Being able to access learning the way you need it presented is a game changer in education. The advent of e-learning allows for anytime, anywhere instruction, and it’s made available in any format.

In my vision for the future of e-learning, this digital design will forever change the way we teach. It will also change users’ perceptions of incorporating technology in education as it becomes a mainstay rather than a supplement to teacher-led instruction.

Here’s what my vision for the future of e-learning looks like:

No size limits on virtual classes.

Online learning has been closing the gaps for learners who have not been able to take traditional classes. E-learning removes time and geographical constraints, allowing students to enroll in the classes they need for continued personal development – as children and as adults.

As an example, Harvard’s first online course garnered an enrollment of 36,000 students. Universities and other schools can increase their profits with e-learning courses, but more importantly, their reach will extend to a much larger student body.

Acceptance of new instructional approaches

Because learners will be able to select the course they want to take, we’ll see a continued uptick in informal learning.

No longer will university-led instruction be the only way to prepare for a career or to continue learning throughout life. Pupils of all ages will have access to content, and this access will span continents.

The excuses given in the past for not completing a course of study will no longer be valid because students will be able to “chunk” their learning, accessing the information they need in manageable bites rather than be forced to endure four or five years of time away while pursuing a degree.

Gamification

The future of e-learning will include a new appreciation for gamification in learning as more teachers embrace this approach. Gamification itself will become more responsive as neuroscience continues to unfold how the mind learns, and educators will accept this research and allow for gamification in the classroom as a method of instruction.

Research will influence teaching and learning

We’ll continue to see how research impacts teaching, and how instruction will affect research as they create an educational cycle that is both recursive and collaborative. This elevated collaboration will open the doors of classrooms that were once taught in isolation.

The future of eLearning looks promising. In my vision of this future, education will be more accessible and more individualized, thanks to e-learning.