eLearning is dead, really?

I recently read an article about how the concept of eLearning has been long dead. I believe in this to some extent since a bevy of client requirements (that I have been attending to recently) have been on creation of visual-rich animations or interactive video capsules (that explains some concepts or advertises about a tool or a product). I have also seen an unflagging stream of client demands for creating responsive sites or mobile apps that would house the required information about a company, its products and/or offerings.

Does the Demand for eLearning Exist?

I still do see a steady demand for eLearning. These mainly stem from customers who have just woken up to the concept of eLearning and would want to explore it further. Believe me, this tribe still exists! These companies may have always sought classroom-training as one of the methods of imparting sound knowledge to their employees, and would have recently found out the merits of an online format of training. Also, where some mandatory / compliance training have to be delivered, most of the top-rung business executives count on eLearning as being the ideal delivery medium.

An eLearning module may not really garner the collective whoops of your young audience (who are used to viewing short video nuggets on mobiles or other byte-sized entertainment chunks), but it may warm cockles of the hearts of several others who are still loyal to navigating their way across an online landscape. Managers love tracking the scores and progress of their participants, and online courses accompanied by assessments, serve as a good method to do just that.

What makes it alive?

Gamified elements and video-based branching scenarios have done a good job in resurrecting the eLearning modules, and have made the latter much more than just click interactivities or page turners. And an eLearning course laced with interesting anecdotes/racy dialogues and coated with not just a wonkish veneer, definitely grabs more eye-balls even today. Check out some of the eLearning courses that Salmat (an Australian eLearning company) produces to believe me: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5itfUcyv5Gg.

What is the immediate future of eLearning?

The immediate future of eLearning as I see it may mean smaller nuggets of information (not more than 2 minutes) that would impart the most relevant stuff to learners. This may be followed by a 20 second quiz and a quick wrap-up. Also, a user would get more freedom to pick and choose from the desired learning elements. Interactions with the social media and one’s trusted circle would definitely be the center-stage of such learning modules. 

What is the distant future of eLearning?

Also, one of the things that got my attention during my recent discussions with several clients was about building a futuristic wiki-like course, that can be updated bit-by-bit by any user, and bulk-distributed across the entire learning spectrum. It may be a remote possibility that in future users create their own learning experiences with the help of supporting technology in order to drive learning and development rather than banking on an outside eLearning expert. I believe technology would have evolved to an extent that information would flow freely from user to user, without having the need to build comprehensive programs to structure or organize it.

Do you think this is possible? Do write to me about your version of the future!