Online learning has existed for more than three decades ever since advances in technology began to transform distance education in the late 1990s. According to Online Learning Statistics: The Ultimate List in 2024, “Worldwide, 49% of students have completed some sort of online learning” (Peck, 2024). The early 2010s saw the rise of platforms that deliver online interactive learning at scale with platforms such as Coursera, edX, Udacity, Udemy, Future Learn and many more. Massive open online courses (MOOCs) offered by a growing number of educational, nonprofit institutions as well as individuals allow hundreds of thousands of students to join online learning with others from across the world, enriching the learning of the participants like never before in traditional classrooms.
Business models and the variety of these online learning platforms since then have evolved. For example, Coursera is for-profit while edX remains non-profit and open source, but both still focus largely on courses by academic institutions. Others such as LinkedIn Learning and Masterclass focus on business skills for working professionals offered by professional trainers or practitioners in the field. While online learning platforms originated primarily to serve the needs of students in educational institutions, adult learners and working professionals have now become a significant subset of the users of these online platforms for their on-going professional development and personal interest-driven learning needs.
Taking advantage of the flexibility to customise functionalities that align with our vision for the user experience, the AISL Academy is built on an open-source technology. Some of the existing functionalities we are making use of deliver interactive learning include but are not limited to the following:
- Video-based learning: By utilising rich media such as well-produced educational videos, we transform learning content from its original static format (e.g. texts) to a dynamic delivery that really enhances learning. To cater to our global audience, we also provide subtitles, starting with English and Chinese, which enable learners to pinpoint certain segments in the learning videos to review content as needed.
- Knowledge practice: A significant portion of our professional development courses for educators and school operators provide interactive practice for the learners to check and ensure their understanding through practice and feedback, thereby achieving a higher level of mastery of the content.
Appreciating that adult learners bring existing knowledge with them, sometimes we also employ knowledge check questions before providing input as a way to engage these learners. For example, for some of the core courses for our internal staff, we use a “see what you already know” quiz to serve as a way for the learners to identify existing knowledge and self-diagnose potential learning gaps, allowing the learner to zero-in on content that’s relevant to those learning gaps and thus have a more personalised learning experience.
- Social learning: Learning from others is an approach that is especially enriching for learners as they are exposed to a diverse set of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives from others. Interactive features on the platform enabling this include social learning include polling, discussions, word clouds, etc.
Participants’ responses to our learning satisfaction surveys indicate that these interactive features do enhance their engagement and overall learning experiences.
In the coming months and years, we plan to continue evolving the platform to truly meet the learning and development needs of our users. This will transform it from a learning repository to a more robust, user-centred, professional development platform. Users can self-diagnose learning needs with the help of AI, follow personalised learning paths, and have seamless integration between the learning platform and HR management system to allow the AISL’s staff and their managers to discuss and plan learning and development on skills that will enhance their job performance.
Discover innovative EdTech tools, professional development resources, and trusted providers shaping the future of education—on AISL Mall.
Reference:
Peck, D. (2024, April 14). Online Learning Statistics: The Ultimate List in 2024. Retrieved from Devlin Peck: https://www.devlinpeck.com/content/online-learning-statistics
