Healthcare organizations invest heavily in learning management systems (LMS) and services. While continuing education programs used to consist entirely of on-site classes that were often jam-packed over the course of several days, this approach has since shifted.
While destination conferences with live proctors hold clear benefits for in-person learners, (in addition to the joy of taking a vacation while meeting CME requirements), online and elearning platforms have become the norm because of their convenience.
Now, with the introduction of artificial intelligence (AI) in education and professional development, elearning platforms are not only convenient but increasingly sophisticated in how they can personalize CME. In the near future, AI-optimized adaptable content, information delivery and assessment will benefit both learners and healthcare organizations by promoting professional growth and adaptation to rapidly changing healthcare environments.
Let’s look at the specific features that will be added to learning management platforms and the ways AI in training and development is set to transform learning.
Data’s Growing Role in Learning and Development
AI in elearning will improve learning outcomes by capturing data at multiple points of learner engagement to form a complete picture of where they stand. As the learner proceeds through digital courses and assessments, their activities will be recorded as various metrics. These metrics are the fuel that makes platform content dynamic and adaptive, while also supporting gamification and virtual teaching features.
Data points, such as the speed at which individuals scroll through the curriculum, whether they get practice questions correct or how many times they press the “back” button are examples of the data points AI based training can help utilize. Processing this information with benchmarks set by collective workforce training performance data builds the foundations of a personalized and adaptive content system.
The power of these features are not only in the automated portions of AI-based training but also reside in their ability to enhance human input. The data visualization tools that accompany many AI platforms are highly useful to those who manage learning within hospital organizations and to any third-parties tasked with developing learning systems.
Dynamic Content
Dynamic content (also known as responsive or adaptive content) will be at the heart of the emerging AI in elearning regime. For learning to be optimized, it must take into account a learner’s needs, like what they need to know and where they can improve, with content that adapts to these needs in real time. AI-driven systems work by incorporating machine learning into each stage of the content delivery process with the objective of not only responding to current and past performance but to also make predictive actions based on individual and group data. Dynamic content would also extend to the assessment phase of learning, targeting the learner with examinations that test weaknesses and reinforce challenging concepts.
Gamification
Gamification has been a trending topic for some time as it pertains to exercise and workplace performance tools. Now, it is reaching learning management platforms. The contours of gamification work similarly to other AI-driven platform features like visualization, dynamism and personalization, with the added benefit of direct user input alongside the performance dimensions that matter most to learners and educators. Passionate clinicians will love competing with themselves or others on a gamified LMS platform.
Virtual Learning Assistants
Few would discount the role of human interaction in learning but with the speed and volume of learning required in modern healthcare settings, healthcare professionals may not always have the opportunity to physically be in front of a proctor.
Virtual learning assistants could be the answer. Natural language customer service robots already effectively mimic human engagement for commercial and support purposes. It is easy to see how these programs, enhanced with realistically-animated humanoid presenters, could combine many of the benefits of in-person learning with the advantages of online learning. A personalized learning experience delivered by a passionate virtual “teacher” that mimics human engagement.