The big change since last year is the growth in demand for ready-made digital learning and video content
Martin Addison, CEO of Video Arts
L&D teams are increasingly buying-in ready-made learning resources, rather than creating their own, according to an annual survey by Video Arts, which reveals an upsurge in the use of off the shelf digital learning and video content.
400 learning and development professionals were asked about how they deliver training and their plans for the future. The results show overall stability in the use of classroom training (89%), e-learning (79%), coaching (69%), video portals (41%), e-books (26%), learning apps (21%) and gaming (20%). Of the L&D teams that use e-learning, 33% more are now buying-in ready-made courses (92%, from 69% last year) and 14% more are buying-in off the shelf video content (56%, from 49% last year).
The use of self-authored e-learning has gone down to 68% (from 83% last year). A similar number of L&D teams are making their own video content as last year (56%). However, fewer (49%) now source free video content from the Internet (down from 57% last year).
“Classroom training and online learning still dominate the development agenda but the big change since last year is the growth in demand for ready-made digital learning and video content,” said Martin Addison, CEO of Video Arts. “L&D teams are taking a ‘horses for courses’ approach, as they’re also commissioning bespoke content to meet specific needs and some are still creating their own learning resources. But, increasingly, it seems they want the immediacy, reliability and economy of off the shelf content.”
In 87% of organisations, e-learning is used as a standalone resource. “The barriers to e-learning that used to exist have largely been broken down,” said Martin Addison. “L&D teams are less concerned about the infrastructure required to deliver e-learning. Instead they see it as an accessible and cost effective option for training employees at the point of need.”
For ‘soft skills’ development – the skills that relate to a person’s ability to interact effectively with others – more L&D teams use video (78%) than e-learning (56%). However e-learning is used more for professional development (52% use e-learning; 47% use video) and compliance training (e-learning 76%; video 46%).
“The use of video for compliance training has doubled since last year,” said Martin Addison. “This is evidence that video content is now a fundamental part of the learning mix.”
77% of L&D teams now use video in their learning, predominantly as part of classroom-based courses (69%) but also for short pieces of micro-learning via a Learning Management System (43%) or via an online video platform (34%). 65% say the main reason they use video content is because learners are more likely to remember the learning.
The survey also asked about the changing nature of the corporate trainer role. Only 6% of respondents see their main role as an instructor; 62% said the most important aspect of their job is to be a facilitator; 17% said subject matter expert and 15% cited content manager or curator.
Download the Learning Index infographic for the full report:
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