eLearning Trends 2021

A View from the Trenches

Introduction
"Don't be into trends. Don't make fashion own you, but you decide what you are, what you
want to express by the way you dress and the way to live.“

What’s fashion got to do with training?

If you are thinking the same, this quote by Giovanni Maria Versace, the founder of
Versace holds true for corporate training too.

It’s easy to fall into the trap of adopting/implementing trends just to be cool or ‘fit in’.
However, the true trends L&D professionals should adopt are those that’ll work for our
learners and organizations.

And this is what the eLearning trends for 2021 offer – improved performance, achieved
business goals, enhanced ROI.

2
Read the eBook to discover how:

The L&D function is transitioning to

1 an impact-maker and being heard at
the decision-making table

Blended learning can offer high-impact,

2 continual learning opportunities across
the learning journey

Virtual instructor-led sessions (VILT) can

offer uninterrupted learning, without losing
3
the benefits of the human interaction of
physical classrooms

4 rapid conversion strategies will

take care of every requirement and
4
contingency when converting classroom
training material to eLearning

Learning Experience Platforms (LXP)

can integrate resources from several
5 platforms to offer learners a unified,
seamless learning experience

3
Trend 1

L&D Moving from an Order-Taker

to an Impact-Maker
Traditionally, L&D has always been an order-taker in organizations serving up learning
programs.

Most often than not, they fill learning gaps, matching stakeholders needs with available
training programs.

However, the L&D unit is now becoming an impact-maker who proactively contributes to
business results and has a say at the decision-making table. An impact-maker is a strategic
business partner who understands the business of the business at a deep level.

To move from taking orders to making an impact, we need to understand the business,
understand how training programs can help achieve business goals, and focus on
measurable results.

The key to transitioning is to:

Build a brand Communicate Identify and connect Measure

identity for the value with audiences and share results
L&D team (stakeholders)

Be consistent!!

4
Trend 1

Characteristics of an Impact-Making L&D Unit

Our activities should be aligned with the corporate strategy to contribute to the business
results through our training initiatives.

Here’s a simple 3-step process that can act as a blueprint.

01 02 03
Find out the Make sure what Improve your
Corporate Strategy you do contributes ability to effectively
to the Corporate communicate
Strategy with executives

 Find out the corporate  Know and work on the  Don’t demonstrate the
strategy – don’t wait for things that matter. features of L&D.
it to find you.  Ask stakeholders to  Verbalize the outcomes
 Work with your team identify what they in terms of our audience
and boss to know expect from training (stakeholders).
what matters to programs – tangible  Focus on the ‘why’ (how
the organization. performance goals that learners will benefit) and
tie back to the goals. NOT on the ‘what’ (the
technology).

5
Trend 2

High-Impact, Continual Learning

Learning is a process and offering our learners continual learning opportunities along the
journey will help them beat the forgetting curve.

And irrespective of the format, for training to be effective, it has to be aligned with
the business objectives. Cascading learning objectives from the desired organizational
results and employee performance will ensure the training program will improve
performance – helping learners solve problems, overcome challenges, or enhance
their knowledge, skills, and attitude.

Desired Desired Performance-based

Organizational Performance Objective
Results

6
Trend 2
How can we Facilitate Continual Learning?

There are a variety of training formats at our disposal that can be used to offer learners
a blended journey that starts even before training (prepping them for the training) and
extends after formal training (in the form of performance support job-aids).

FORMATS FOR LEARNING

Live Formats
Social Learning
 Instructor-led (classroom) training
 Discussion boards
 On-the-Job training
 Online forums

Virtual Collaboration/Synchronous Virtual Collaboration/Asynchronous

 Live eLearning classes  Email
 E-mentoring  Bulletin boards
 Online communities

Self-Paced Learning Performance Support Systems (EPSS)

 Web learning modules  Job-aids, how-to videos
 Simulations, scenarios  Mobile applications
 Video  Performance/decision support tools

Digital Assets that can be Used in a Blend

Various microlearning assets can be used in the learning blend.

7
Trend 2
How can we Deliver High-Impact Learning?

Strategy What it is Where it can be used

 Sales training
Guided Learning Uses characters/avatars to
 Software training
accompany learners through
 Process training
an online course, letting them
 Performance
take their own decisions.
management training

Puts learners in situations  Compliance training

Scenario-based
where they learn by doing  Policies/legal training
Learning
tasks or taking decisions. It  Sales training
(Problem-based
helps build critical-thinking  Code of conduct training
Learning)
skills, and apply the knowledge  Behavioral training
gained directly on the job.

