In a few years, Generation Alpha, the children of the Millennials, will cross 2 billion, making them the largest generation in the history of the world.
This segment can be a boon or a bane for global businesses, depending on how technologically equipped they are to cater to this generation. The Alphas use multiple devices, are social media savvy, and their reasons for buying are dramatically different from other generations. For example, they buy because they ‘approve’ of what a brand stands for. They purchase not for cost-effectiveness but for eco-friendly reasons. To simplify, they are rewriting the rules of business, and unless enterprises gear up, they could miss out on this vast segment.
While for other industry segments, there are still a few years left before the Alphas hit the ground, for Edtech companies, Gen Alpha already comprises a large part of their learner base. Aware of this shift, global Edtech companies have started their transformation journeys to suit Alphas’ learning patterns by introducing personalized learning programs, learning through play, and S.T.E.M. and S.T.E.A.M. focused curriculums.
The primary expectation of this generation’s education system is personalized learning, critical thinking, problem-solving, cultural sensitivity, and environmental awareness. For example, one of Impelsys’ clients wanted a 40-hour-long classroom training program to be converted to digital for easy access and reach. Impelsys provided a flexible learning framework based on specific learning outcomes. As a result of this technology transformation, each learner had their own personalized learning experience. Also, depending on the performance in the pre-assessment, they needed to convert only those topics which required attention instead of going through the entire course. An excellent way to keep Alphas hooked to the screen!
Given below are three critical trends which are creating higher engagement levels and making the process of learning more adaptable, accessible, and interactive:
Artificial Intelligence
AI in education is on a growth trajectory, and the technological impact reverberates across the industry. The power of AI can be used to create intelligent learning content and design digital curricula and courses across various devices like video and audio. AI can condense content into smart study guides and tutor a learner based on their difficulties, known as “Mastery Learning” and many more.
Impelsys takes eLearning to the next level using the power of AI/ML. With AI/ML, Impelsys offers deep learning to understand how users behave, ensuring better conversion and retention, speech/image recognition, etc. AI/ML offers business intelligence by converting fragmented data into actionable insights. Impelsys Innovation lab provides these insights on your business and users with the most conducive business model for your business.
Micro-Learning
A quick learning technique where large and complex learning content is broken into smaller multimedia-rich chunks defines microlearning. Microlearning is the perfect learner-centric solution for this new learning landscape as it provides the solution to the problem of delivering short just-in-time training modules with rich media formats, compatible with multiple devices and continuously.
The benefits of microlearning are varied, such as just-in-time learning and anytime & anywhere learning, resulting in higher engagement, affordable on the budget, and putting the learner in the driver’s seat.
Impelsys client, a large middle east bank providing Sharia-compliant financial solutions, wanted to modernize its training capabilities with learner-centric and interactive training courses for various banking programs. Impelsys built a customized learning solution for the bank, designing systems with an illustrated approach and providing learners with an engaging and personalized learning experience. The client benefited from a quick roll-out of training to employees spread across multiple locations with easy accessibility from any device.
Virtual and Augmented Reality
This technology is fast evolving and expected to grow exponentially and has the potential to revolutionize the whole ed-tech market right from how teachers teach to how students learn. AR/VR can deliver virtual content in a more engaging and immersive way. Virtual and augmented reality can help grasp complex concepts and help learners gain more practical experience with life-like simulation. Here is an exciting blog on virtual and augmented reality – Augmenting online training with virtual reality.
Conclusion
Transforming your technology landscape to keep up with the latest trends should be seamless. Impelsys empowers you with technology and expertise that has been perfected over decades of experience in digitally transforming the edtech industry.
Some of the core components of our award-winning SaaS-based platform are the cognitive solutions that help education providers, publishers, and enterprises to launch and monetize their digital learning assets efficiently.
Our Innovation Lab, which offers Lab-as-a-Service (LaaS) will help build custom solutions for you around disruptive technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Natural Language Processing (NLP), Big Data, and Cloud. Solutions that help you stay competitive and drive disruptive changes in your industry and also to meet the Alphas head-on.
Authored by – Veena Terdal
Senior Product Manager, Product Management
