The digital age has brought with it incredible improvements in the area of education. One such revolution has been the development of adaptive learning based on cognitive principles that utilize computers as interactive teaching and training devices. This allows educators and trainers to provide content optimized for each learner into their curriculum.
Here's how adaptive learning works, and why it's the next step you should consider taking to revolutionize your company's training programs.
What Exactly Is Adaptive Learning?
- Adaptive learning is a way to allow learners to learn in the manner most effective for their particular learning type.
- Every learner learns differently, making it highly improbable that any single educator will be able to address the learning needs of every learner they are educating.
Adaptive learning seeks to circumvent this problem through the use of artificial intelligence (AI). For example, most corporate training programs are designed to appeal to visual and kinesthetic learners using a written curriculum and applied practices.
However, consider these things:
- What if an auditory learner is subscribed to such a program?
- What if a dyslexic learner is subscribed to such a program?
They will undoubtedly struggle. Imagine, however, that this corporate training program had adjustments written into it for dyslexic or auditory learners. With adaptive learning, learners would begin their training through the use of an e-learning course, and based on how they reacted to and performed on training assignments, adaptive learning AI would then give learners the visual/kinesthetic, auditory, or dyslexia-based model to learn from.
Essentially, adaptive learning allows each learner to receive an education specifically tailored to their own learning style and needs. Adaptive learning can also group learners with similar learning types together, allowing them to learn collaboratively.
What Are the Benefits of Adaptive Learning?
Adaptive learning is highly recommended for companies because it enables staff to learn in ways they deem effective. It also solves timing, scheduling, and employee engagement challenges. For example, because adaptive learning relies on e-learning courses that learners take using an LMS or corporate training website, there is no need for trainers to be present during learning activities.
This not only reduces the pressure on trainers, but also allows learners to get a head start on their training or take training courses via a mobile device if they wish, making adaptive learning incredibly useful for continuing education requirements that employees might wish to fulfill during their breaks or time off.
Due to how it allows training to be personalized for every learner, an adaptive learning program is also incredibly effective at training employees in a manner that is actually effective. Because of this, adaptive learning can not only go a long ways toward eliminating the need for re-training, it can also actually improve a company's overhead by increasing the efficacy and performance of employees.
Modern technology has changed the way we learn and consume information. Adaptive learning is shaping up to be a teaching method that takes into account our disruptive technology and utilizes all of the benefits of the digital age to create better ways to learn and train.