THIS – Shaping InteractionsStrategy Consulting & Digital Agency in Düsseldorf
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E-Learning & Blended Learning

Learning on demand: Flexible access to knowledge

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Being able to recall knowledge whenever we actually need it sounds like a dream. Find out in this blog how this dream becomes a reality.


Today, we are overwhelmed with more and more information. This makes it increasingly difficult to recall knowledge in the moment we need it. Privately, we use the shopping list on the refrigerator or the schedule on our smartphones. But what about more complex content from a training that we want to anchor sustainably and apply in our professional lives?

Ebbinghaus' forgetting curve states that after 24 hours, we can only recall 34 percent of what we have learned. After 30 days, we may forget up to 90 percent of the acquired knowledge. If what we have learned is not directly applied in practice, it cannot be sustainably anchored.


A solution to this problem is ‘learning on demand’


Most people are familiar with ‘streaming on demand’ in the context of various platforms for music, movies, or series, such as Netflix or Spotify. Learning on demand uses the same concept: making content available regardless of time and place. Learners can access content exactly when they actually need it in their daily work.


Advantages of learning on demand


  • It allows learners a greater flexibility, as they can access and consume content at any time and place.
  • Missing knowledge can be made up for directly in the work situation through the provided learning content.
  • Learning motivation increases as employees can independently acquire specific knowledge for their tasks and individual challenges.
  • The more practice-oriented learning content is, the better it sticks in memory. By strongly linking the learning content to actual tasks in everyday working life, the practical relevance is much stronger.
  • Flexible and individual learning considers the individual learning rhythm and style.

Challenges of learning on demand


Many traditional learning platforms hinder quick access to the required knowledge. What we believe could be improved:

  • No lengthy login processes, as this makes it difficult for learners to quickly access content.
  • Content that is optimized for both desktop and mobile to facilitate access on the go.
  • The ability to search specifically, such as for the third step of a process or information about a particular component.

Learners should be able to quickly access digestible content without having to go through a 30-minute training first.


Conclusion


With learning on demand, employees can independently fill knowledge gaps that hinder them in their everyday working life and when performing tasks. If employees can quickly and easily access the required knowledge when they actually need it, it will ultimately increase their productivity and engagement in the company.

Companies should ensure that they make access to the necessary content as straightforward and easy as possible for their employees.