Traditionally, online learning for professionals has looked like long, dull webinars and one-size-fits-all training sessions. Regardless of if you had heard it once or a thousand times, everyone was subjected to the exact same materials.
This way of doing things is counterproductive, and fails to meet the needs of most learners. As technology evolves to allow for customization of everything from social media feeds to online shopping, professional learning has also found ways to personalize the educational experience for the individual.
If you are looking to truly engage learners with your content, adaptive learning is the solution for you. Adaptive learning uses data algorithms to understand what learners know and don’t know, and present them with the information they need to advance. Rather than subjecting every individual to the same structured curriculum, adaptive learning builds custom paths to mastery for any experience level.
Here’s a look at several uses and benefits of adaptive learning.
Learning at any level
No two learners go into a course with the same knowledge, experience, or comprehension level. What one person can master in an hour may take another person a full day to complete, and course content that is familiar and repetitive for some may be a completely new concept for others.
Adaptive learning takes the frustration out of online education for beginning and advanced learners alike. Courses begin with a placement test that allows the algorithm to determine what the learner knows and what they have yet to grasp. Then, it designs a personalized learning path, presenting only the content that is needed, and none of what isn’t.
With adaptive learning, beginners don’t have to deal with overwhelming and unfamiliar information, and advanced learners don’t have to waste time relearning things they mastered long ago.
Efficiency for busy professionals
For most adults, there is little time in the day left over after attending to work and personal matters. While they may wish to have hours to dedicate to learning, the reality is often quite the opposite.
Facilitating meaningful learning for busy professionals means understanding the need for efficiency. Adaptive learning algorithms ensure that learners don’t spend time focusing on topics that have already been sufficiently covered, instead concentrating on areas of weakness that require deeper learning. With this customized approach to learning, individuals can reach their goals quickly and effectively, without giving up countless hours of personal time.
Keep learners engaged
The monotonous structure of most traditional courses fails to grasp the attention of many learners. Without an adaptive learning algorithm, learners are often left without the tools they need to master certain topics, while also repeatedly subjected to information they have already been taught.
Learners are far more likely to stay engaged with your content when the course adapts to meet their unique needs. And when learners are engaged, they are more likely to continue taking your company’s courses.
Adaptive learning has benefits for all involved in the process, from course providers like you to the professionals you teach. Keeping your learners coming back for more is the best way to grow.
