The Evolution of Learning: From Gurukuls to AI-Driven Education

Learning has come a long way from the ancient Gurukul system to today’s self-paced studies that happen on our laptops and mobile phones. As a millennial, I remember how people used to schedule their typing and graphic designing classes either early in the mornings or late in the evenings, after their college in the 90s.

As life progressed over the years, our learning patterns have evolved significantly. Earlier, people had to learn in order to earn. For engineering or medical students, their learning journey was mostly complete once they graduated (except for those who chose to specialize). In fields like commerce, law, and other conventional streams, a course or two along with the degree was more than sufficient to keep them in the job for the next 30-40 years. However, today that’s not the case. Even a PhD from prestigious institutions like Harvard, Oxford, or our very own IITs and IIMs cannot guarantee a job. Continuous learning is the mantra of this era.

Many organizations today prefer and allow vertical mobility of employees based on their skills rather than just considering their qualifications or experience. Thereby highlighting the importance of learning. Today, a 3-year-old kid, a 30-year-old adult, and a 60-year-old person are all learners. “Age is just a number,” “There are no age restrictions for learning,” yes, all of them are no longer just sayings. Given this scenario, the Learning and Development space that caters to organizational and professional learning has transformed rapidly over the past few years with the advent of Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics. Let’s explore some of the latest trends in the training sphere:

1. Continuous Learning Over Generic Annual Training Sessions: A single executive used to decide on the topic, time, and venue for a yearly training course. However, today, there is no specific time or month for training. It can happen anywhere and at any time. According to LinkedIn’s 2019 Workforce Learning Report, 94% of employees would stay at a company longer if it invested in their career development.

   
   

2. Data-Driven Learning Over Single-Person Intuition: Trends, needs, and market demands help individuals and organizations zero in on the courses that are the need of the hour. For example, companies like Duolingo use data to personalize learning experiences, adjusting content based on user performance.

   
   

3. Tailor-Made Content for Each Learner Over a One-Size-Fits-All Approach: Everyone learns at their own pace, and courses today are designed in such a way that people can take up the lessons at their comfort and preferred pace. A study by Docebo found that personalized eLearning may boost completion rates by 60%, employee performance by 42%, and learner engagement by five times.

   
   

4. Accessible Learning Over Exclusive Entries: Learning was a very costly affair earlier. However, today, the internet, AI, and various platforms have made learning more accessible. In fact, 15% of the U.S. population has some form of learning disability, making accessible learning crucial.

   
   

5. Self-Directed and Personalized Learning Over Trainer-Led Scheduled Sessions: Companies and individuals no longer have to go searching for experts and institutions to learn. Learning Management Systems have simplified learning, thereby creating a level playing field. For instance, platforms like Coursera and edX offer a wide range of courses that learners can take at their own pace.

   
   

6. Bite-Sized Learning Over Long, Boring Training That Spanned for Months: Lessons on most platforms today are anywhere between 1-5 minutes. Small lessons make learning easy and consumable. Microlearning helps you remember 25% to 60% more than traditional learning.

   
   

7. Social and Collaborative Learning Over Delivery by Experts: Subject experts are no longer highly experienced and learned individuals. Peer learning is the norm of the day. For example, online forums and collaborative tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams facilitate peer learning and knowledge sharing.

   
   

8. Learning While Working Over Learning After Work: When work and travel form a major chunk of most professionals’ lives, finding a separate time for learning can be highly challenging. So, most organizations today are making learning a part of everyday work. According to Josh Bersin, learning in the flow of work is becoming increasingly important as it allows employees to learn while performing their daily tasks.

   
   

At first, the change in the stream of L&D might seem a little daunting and confusing from afar. However, when we move close and start exploring and experiencing, it becomes a cakewalk.

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Sources:

1. [https://trainingindustry.com/articles/performance-management/top-notch-10-statistics-that-highlight-the-significance-of-continuous-training/](https://trainingindustry.com/articles/performance-management/top-notch-10-statistics-that-highlight-the-significance-of-continuous-training/)

2. [https://www.edume.com/blog/continuous-learning-in-the-workplace](https://www.edume.com/blog/continuous-learning-in-the-workplace)

3. [https://www.continu.com/research/corporate-elearning-statistics](https://www.continu.com/research/corporate-elearning-statistics)

4. [https://vouchfor.com/blog/microlearning-statistics](https://vouchfor.com/blog/microlearning-statistics)

5. [https://www.forbes.com/sites/kateduchene/2024/09/06/the-rise-of-upskilling-and-continuous-learning-in-a-slow-labor-market/](https://www.forbes.com/sites/kateduchene/2024/09/06/the-rise-of-upskilling-and-continuous-learning-in-a-slow-labor-market/)

6. [https://www.shrm.org/content/dam/en/shrm/research/2022-Workplace-Learning-and-Development-Trends-Report.pdf](https://www.shrm.org/content/dam/en/shrm/research/2022-Workplace-Learning-and-Development-Trends-Report.pdf)

7. [https://zipboard.co/blog/elearning/accessible-elearning-courses/](https://zipboard.co/blog/elearning/accessible-elearning-courses/)