Since the COVID-19 pandemic led to widespread lockdowns and social distancing measures, virtual connectivity, the ability to connect and communicate with others through digital means, such as video conferencing, messaging, and social media, has become increasingly important for businesses and higher education to maintain operations and stay connected with employees, students, customers, and partners. Learning experience platforms (LXPs) and learning management systems will continue to play a crucial role in providing customized and more social online learning experiences evidenced by its market passing the $350 million mark.
Corporate & Courses
One way businesses are using virtual connectivity is through online courses. With many employees working from home and traditional in-person training options no longer feasible, companies are leveraging online learning platforms to provide training and development opportunities for their teams. This format offers a flexible and cost-effective way for businesses to upskill their workforce to stay competitive in today’s rapidly-changing business environment. The courses themselves can be delivered through different options including self-paced tutorials, webinars, and virtual classrooms, and can be tailored to meet the specific needs of a company, with content that focuses on industry-specific topics, (i.e. compliance and regulations), or soft skills, such as communication and leadership.
It’s one thing to have courses available on-demand – it’s another to have them on-demand and in a format that is suited towards a given individual’s ability to learn, which should come as no surprise given how personalized user experiences have become across the board. In truth, we should also see a rise in learning efficacy via virtual connectivity, either for training or education, for no other reason than there are now multiple methods to distribute any type of curriculum and content based on learning style. This means that businesses and educational institutions alike can really measure employee and student success in ways that simply were not available before – how incredible!”
– James Weiss, Big Drop’s Senior Director
Online courses also offer a number of advantages for businesses. They can be accessed by employees from anywhere, at any time, which makes them ideal for companies with a remote or dispersed workforce. Additionally, online courses can be more cost-effective than traditional in-person training, as they eliminate the need for travel and accommodation expenses.
ExecOnline connects learning concepts to real life, connects people to professionals and coaches, connects enterprises to more diverse leaders, and helps leaders connect better with their teams. By delivering career-enhancing programs for leaders with a meaningful impact on enterprises. Their most well-known solution helps leadership roles, from new managers to the most senior executives, acquire the capabilities they need to meet business goals. In addition, their Applied Experience Platform, an on-demand experience designed to build leadership capabilities for a broad population of leaders, in conjunction with their Coaching offering, drives personal growth and enhances the organizational impact.
Education & Courses
Virtual connectivity and online courses have also significantly impacted higher education, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. A survey showed that 52% of graduate students in the U.S. found their online college-level education to provide a better learning experience than their college-level classroom education, and with schools and colleges closed or operating at reduced capacities, many students have had to shift to remote, or online learning, exclusively.
D2L is transforming the way the world learns by assisting learners of all ages to achieve more than they dreamed possible. D2L’s products, partners and vast ecosystem supports millions of people learning online and in person, and its growing global workforce is actively producing learning products that transform our world by making technology more human and human-centric.
In Conclusion…
Overall, virtual connectivity and online courses have become essential tools for businesses and educational institutions to stay connected and adapt to the changes brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. As companies navigate the ongoing challenges of a world forced into remote work and learning, virtual connectivity will likely play increasingly important roles in maintaining operations and driving growth.