For many associations, the end of the year is characterized by holiday-themed events and year-in-review recaps. However, this is also the time to look toward the upcoming year. The eLearning landscape evolves constantly, and associations must stay ahead of the curve to maximize the value they deliver in the new year.

In this guide, we’ll unpack three eLearning trends associations should watch closely in the upcoming year for ideas to future-proof your educational offerings.

Learning management systems (LMSs) are the most popular way to deliver eLearning content.

78% of associations leverage a learning management system (LMS) to deliver eLearning content—and for good reason. eLearning is undisputedly valuable for adult learners and preferred by 90% of students. Not to mention, a platform purpose-built to create courses and track learners’ progress is the most effective vehicle for delivering your eLearning content.

According to Blue Sky eLearn, here’s why LMSs are so beneficial to associations:

  • They streamline administrative tasks. Automation features and a centralized platform enable associations to manage enrollment, certifications, and learners’ progress.
  • They generate non-dues revenue. Integrations with payment gateways provide a simplified purchasing process, decreasing the chances of cart abandonment.
  • They enhance member engagement. LMSs put member data to work, personalizing learning assessments, discussion forums, and other content to cultivate an engaging learner experience.

Don’t head into the new year with a generic LMS—you’ll miss out on crucial functionalities, like integrations with your community engagement tool or association management software (AMS). Only a solution tailored to associations will offer the unique features your organization needs to deliver impactful eLearning content.

Learners retain most information from video content.

From a popularity perspective alone, the importance of video is staggering. Getting Attention explains how using a video format “means viewers will retain 95% of your message, compared to just 10% when reading it as plain text.”

What does this mean for next year’s eLearning content? Video is a promising format for engaging members and supporting their learning journeys. Here’s how your association can use it as effectively as possible:

  • Be mindful of video length. A video’s length will ultimately depend on its purpose (i.e., a marketing video will be much shorter than a video course). However, research indicates that viewers’ attention dwindles throughout the duration of a video. In other words, your content must balance comprehensiveness and conciseness to retain learners’ interest.
  • Make information easy to absorb. Utilize microlearning to focus your video content on a few key concepts, preventing information overload. Also, incorporate graphics, diagrams, and other visual elements into your videos to simplify complex ideas. These items can double as easily shareable content that demonstrates the valuable information provided in your eLearning materials.
  • Add interactive elements. Participation opportunities reinforce knowledge. For example, short quizzes and gamification elements boost long-term knowledge retention from 21% to 95% after 31 days. Supplement your videos with interactive experiences, like live webinars and post-module quizzes. Your LMS should make it easy to incorporate these features.

As the new year approaches, evaluate industry trends and predictions to identify topics that will resonate with your members. Experiment with various video formats, such as webinars, panel interviews, and Q&As, paying close attention to which videos your audience prefers.

Professional goals are a top value proposition for eLearning content.

According to the Membership Marketing Benchmarking Report, the top reasons members joined associations in 2024 included pursuing continuing education and professional certifications. Additionally, associations that reported increases in certifications were more likely to report membership growth and renewal rates.

Meet members’ expectations in the new year by prioritizing professional development opportunities. Here are a few ways you can keep their professional goals top of mind:

  • Align opportunities with career stages. Newly graduated students entering the workforce, mid-career professionals, and seasoned experts all have a place in your association. To attract and engage them, align your offerings with their varying needs. Plan a wide range of offerings for the new year, from foundational training to advanced certifications and leadership development.
  • Use an LMS that can handle industry-specific training. In addition to leveraging an association-specific LMS, look for a platform that offers the tools you need to help members achieve goals in their industry. For example, an LMS for healthcare associations should offer continuing medical education (CME) credit support so organizations can offer and manage accredited courses.
  • Promote peer-to-peer learning. Empower members to work toward their professional goals by facilitating networking opportunities. Ask seasoned members to mentor newer ones, leverage a community engagement platform where members can casually reach out to one another, and plan dedicated networking events where members can connect.

49% of people say their New Year’s resolutions are related to their careers, meaning the beginning of the year is the perfect time to create a plan for supporting members’ professional goals. Survey members to assess their goals and use data from your LMS to determine which educational content most resonated with them in the past year. Then, determine how you can tailor your offerings to meet members’ needs in the new year.

While analyzing past trends can inform your future plans, it’s important to remain flexible heading into the new year. Emerging trends or sudden discoveries may change your members’ priorities, and your association must pivot accordingly.

The right technology makes it easy to adjust or grow your offerings as needed. For example, choose an LMS with unlimited course creation to ensure you can support a diverse range of learning needs and scale your offerings as needed. This way, you’ll be prepared for any eLearning trends the new year brings.