Learning through Provides learners the flexibility  New employee orientation

Exploration And to discover and assimilate  Safety training
Discovery (LEAD) knowledge by interacting with  Product training
the learning environment.  Site training

Game-based Uses game elements to  Information training

Learning facilitate effective knowledge  Code of conduct training
transfer, build an emotional  Sales/Product training
connection, elicit responses
from learners, foster
competition, and help retain
knowledge longer.

Simulations Provides learners a safe  ERP/Software training

environment that mirrors the  Product training
actual system to help them  Safety training
practice using the
system/product without any
repercussions.

8
Trend 3

Virtual Instructor-led Training (VILT)

What do you think about VILTs? Are they here to stay?
 Yes, definitely!
 Not sure
 No, they are a passing fad!

VILTs have emerged as a boon during the pandemic and their usage will only increase as
they offer learners the benefit of direct human interaction, minus the logistics associated
with the brick and mortar classroom.

What VILT is NOT

VILT ≠ Taking an ILT and conducting

VILT ≠ Webinar
it using a conferencing facility

9
Trend 3

The 2 Pillars of the Virtual Classroom

For virtual classrooms to be effective, 2 elements have to be planned for, designed,
and delivered with due diligence – content and technology (the platform)

1. Content
Whether you are using existing content or building a new VILT program from scratch,
here are some instructional materials you need to have:
 Facilitator guides
 Participant guides and handouts
 Reference material
 An introductory ‘Getting Started’ webinar with hands-on practice

2. Technology
The choice of the technology platform will dictate the kind of collaboration activities
you can have.

Microsoft Cisco Adobe

Vedamo WizIQ
Teams Webex Connect

Google Microsoft
Skype Zoom Miro
Classroom Lync

10
Trend 3

Decisions to be Taken
Getting started with VILT will need careful planning and brainstorming with all involved
stakeholders to answer these 3 questions.

1. Format
 Should you go in for a blended curriculum?
 Should you focus on only ILT to VILT?

2. Content
 Should the ILT content be expanded or condensed?
 How much of the existing content will need to be updated or reworked?

3. Activities
 What modalities do you want to use for activities (Polls? Chat? Annotation?
Workbook activities?)
 How will you share breakout room instructions?
 What kind of polls will you sent up?

Best Practices

 Scope your conversion project to organize the ILT content into appropriate
chunks for eLearning or VILT.
 Consider whether content can be consolidated/repurposed as job aids or
reference material.
 Conduct a pilot test to get inputs for enhancing the materials and activities.
 Look for a vendor with a background in ILT and VILT.

11
Trend 4

4 Rs of Rapid eLearning Conversion

Dynamic external factors, changing internal processes, unprecedented situations all pose
one challenge to L&D pros – offering engaging, effective training at the speed of business.

This calls for the rapid design and delivery of eLearning courses. Whether it is converting
classroom training material to eLearning, making legacy courses mobile-compatible,
helping minimize the involvement of subject matter experts (SMEs), and more – these
4 conversion strategies – the 4 Rs – will answer all your needs.

Record Republish Rebuild Redesign

#Record to Save SME Time

One of the biggest roadblocks to "quick" eLearning development is the non-availability

of the SME. However, their contribution is critical for high-impact eLearning development.

Make the most of their limited time with the Record strategy – that’ll minimize SME
touchpoints during the eLearning design and development process.

The SME puts together a ‘quick and dirty’ PowerPoint deck (that forms
Step 1
the base for the storyboard) with relevant and current content.

The SME records the explanation for each slide (highlighting important
Step 2
points) on their mobile phone or any audio recording app/software.

The ID team works on the PPT deck to enhance it instructionally,

Step 3
transcribes audio into the narration script, and finalizes it after editing.
The SME reviews the narration script and the improved PPT
Step 4
(storyboard).
Step 5 The development team develops the final eLearning course with audio.

12
Trend 4

#Republish for Mobile Compatibility

If you have legacy courses that are not compatible with mobile devices – developed
using obsolete software (such as Flash) or older versions of authoring tools, go with
the Republish strategy!

