eLearnMag’s 2007 predictions

Lisa Neal over at eLearnMag has got a number of top elearning folks to make their predictions for the industry in 2007. Since she didn’t include me (she’s promised to next year ;), I’ll lob my own here.

I think gaming’s crossed over to the mainstream, whether you call it Serious Games, Immersive Learning Simulations, or what have you. More tools are supporting at least the level of Branching Scenarios (Captivate, SimWriter, SmartBuilder, to name a few). Coupled with the eLearning Guild‘s forthcoming report on the topic, I expect by the end of the year there will be quite a few more in place or under development. And I expect thinking through when to use them will have an impact on the quality of the instructional design overall.

I also (finally) see the mobile movement making strides. I’m not sure the average training group really gets the potential yet, but I’m hoping it will cross the chasm this year, and predicting we’ll have several more really great examples. Unfortunately, I don’t see Apple opening up the iPod or the new iPhone to allow us to put learning apps on there, but the tools to use mobile phones and smartphones as learning augments, not elearning lite(tm), are becoming practical and able to link back to LMS/LCMS’.

Finally, I expect to see more strategic approaches to using technology to augment performance, stepping through a richer focus including performance support with job aids (ala Allison Rossett’s new book), eCommunity, single-sourcing, and informal learning. While I think this will be more idiosyncratic than systemic, I think the beginning of the wave will be seen.

I do hope it’s a great year for one and all, and the best yet for using technology to really impact our ability to innovate, solve problems, and make the world a better place.