E-learning in a changing world

Technological advancement

If 50 years ago you had told someone that your watch will serve as your phone, people will post pictures on a network called the Internet and cars will run on electricity, you would have most likely been dubbed insane. We've created more breakthrough technologies in the last 10 years than ever before. Now, we can see that nearly everything is possible. Along with those advancements, people have begun to change as well. The first example that comes to my mind is our shrinking attention span. In such a changing world, it would seem only logical that we would need to change the way we approach formal instruction, teaching, lectures; and yet the length of an average lecture hasn't changed for centuries.

Short attention spans

So, how long can we actually focus for? Well, according to research we can maintain focus for about 20 minutes. That's right, ONLY 20 minutes. I guess TED talks got it right then - they can last no longer than 18 minutes, which is well within the average attention span. Doesn't it seem illogical to have 50-minute lectures if we'll remember only 40% of the material? Shortening the lectures to 20 minutes would significantly improve their efficiency. 

we can maintain focus for about 20 minutes

On-demand services

We've also entered a world where on-demand services are becoming increasingly popular and, demanded. Nowadays, people expect to have access to knowledge whenever they want - no wonder the phrase "Google it" has become part of our everyday vocabulary. Elearning allows for exactly that to happen. People can easily access relevant materials whenever they desire. What's more, they'll do it when they feel ready to learn - why is that important?

Learning requires focus

If you are not focused and not aware, you will not learn anything. If we're distracted in any way, we simply won't record anything from a book, lecture, podcast or any other type of material. That's why on-demand forms of learning are more effective, because we can individually assess whether we're feeling up to learning something new. Did you know that negative emotions will also inhibit the learning process in the long term? It's so important to find the right place and the right time for learning. 

The forgetting curve

Our brains enjoy learning and acquiring new knowledge BUT they also forget the majority of what we learn. The forgetting curve, also known as the Ebbinghaus curve states that within the first hour, we'll forget about 50% of what we learned. After a day, that number comes up to 70% and within a week, it's 90%. That's why repetition is so important. Elearning guarantees that possibility, with courses readily available online for learners to revise what they learned.

Effective e-learning?

• material divided into short sections
• gamification to awaken motivation
• 24-hour access
• revision possible without extra costs