Trends in learning 2020 report & TrainingZone hub, The Open University, UK

In May 2020 the Open University published its annual report concerning current trends in learning. Every year since 2012, the group of experts from the Open University tracks what is new and what is changing to identify the most important developments. In this year's report, four key trends have been identified that, according to its authors, are shaping the future of learning. They are AI in education/learning, learning through open data, engaging with data ethics and learning from animations.

In reference to the report, the Open University offers a new initiative called the TrainingZone hub. Its content is versatile and up to date. There are numerous downloadable resources - whitepapers, eBooks, toolkits and reports. Another source of information is events and webinars - both live and on-demand - as well as the articles and blog posts, which are grouped in three main categories: Lead, Develop and Deliver. The hub is aimed to support L&D Professionals in organizing and delivering flexible learning which is one of the trends identified in the report.

A brief report preview is available on YouTube: https://youtu.be/5-62aYsNfxQ
More information and the link to download the report can be found at http://www.open.ac.uk/business/trends-in-learning-2020, whereas the URL to TrainingZone is https://www.trainingzone.co.uk

Beginner series on online learning: must-read eBooks

The Rosetta stone offers for free six eBooks that cover everything from the advantages of eLearning and the business goals it helps achieve to how to plan for learning analytics, the role of an LMS, and everything within the spectrum. The titles of the books are E-learning, Instructional Design. Learning Analytics, Microlearning, Rapid eLearning, and Generating Motivation and Excitement in the Virtual Classroom. The advantage of those books is that they are well structured and concise. One may easily get the overview of the issues covered and then identify what he or she wants to deepen from other sources.

The eBooks can be downloaded from the CommonLab website https://bit.ly/2Cya7t2 (the books are free but the registration is required)

Delivering High-Quality Instruction Online in Response to Covid-19. Faculty Playbook

As one can read in the Introduction "the playbook is a result of the collaboration between the Online Learning Consortium (OLC), the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU), and the Every Learner Everywhere Network with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. It is designed to serve as a concise guide in addressing faculty needs for online course design, teaching, and continuous improvement."

Each topic covered in the playbook is organized along with three different levels: Design, Enhance and Optimize. As the authors point out, "these levels quickly guide you to the resources you need most, and each builds upon the previous, providing a path for continuous improvement along a continuum of increasing quality. The first level, Design, provides foundational information and resources for developing an online course and provides direction for moving courses online in emergent situations. The next level, Enhance, provides information to either continue quality course development or to improve the initial elements of a course moved online unexpectedly. Finally, the Optimize level offers resources for designing a course in alignment with the highest-quality recommendations and best practices, as well as for evaluation and maintenance."

Also included are resources and tips for online course development and delivery in both 'standard' and emergency-management circumstances. They can be freely mixed and matched according to the needs of a particular instructor or institution.

More information and the link to download the report at https://www.everylearnereverywhere.org/resources/delivering-high-quality-instruction-online-in-response-to-covid-19/