Trend Sources and Resources:
Current Trends and Future Directions of Technological Advances in Corporate Learning
Future Directions and Trends Course #98828 11-01 – Laurie Kaminski
The abundance of resources and socialization tools that are available and easily accessible through the
Internet, the rapid proliferation of information, software and devices are challenging those in the
learning and development (L&D) world to reassess their role as educators. Many trends and conditions
inside and outside of the corporate environment have driven the need for new technologies to be
integrated into training programs.
The aim of this paper is to examine the sources and resources addressing the key trends and directions
affecting education, in general, and corporate learning & development, in particular, being experienced
in 2011 as found in Trend Report 1 & 2 for Future Directions and Trends, a course in the CIS: Emerging
Technologies for Learning.
A discussion on future directions and trends in corporate learning cannot be done without the context
of the global economic trends. Review of information coming out of Global Economic Prospects 2011
(The World Bank, 2011) and Global Economy Monthly Review (Credit Suisse,2011) indicate a slow
recovery from the global recession of 2008-2009. However, the risk of renewed recession remains
uncomfortably high in 2011 potentially affecting employment levels, food prices and the volatility and
availability of monetary resources within the corporate world.
The global economic situation has had a considerable impact on corporate Human Resources and
Learning & Development. After a significant reduction in staffing and resources as a result of the global
recession, according to the Corporate Leadership Council: HR Quarterly News and Trends, (Q1, Q2, Q3,
2011), HR budget optimism is continuing to grow in 2011 with almost half of HR executives anticipating
an increase in the next 12 months. With the global recession, more L&D organizations have experienced
a reduction in staff headcount challenging L&D to “do more with less”. Trends in Q3 indicate that the
L&D headcount is stabilizing. L&D training budget projections have risen with an expectation of
spending on leadership development and social learning. The supply chain for training services is
changing (Seidel, 2011). Social-media enabled collaboration is on the increase. By Internet research
counts, 75,000,000 millennials are preparing to join or joining the workforce (Heathfield, (n.d.)).
Recruiting continues to be complex with retention levels being challenged (Engagement Trends: Q3,
2011). Technologies for training are changing how people learn (Seidel, 2011, Herring, 2011, Papp,
(n.d.)). This research indicates the need for L&D to adapt training programs to better meet the needs of
the changing workforce (A Trainer`s Life, 2009, Herring, 2011). However, while L&D budget projections
have risen, L&D staff development is decreasing (HR Quarterly News and Trends, Q3, 2011).
Trends in Technology and Education. As a result of and in response to these demographic- and
economic-based trends, five general trends in learning delivery are emerging (Avey, C., 2011)
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Kiosk Learning
Increased fidelity of experience
Crowd-sourcing for learning environments
Data-mining
LMS adds informal learning
The Horizon Report 2011 (The New Media Consortium and the Educause Learning Intiative, 2011)
provides a comprehensive overview and timeline of the emerging technologies that fit into these
general trends and will likely have the largest impact on teaching and learning in the next five years.
This research is validated in Churchill Club: 13th Annual List of Top 10 Tech Trends – Horizon Watching
(Nov 7, 2011) and Web Conferencing Training Trends 2010: North America (n.d.).
The rising costs associated with instructor-led training that include trainers’ travel expenses, their salary, and
administrative costs associated with training guides and materials and one can see the impetus for the trend
toward game-based learning strategies (Game-Based Learning White Paper (n.d.), Instructional Design:
Game-based Learning (2006)). Game-based learning technology is “expected to gain widespread usage
within two to three years” (The New Media Consortium and the Educause Learning Intiative, 2011). Key
ideas emerge regarding the educational impact of the trend toward game-based learning (Bourak et al,
2011).
The increased use of games technology in the home is creating a significant interest for game based
learning in the workplace (McGonigal, 2011). Employees need to be trained quickly and effectively in
important knowledge and skills. Game-based learning is changing how businesses manage employees
and engage customers (Cass, 2011, O’Brien, 2011, Digitec (n.d.), Gartner, 2011). The serious games
movement is a trend towards designing and analysing the use of games and simulations to support
formal training objectives and outcomes (Wikipedia,n.d., Ghandi, n.d.). Simulations are being used in
areas such as the medical field, legal practice, security and defence training (Hannon, n.d.); business
and management simulation studies provide a "worldview" approach to informed decision-making and
policy development, simulating all aspects of entrepreneurship (SimVenture, IndustryPlayer, Virtual U);
corporate meeting places and training rooms and being simulated in immersive worlds (Ghandi, n.d., De
Frietas, n.d., Kozlov et al, 2008). It is generally agreed by organizations who have embraced game-based
learning that these delivery methods help to build more productive and engaged employees and this in
turn, enhances opportunities around employee satisfaction and retention (Cass, 2011, O’Brien, 2011,
Digitec (n.d.), Gartner, 2011)
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Sources
Global Economic Prospects 2011 (June 2011), The World Bank. Retrieved from http://web.worldbank.org
Come Together Right Now: Global Economy Monthly Review (Sept 19,2011), Credit Suisse. Retrieved from
https://www.credit-suisse.com/investment_banking/doc/global_economy_monthly_review.pdf
Corporate Leadership Council: HR Quarterly News and Trends, (Q1, Q2, Q3, 2011).,CLC Human Resources.
