How Continued Learning is Changing in Our Modern World [Webinar Recap]

Technology has drastically changed the way we learn and how we receive information, yet many learning programs have not adapted. By aligning with the needs of the modern learner and adjusting your approach, you will be better suited to offer courses that facilitate continued learning, drive higher user engagement, and yield better results for both your learners AND your organization.

In a webinar hosted by eLearning Guild, BenchPrep’s Customer Success Manager, Kevin Korinek, and Association of Supply Chain Management’s Sr. Director of L&D, Bob Collins, uncovered how to increase continual learning in the modern world. Here are some highlights and key takeaways from that webinar.

The Modern Learner is Changing

The average attention span of humans is on the decline and it’s no surprise why. With millions of websites, apps, and video clips available, today’s learners are constantly distracted. According to Deloitte, the average learner is online 27 times every day compared to the early days of the internet where the average was 5. 

In addition to being distracted, today’s learners have an expectation that things should be delivered on-demand, including their education. Do you want to know what the average attention span of a human is? Google it and have an answer delivered to you in a fraction of a second. 

Lastly, modern learners are more eager to learn than ever. Despite contrary belief, today’s learners desire to further their careers badly enough that they will pay for their training if need be. For example, 62% of IT professionals report having paid for training out of their own pockets.

Organizations are Changing… (or at least trying to change) 

Learners aren’t the only ones who are changing and evolving. Organizations are also realizing the need to adapt, as well. Learning and Development spend at organizations have shifted since years prior. In 2006, 33% of L&D spending was allocated to instructor delivery compared to now where it’s only 16%. 

According to Deloitte, 90% of organizations surveyed by MIT and Deloitte anticipate their industries will be totally disrupted by digital trends. However, do organizations know how to adjust to these digital trends? Overall it has been hard for organizations to adapt. For example, only 12% of companies are very effective at capabilities for digital learning and 9% are very effective at implementing learning technology.

Changing Learning to Foster Lifelong Learners

Current learning programs need to meet learners where they are today. But where do you start? How do you adjust what you already have?

ASCM was in a state where most companies are today. Most of their courses were designed for face-to-face learning and they used online quizzes and exercises for their CERT Prep Learning System. However, they soon realized their philosophy wasn’t invented, their content needed to be updated, they had an unsupported LMS, and they lacked certain internal resources (i.e. instructional designers). By implementing a new LMS, ASCM was able to redesign their content, add more talent, and adjust to their learner’s needs by creating content that is accessible and personalized. 

Do these challenges sound familiar? If so, trust us when we tell you: you are not going through this alone! Adjusting your learning strategy to align with the needs of today’s modern learner cannot be done overnight, however, the right partner can help transform your current learning program to be better suited to meet your learner’s needs and wants. During the webinar, we uncovered several valuable tips for transforming your current content for continued learners.