By: David Hand, VP of DevOps Sales at Orasi Software
From the invention of the printing press to virtual labs, the landscape of training and learning has covered many defining milestones. Learning and training have evolved over many centuries and will continue to take new shapes and purposes.
As we move towards a new decade, we anticipate a lot of changes and see software training embrace unprecedented growth, models, paths, and tools due to advancements in technology.
From COVID-19 to rapid leaps in software training
After some initial turbulence, the software training has adapted to the impact of the global crisis. The industry has grown stronger and smarter due to the constraints brought in by the crisis.
An explosion of online classes, virtual workshops, remote-learning certifications, and digital courses point to the evolution of software training. This has redefined ‘how’ people learn and also ‘why’ people learn. The pursuit of mastering a new tool or application has now begun entailing many criteria including cost, impact, career alignment, learning effectiveness, engagement, lifelong learning value, reskilling scope, and application-orientation. This in part explains why there is a surge in the adoption of virtual labs across a diverse range of skills and capabilities.
According to a Research and Markets report, the emergence of learning analytics has been creating new shifts in the world of software training. Professionals are realizing the tremendous benefits that virtual labs and technology tools can offer.
- Enhanced collaboration
- Fast learning journeys
- Engaging learning environments
- Immersive development
- Collaboration with other participants and instructors/teachers
- Deeper feedback loops
- Over-the-shoulder guidance and mentorship
- Accelerated capability building
- Real-time assessment
- Comprehensive development and evaluation
- Goal-based learning with a good grip on progress and filling knowledge gaps
- Projects and tasks are interwoven in the context of a program
- Scope for experimentation and real-life simulation
- Networking and exposure to the right professional leaders
Software training – competitive but collaborative
As we can deduce, technology is empowering learners and instructors with an entirely new level of potential. This is making learning less rigid, more flexible, and more suited for real-life scenarios. Also, software training will no longer only happen in silos, being delivered by web collaboration tools that don’t allow for hands-on active learning.
People will not be learning in blocks anymore. They will learn all the time – on the job, in a virtual lab, on the move when they are commuting, and during networking interactions – all with the ability to gain hands-on experience.
Trainers will have to reorient their methods and tools for next-generation learners. They will have to be more creative and stress critical thinking and collaboration as they design their training paths. Learning to integrate technology smoothly and seamlessly is an essential factor in the training industry today. Use of virtual labs, smart tools, and digital features would distinguish influential trainers in this new landscape. This will also reflect strongly in the way they conduct exams, assessments, and report feedback.
As we move forward, people will learn to unlearn and relearn. This will bolster lifelong learning. It will also change the constricted nature of competition that the software training had so far. Learners will adopt innovative learning methods and stay relevant in the fast-changing and highly competitive environment, but while using collaboration with peers and co-learners. They will learn while having fun and without feeling limited by the boundaries that existed before. Geography-wise, time-wise, age-wise, and profession-wise – they could learn anything, anywhere and anytime. Technology is going to breakdown all these barriers and boundaries.
Welcome to the new era of software training!