Future Trends in Online Education

Online learning has been growing since some years now. But events of the past couple of years have brought it into the spotlight. The pandemic has been instrumental in the sharp focus on eLearning. With most educational institutes shifting to digital platforms to hold regular classes, online education is becoming popular. We touch upon some forthcoming trends in this space.

Gamification

Making education fun…that is what gamification is all about. Online learning has become interesting and exciting and will continue to do so. Game-based strategies, such as giving badges, leaderboards, and activities that involve play, are gaining prominence. Play-based learning also improves cognitive and behavioural abilities. Hence, gamification will increasingly be an integral feature of education, development of skills, testing, assessment, and more.

Microlearning

The millennials prefer short but impactful content. This type of content is also more productive. Bite-sized content is liked and absorbed by the new generation. Hence, online learning courses include short educational videos, texts, etc., to teach. Also, bite-sized pieces of information are targeted and objective-driven. Chunks of information are device-friendly compared to long-form content. It is easy for the young to learn this way as they are tech-savvy, and most use smartphones and tablets.

Immersive Learning

Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) will both be a reality when it comes to e-learning. Teamed with extended reality (ER), students will get a near-real experience while learning. Besides, experiential learning that is simulation-based will get popular. The integration of 5G into learning will enhance the entire experience as well. Experiential learning is also considered the most impactful one when it comes to learning and teaching concepts effectively.

Adaptive learning

Technology and education will fuse in a way unimaginable. Since every individual is unique and different, their cognitive abilities and understanding levels also differ. Hence, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) will gain prominence. The course content adapts to the student’s capacity, and the platform itself adapts to the student’s pace and understanding. Thus, the learning needs of students are met through these innovative online classes.

Video-based learning

Last but not the least, learning will be more video-based than ever in the future. In fact, this is perhaps the most important trend in online education. Thud, recordings of classes, special sessions, etc., will be made available on video. Special instructional content will be created for this type of learning. Technology is increasingly supporting eLearning tools. Hence, video-based education will become more popular in the years to come.
There’s a whole world out there when it comes to online learning. In future, learning will also become flexible, where students will be able to access course content from anywhere. Besides, students will have access to learning modules by expert tutors. Interactive content in the form of quizzes, polls, digital boards, etc., will gain prominence. Most importantly, virtual reality and education will play a big role in imparting knowledge.