Retrieved from www.clc.executiveboard.com
Engagement Trends: Q3 2011, Discretionary Effort and Intent to Stay by Geography, Function, and
Industry.,Corporate Leadership Council. Retrieved from www.clc.executiveboard.com
Seidel, P., 7 Trends Driving the Future of Corporate Training Services in Community Colleges (Jan 7, 2011).
Retrieved from http://www.trainingindustry.com/blog/blog-entries/7-trends-driving-the-future-of-corporatetraining-services-in-community-colleges.aspx
Heathfield, S.M., Managing Millennials: Eleven Tips for Managing Millennials. About.com Guide Retrieved from
http://humanresources.about.com/od/managementtips/a/millenials.htm
A Trainer`s Life (Mar 14, 2009). Retrieved from www.atrainerslife.com/blog/trends
Herring, M., Moving Toward 2020: The Learning Decade (Mon Mar 21, 2011). Retrieved from
http://www.fastcompany.com/1741475/moving-toward-2020-the-learning-decade
Horizon Report 2011, The New Media Consortium and the Educause Learning Intiative (2011). Retrieved from
www.nmc.org
Web Conferencing Training Trends 2010: North America (n.d.). 1080 Group. Retrieved from www.1080group.com
Churchill Club: 13th Annual List of Top 10 Tech Trends – Horizon Watching (Nov 7, 2011), Retrieved from
http://horizonwatching.typepad.com
Avey, C., Five Trends in Learning Delivery in 2011 (Feb 9, 2011). Chief Learning Officer, Solutions for Enterprise
Productivity. Retrieved from http://clomedia.com/articles/view/five-trends-in-learning-delivery-in-2011
Kozlov,S., Reinhold,N.,To Play or not to Play: Can companies learn to be n00bs, LFG, and lvl-up?, 2008
Papp, R., Virtual worlds and social networking: reaching the millennials (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.aabri.com/manuscripts/10427.pdf
Hannon, D., Game-Based Learning Applications For Safety and Health Training(n.d.). Retrieved from
http://EzineArticles.com/2573659
Gartner Says By 2015, More Than 50 Percent of Organizations That Manage Innovation Processes Will Gamify
Those Processes (April 12, 2011). Retrieved from http://www.gartner.com/it/page.jsp?id=1629214
Ghandi, S., Global Innovation Outlook at IBM dives into Second Life (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/opensource/library/os-social-secondlife/?ca=drsDe Frietas, S., Learning in Immersive Worlds A review of game-based learning(n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.jisc.ac.uk/media/documents/programmes/elearninginnovation/gamingreport_v3.pdf
Bourak, L., Burchill,S., Hvidston, R., Miller,C., and Perigny, G. Tech Trend: Digital Game-Based Learning. Retrieved
from http://techtrends-gamebasedlearning.wikispaces.com/Trends
Retrieved from http://www.simventure.co.uk/
Retrieved from http://www.industryplayer.com/
Retrieved from http://www.virtual-u.org/
Game-Based Learning White Paper (n.d.). Digitec. Retrieved from
http://www.knowledgedirectweb.com/company1/content/133/Game-Based%20Learning%20White%20Paper.pdf
Massively Multiplayer Online Game (n.d.). Wikipedia. Retrieved from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massively_multiplayer_online_game
O’Brien, J., (Sept 20, 2011) Getting Employees Engaged with Games. Retrieved from
http://hr.toolbox.com/blogs/employee-recognition-and-rewards/getting-employees-engaged-with-games-48492
McGonigal, J. Video Games: An Hour A Day Is Key To Success In Life (Feb 15, 2011). Retrieved from
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jane-mcgonigal/video-games_b_823208.html
Cass, S., Exploiting the Fun Factor (2011). Retrieved from
http://www.technologyreview.com/business/39003/?ref=rss
Instructional Design: Game-based Learning (2006). Carson Learning Services. Retrieved from
http://www.clsllc.com/id/game/index.html
Game-Based Learning: What it is, Why it Works, and Where it's Going (n.d). Retrieved from
http://www.newmedia.org/game-based-learning--what-it-is-why-it-works-and-where-its-going.html