up to one another to communicate in a joined-up way. One of the central challenges will lie in organisations' ability to aggregate the right data, make sense of it and put it to use as part of the learning experience. Data makes it possible to help the learner know where they stand, where they want or need to go, and above all how to get there. It makes it possible to push the right content, at the right time, through the right channels, to reach learners where they are and help them take in knowledge in the best possible conditions.
Training the trainers for the e-learning of tomorrow
Many trainers, companies and training providers remain more used to face-to-face learning methods, where e-learning has at best a supporting function. The transition to digital environments calls for specific skills: delivering training from behind a screen cannot be improvised. There is, in fact, a significant rise in the need to train instructors so that they can hone their skills in virtual environments. Beyond mastering the tools, it is about learning to design attractive, engaging formats for e-learning learners. In the workplace, this means putting trainers back into training so as to adapt the way they practise their profession to the realities of digital learning.
Workplaces are becoming flexible, and so is e-learning
The changing ways of working, remote work, hybrid work, geographically dispersed teams, have profoundly transformed learning environments. While some employees express the need to return to face-to-face methods to rediscover the collective and a social dimension, others have made remote learning a full-time or part-time habit. Workplace learning must necessarily become more flexible to adapt to this new reality, as varied as there are individuals.2020 will have affected the world of work and learning in a lasting way. A great many people who found themselves confined to home and forced to work or study from there initially struggled with the abrupt transition. But the studies are multiplying and show that while some people express the need to return to face-to-face methods to rediscover the collective and a social dimension, others on the contrary seem to want to make the remote method a full-time habit, or at least a partial one. The evolution of workplaces and learning spaces means that learning in companies or training providers must necessarily become more flexible to adapt to the new reality of learners, as varied as there are individuals.