The Republish strategy is an absolute winner if you want to:

 Upgrade to a newer version of a rapid eLearning tool

 Revamp the look and feel of the legacy courses

 Make courses compatible with mobile devices

 Translate eLearning courses for a global reach

#Rebuild for Microlearning

If you want to reconfigure your lengthy eLearning courses into curriculums or

microlearning nuggets – easily consumable chunks of information – and offer
personalized learning experiences, go for the Rebuild strategy!

Rebuilding benefits both the learners and your organization as microlearning courses:

 Are engaging and easy to assimilate

 Can be accessed on the devices learners prefer

 Offer the flexibility to learn anytime, anywhere, on demand

 Can be used in multiple ways: to prepare learners for formal training,

as standalone training, or as refreshers and performance support

 Are quick to develop, easy to update, and economical

13
Trend 4

#Redesign for Blended Learning

If you want to get over the challenges of in-person classroom training – high cost of
logistics (travel, trainers, venue), non-availability of trainers, gathering learners and
instructors in one place at the scheduled time – go for the Redesign strategy.

You can leverage the Redesign strategy to migrate from:

 Classroom training to asynchronous online training (eLearning, microlearning,
mobile learning)
 Classroom to virtual instructor-led training (VILT)
 Classroom to blended learning
 Repurpose classroom training material to electronic performance support solutions

 Save SME time using the Record strategy

 Republish legacy courses using latest versions of rapid authoring tools
 Rebuild bulky curriculums into microlearning
 Redesign classroom training material to online training

14
Trend 5

Integrating Learning Resources with an LXP

Where are You in Your Learning Journey?

As you advance along the journey, having an LXP is a good idea to give learners autonomy
over their learning and to consolidate the resources you would have across multiple sites.

An LXP is a content aggregator with the main focus on the experience of learners.

An LXP can bring together content from different courses such as:

 An off-the-shelf content library

 LMS
 Intranet
 SharePoint portal
 Collaborative platforms such as MS Teams

15
Trend 5

Contrasting the LXP, LMS, and LCMS

The LMS (Learning Management System) can host learning resources, with a focus
on tracking learner progress and generating reports.

An LCMS (Learning Content Management System) helps facilitators, subject matter

experts, and trainers create content, publish, and share content – with version control.
The focus is on content creation, just-in-time.

More about an LXP

Powered by Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence, an LXP makes each learner
the architect of their learning journey, builds individual learning paths, and offers truly
personalized learning by bringing up learning resources based on preferences,
skills to be developed, past choices, and more.

This integration also helps learners avoid the hassle of logging to each
individual site and looking for resources.

LXPs:

 Offer content with

recommendations based on
ML and AI

 Can curate and host any form

of content

 Offer personalized, automated

learning paths that lead to
logical outcomes

 Support social learning

16
Conclusion
Looking Forward to the Transformation of the L&D Team

There they are….. 5 trends adopted by high-performing organizations you should be

adopting to become an impact-maker.

1. Build a brand for your L&D team and transition from taking orders to making an
impact by focusing on measurable results.
2. Offer continual learning opportunities that make translate into on-the-job application
and improved performance by building a learning blend.
3. Provide learners the human interaction of the classroom minus the logistic
headaches by shifting to virtual classrooms.
4. Ace every requirement when you are shifting from the classroom to online training
by adopting the 4 Rs.
5. Make learners the architects of their learning journey by offering them integrated
access to learning resources via an LXP.

These trends will help:

Learners Organizations

 Improved performance  High-performing employees

 Faster application of learning  Enhanced training ROI
back on the job  Improved business results
 Clear development paths  Employee loyalty

Go into the new year equipped with these learning strategies!!

17
About Us
CommLab India is the most sought-after global leader for its rapid eLearning solutions.
It has been ranked first among top providers of Rapid eLearning and Blended Learning
Solutions for 2020 by eLearning Industry.

With our formidable authoring tools expertise and decades of experience in corporate
training and instructional design, we offer rapid eLearning solutions for speed, scale,
and value…with any authoring tool!

What we do:

1. Convert ILT material into instructionally sound, visually appealing, engaging

eLearning curriculums, virtual sessions, and other digital learning formats.
2. Convert legacy courses developed in Flash or any other authoring tool to HTML5,
even without the source files.
3. Translate English eLearning courses into 35 international languages – both text
and audio.

Get in Touch