Digital learning has been influenced a lot by current social media trends. Currently, social media is moving heavily more into video; and digital learning is following suit, or at least should be. Facebook and Instagram has Reels, YouTube has Shorts, probably influenced by the boom of the social media platform TikTok and other social media platforms.

Thanks to social media, user engagement has a short time span; grabbing their attention within the first few seconds, be visual and engaging. And this is what digital learning is moving towards, if applicable. What currently works best is fast, quick learning, something that will keep them engaged.

Digital learning had to adapt to these trends. Here are a few things that are currently trending at this time:

Micro-Learning

The way of learning has evolved; and for digital learning, it is no exception. Micro-learning is about delivering learning in bite size pieces. For example, if a training has 90+ minutes of length, it may be overwhelming for the student, especially if they have to balance current workload (whether work and/or school) with training.

Dividing the lessons into bite-sized pieces, such as no more than 8 estimated minutes to complete, can be easier to learn at their own pace. This can help with learning fatigue, as this also respect the student's time.

Use of Video as a Delivery Method

Digital learning is moving more towards videos, rather than documents to read; while sometimes it's necessary. Digital learning platforms such as Udemy gives the ability to provide mostly video; where students are engaged in the content.

Variety in Learning Methods

With video, what works best for everyone is to have a variety in the methods of delivering learning. Some would be fine watching a person talk about a lesson, with minimal bullets added to the presentation, while others are more visual, and seeing a person talking most of the time might not be that engaging. Having a variety of these methods throughout the video can help students stay engaged in the material.

Social Media Trends Help Improve Digital Learning

In conclusion, there's a lot to learn about applying digital learning methods based on social media trends. People are used to short, sometimes educational videos, that are visual. With digital learning, this is what seems to be working best for engagement: the use of video, short lessons and with visuals that can suit all types of learners.