Events of the last 3 or so years have fundamentally changed how we work, and communicate. As we head toward 2024 the team at Experiential Learning Tools decided to come up with our 10 most useful resources for online learning and development for the year ahead. The landscape for online learning is richer than ever, offering a diverse range of tools and platforms tailored to various organisational needs and allowing us to engage learners in new and more meaningful ways. Whether you're an individual aiming for personal growth, an educator seeking effective teaching tools, or a business striving to train your workforce, there's a resource for you. Here are ten standout tools and platforms that are shaping the future of online learning:
1. Zoom
This might seem obvious to many but Zoom remains a dominant force in the virtual communication space. Its user-friendly interface, robust features, and reliability make it a top choice for virtual classrooms, webinars, and corporate meetings. With breakout rooms, interactive polls, and a range of integrations, Zoom facilitates interactive and engaging learning experiences.
By now most of us will be accustomed to video conferencing but there are some quick tips and tricks that can improve your experience regardless of what video conferencing platform you are using.
Check out our guide to mastering the art of online video calls.
2. Whereby.com
Yes, yet another video conferencing tool but the team at Experiential Learning Tools are big fans of Whereby.com. Whereby offers a more intimate and streamlined video conferencing experience. Known for its simplicity, it's perfect for smaller team collaborations, one-on-one coaching, or tutoring sessions. Its browser-based interface means no downloads, making it incredibly accessible for users of all tech levels and the easy to say room names makes it super easy to get everyone onto a call quickly.
3. ChatGPT
AI is eating the world!
Chatbots and AI-driven assistants have become integral to so many business and becoming indispensible in so many facets of our work day. Online learning is no exception.
In regards to generative AI for learning and development the market leader is ChatGPT by OpenAI. It offers real-time assistance, answering queries, and providing information, making the learning process smoother and more interactive. Key to using GPT for training is having the right 'prompt', here are some to try out:
Help me design a leadership programme using online learning resources like Colourblind and Simbols
Give me 5 questions to help spark a conversation between my cohort on my online customer service improvement training course
5. Duolingo
Is it just me or is the world always feeling small and smaller? As technology has improved we're seeing more and more organisations of all shares and sizes having remote teams operating across borders, timezones and languages so being multilingual is becoming more and more important.
Language learning has been revolutionised by platforms like Duolingo. Its gamified approach and bite-sized lessons make the process fun and consistent. With a vast array of languages and a community-driven approach, it remains a top choice for linguistic pursuits.
Duolingo is available on iOS and Android is a great way to encourage teams to be multilingual. Your team can take small daily steps to improving their understanding of other languages.
6. Virtual or Mixed reality
Let's start with a definition here, with Virtual Reality (VR), users are typically fully immersed in a digital world that can simulate real or imaginary environments, enabling them to interact with objects, characters, or elements within the virtual space. Whereas with Mixed Reality (MR) combines elements of both the physical and virtual worlds to create a unified and interactive environment.
With VR think the Holodeck in Star Trek, with MR think Iron Man's heads up display.
The immersive nature of Virtual and Mixed Reality has found its way into the learning space. VR platforms in 2024 offer experiences ranging from historical tours to medical simulations, providing learners with a hands-on, immersive experience that traditional methods can't match.
The key trend this year will be Apple Vision Pro. Apple are typically late movers into a new product category (think of the smartphones before the iPhone and MP3 Players before the iPod) but when they do move they make a huge impact. The Apple Vision Pro headset is launching in the United States in 2024 and will offer stability, easy to understand interface and rich developer tools. This will change the paradigm for online learning.
At the lower end of the market Meta (formerly known as Facebook) have the Meta Quest 3 which launched in October 2023
7. YouTube
YouTube, the video-sharing giant, remains an invaluable resource. With millions of educational videos, tutorials, lectures, and documentaries, it's a platform where you can learn about almost anything, often for free. Its community-driven nature ensures a constant influx of fresh content.
Thousands of hours of amazing content is added each month and your teams can access if for free.
We recently complied a list of
useful channels with great content for professional development and self learning. What channels would you recommend?
8. Doodle
Scheduling and organisation are crucial in the learning process, and Doodle simplifies this. Everyone is busy and managing calendars can be a nightmare and that's where Doodle steps in.
Whether it's setting up tutoring sessions, team meetings, or group projects, Doodle's intuitive interface makes planning hassle-free.
Doodle is massively popular and has over 78,000 events scheduled per day on the platform.
Plans start from free so its really low barrier to get started and try it out in your organisation.
9. Canva
Visual aids enhance the learning experience, and Canva is the go-to tool for creating them. With its vast library of templates and graphics, educators and learners alike can create presentations, infographics, and other visual materials with ease.
Visual communication is a critical part of learning. For many years trainers have been limited by poor desktop publishing tools but Canva empowers us to create beautiful content quickly through our web browser.
That can be presentations, social media graphics, business cards or video content. Canva empowers users to make beautiful content and is really easy to get started with.
10. ExperientialLearningTools.com
Rounding off the list is Experiential Learning Tools, a platform dedicated to experiential training techniques for remote teams. We embrace Experiential Learning principles and use the
Kolb Model of Experiential Learning to provide deep, impactful training sessions. Our online learning platform offers a suite of tools to empower session facilitators to engage learners and deliver various outcomes.
With Experiential Learning Tools you can access various group learning activities such as:
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Images of Customer Experience activity, which uses metaphorical images to develop rich dialogues based on personal experiences that can be transferred into workplace improvements
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Colourblind® can unlock the power of effective communication and team development. The digital version of the original physical experiential learning activity was designed to highlight and address the challenges of imprecise language and communication in virtual teams and is available exclusively on Experiential Learning Tools.
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Broken Squares game hinges on fostering relationships among team members, cultivating an understanding of others' needs, and demonstrating a readiness to share resources—all without verbal communication. This positions it as a prime tool for Emotional Intelligence training. The activity sharpens participants' problem-solving abilities, bolsters virtual team cohesion, and enhances trust within interdependent virtual groups.
In a world where remote learning is prevalent, platforms like this ensure that training sessions focussed on behavioural change remain dynamic, interactive, and effective.
Conclusion
The online learning landscape of 2024 is diverse, catering to a range of needs and preferences. From video conferencing tools to AI-driven platforms, the resources available today ensure that learning is not just accessible but also engaging and impactful.
As we continue to see more and more companies embrace the benefits of remote work, global teams and emerging technologies the tools and platforms listed above will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in shaping the future of education and professional development.
If you would like to get started with Experiential Learning Tools you can
subscribe today for instant access to all of our
immersive training activities or book a free demo session.
