RKCS Learning Solutions

As an e-learning developer, it makes sense for me to look ahead while also taking the current temperature of the industry. Figuring out what people are doing now and learning the ins and outs of education, training and development helps me to remain relevant and useful. From strictly a business perspective, looking ahead helps me figure out the moves I should be making now so that when “ahead” comes, I won’t be behind. If I am still storyboarding and developing in Word when everyone else is using Flash CS-25, then fairly soon (if not already), I will have be out of a job or out of business.

So what are the trends? What is the future of eLearning, really? With regard to education specifically, elearners.com notes that “corporations will compete directly with colleges and k-12 schools.” I’ll take it a step further and say that some colleges and k-12 schools will become corporations. I believe that “opinion” is bolstered by the fact that an NFL team already plays in an arena called the University of Phoenix stadium. This also goes to the second point that I noted from elearners.com: “Partnerships and mergers between learning institutions, publishers, technology companies, learning providers will consolidate the marketplace.” I add that the partnerships will take place between companies and organizations that at first glance might not seem like they would have anything to do with each other. Football? Online education? Nahhh. It just doesn’t make sense.

An article written in 2002 in Open Learning Today (July 2002), suggested that various peer to peer networks would bolster the propagation of eLearning via a “Napster-style” solution for training and development. Well, the term Napster is so dated now that many don’t remember it but the existence of sites such as lynda.com affirms the truth in this oh so prophetic statement made 7 years ago.

Tony Karrer has previously posted about the Learn Trends 2009 conference. I am going to attend this conference because as I ponder about the future of elearning, it makes no sense for me to ponder while standing on the periphery. So, I’ll dive in and be a part of the future solutions. As I wonder what the future will look like, I am helping to shape it according to some of my own visions of learning and development. What are some of your thoughts about the future of eLearning? How does it look to you?